Demodicosis in humans: treatment, symptoms, prevention

Dermatovenerologist

Khasanova

Alina Rashidovna

9 years experience

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Demodecosis is a chronic skin disease caused by the Demodex mite. The disease has remissions and exacerbations, and most often it manifests itself in warm weather, from spring to autumn.

The causative agent of demodicosis itself occurs in almost all people. This is not affected by a person’s gender, age, or even race. However, the disease manifests itself only if the immune system is greatly reduced and the body’s condition is weakened. In this case, tick waste products cause a lot of inconvenience.

The disease is not very common - only 3-5 cases of skin diseases out of a hundred are caused by it. However, it is important to know that demodicosis can be transmitted from person to another person, and it also occurs in wild and domestic animals.

Most often, the tick affects the eyebrows, eyelids, forehead, chin, nasolabial folds, back, chest, and the external ear canal.

Causes

We have already said that demodicosis in humans occurs due to the influence of a certain type of mite. These mites live permanently on the skin, usually without causing any harm to their host. The problem begins when the number of ticks increases significantly - after which they can already become parasites, which cause a lot of problems.

Factors that contribute to the development of a negative scenario can be internal and external. Internal causes of demodicosis of the skin include:

severe weakening of the immune system for various reasons, as well as exhaustion of the body. This may be due to a lack of proper nutrition, past illnesses, stress, etc.;
viral and microbial diseases of chronic type. These are tuberculosis, hepatitis, toxoplasmosis and much more;
helminthiases. The activity of helminths also suppresses the immune system, they make it weak;
autoimmune diseases. As you know, diseases of this type greatly affect the state of the body. Many of the diseases are fatal and cause early death of a person. It is not surprising that against the background of such problems with the body, demodicosis may appear on the face or on another part of the body;
oncology. With many types of cancer, the body loses its strength and is unable to fight even very simple infections;
gastrointestinal diseases. For example, very often the disease is associated with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which leads to various diseases of the stomach and intestines. Why the bacterium is associated with demodicosis has not yet been understood, but this relationship is already obvious;
other skin diseases. This includes seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, acne, etc. If the barrier properties of the skin are already compromised, there are inflammations and other problems, the mite affects it worse;
hormonal disruptions and changes associated with diseases, as well as natural conditions of the body, for example, pregnancy or lactation.

There are a lot of factors, so demodicosis of the skin often develops against the background of their combination. Women with thin skin are also at risk.

External factors that influence the development of the disease include:

influence of temperature. The causative agent of demodicosis develops best in warm conditions;
Unhealthy Lifestyle. These include bad habits, an unbalanced diet, and an extremely high level of stress, which is characteristic of modern man;
use of low-quality, inappropriate cosmetics. This is especially true for those products that are sold without certificates and are not tested within the framework of legal quality requirements;
bad ecology. Increased levels of pollution cause the skin's protective functions to become weaker.

External factors often complement internal ones, but sometimes (for example, when choosing the wrong cosmetics) they can act as independent factors.

Classification

Demodicosis (photo can be found below) is classified into 2 main clinical forms - primary and secondary. The first diagnosis is made in the event of a sharp surge in parasitic reproduction and effective treatment with the use of antiparasitic drugs. In most cases, it occurs in people over 40 years of age. The secondary form is diagnosed by identifying concomitant skin lesions and systemic diseases (usually associated with immunodeficiency). In some cases, this diagnosis is found in people taking epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and in those who have been exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

Based on the symptoms manifested on the skin, the following types of demodicosis are distinguished:

Acneiform - the presence of papules and pustules similar to acne;
Rosacea-like - papules appear due to diffuse erythema;
Seborrheic - skin rash combined with peeling;
Ophthalmic - inflammation of the eyelids, accompanied by discomfort in the affected eye.

Symptoms

Since there is demodicosis of the eyelids (eye form) and a skin disease, there will be different types of symptoms for these two forms.

Symptoms of demodicosis on the skin are manifested by the following:

acne: from nodules and pustules to rosacea;
a feeling of itching that causes severe discomfort. It manifests itself most strongly at night and in the evening;
increased skin oiliness. It is the greasy environment that best promotes the proliferation of ticks;
red areas of the skin, which indicate increased pressure in the blood vessels. It is associated with inflammation of the skin;
growth of the wings of the nose. In advanced cases, they increase in size as the functioning tissue is replaced by connective tissue.

The following symptoms are typical for the ocular form of the disease:

eye fatigue. It is caused by inflammation and the fact that the patient is forced to constantly focus his vision and strain;
eyelash loss. This is explained by the fact that the mite attacks the hair follicles;
sticking of eyelashes. The formation of a thin film along the eyelash growth line due to inflammation is precisely the reason for this undesirable effect;
redness and inflammation of the eyelids. In many cases, this greatly complicates the patient’s life and reduces the level of comfort.

Since some of these signs may indicate other diseases, demodicosis in humans requires additional research methods to make an accurate diagnosis.

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Treatment of demodicosis

To identify demodex, a scraping is taken from the inflamed area of the skin. You should not apply cosmetics before the analysis. The treatment regimen for demodicosis is a complex and lengthy process that requires patience and strict adherence to all doctor’s prescriptions. The duration of treatment until complete recovery can take up to six months.

Drug treatment for demodex mites involves increasing the body's defenses and eliminating the mite that causes the disease. To increase the protective properties, the doctor prescribes ointments, antihistamines, and shampoos that contain metronidazole. These remedies can be used to treat the disease at home. If no improvement is observed, then ornidazole is used.

Acneiform demodicosis photo

The affected areas of the skin are wiped with tinctures of calendula or eucalyptus, then prenacid or demalan ointment is applied. Demalan is a good remedy for removing demodex mites. Demodex complex milk is a good medicine. Ozone therapy and magnetic therapy are also used for treatment. If the eyelids are affected, you can use burdock oil for rapid eyelash growth and massage the eyelids. In case of purulent blepharitis, doctors prescribe antibiotics such as colbiocin, eubetal antibiotic.

There are many traditional methods for treating demodex . One of them is to avoid eating salty, spicy, and fatty foods. Take trichopolum tablets in the following order: in the first ten days, one tablet three times, then a break for three days; in the next ten days - one tablet per day, a week break and in the next ten days - one tablet twice a day. At the same time, use Benzyl benzoate ointment, smear the affected areas three times a day. With this treatment, the skin will recover in fourteen days. Another folk remedy talks about the use of streptocide. Grind the tablets to a powder and wipe your pre-steamed face with it.

Diagnostics

To determine the disease, the patient requires a visual examination. The doctor then interviews the patient and orders a laboratory test. The materials that are taken for research (scrapings) are examined using microscopy - but the diagnosis of demodicosis does not end there. It happens that the result is negative - after which it is prescribed again. This is due to the fact that ticks are especially active in the evening and at night, and the analysis itself is usually taken in the morning, which can reduce the accuracy of the results. In addition, they may be affected by certain cosmetics - the skin should not be treated before the test.

The material is collected not only by scraping. To study the eye shape, several eyelashes are taken from the patient, and there is also a study using a special adhesive tape, which is stuck on at night and checked in the morning.

The examination of the material under a microscope itself takes only a few minutes, so the patient receives the result almost immediately.

Prevention

Unlike other parasites and bacteria in general, demodex is rarely activated in the body, and often the defense system fights it on its own.

But you can reduce the risk of tick damage by following these preventive recommendations :

During the summer, swimming in unknown or polluted bodies of water should be avoided .
Even members of the same family must use separate towels and bedding . This should be especially avoided in public places and when traveling.
It is not recommended to come into too close contact with domestic and wild animals. This is explained by the fact that even if the animal itself is not sick, it may be a carrier of demodex, and this cannot be determined visually.

Important! After successful treatment, these rules should also be followed, since immunity to these mites is not developed, and each time the probability of developing the disease remains the same.

After treatment, repeated tests are always required to completely exclude the possibility of relapse of the disease in cases where a small number of parasites still remain in the follicles.

Question answer

Is demodicosis contagious?

Yes, you can become infected with demodicosis through kissing, hugging, using the infected person’s things, his hygiene products, etc. But this does not mean that you will show signs of illness. As we have already said, the tick is found in almost all adults, it’s just that most are carriers. For the development of the disease, other additional factors are needed.

Is it possible to get demodicosis from animals?

Animals, like people, suffer from this mite. However, there are several dozen types of pathogens - and each lives only on its own host. In other conditions it dies. Therefore, you cannot catch the disease from a dog or other animal.

Which pillows are best for preventing demodicosis?

It is best to choose synthetic fabrics to prevent demodicosis. The mite lives well in feather and down pillows, but it is extremely difficult for it to take root in synthetic ones, especially those that are regularly cleaned.

Side effects

Such drugs have common side effects , which, according to patients, develop quite rarely when used correctly.
The most common side effect is allergic reactions.
They occur due to individual intolerance or sensitivity to certain components of the drug.

Allergies can manifest as itching, burning and redness of the treated areas of the eyelids.

Additional symptomatic treatment in such cases is not required, but the use of the drug should be discontinued and treatment with any of the analogues should be continued.

How much does the demodex detection procedure cost?

Depending on the place where the sample is taken for demodex scraping, the cost of the procedure varies. Moreover, the price of the study depends on the region of residence, the type of medical institution and the speed of obtaining the result.

Attention!

This article is posted for informational purposes only and under no circumstances constitutes scientific material or medical advice and should not serve as a substitute for an in-person consultation with a professional physician.
For diagnostics, diagnosis and treatment, contact qualified doctors! Number of reads: 23770 Date of publication: 09/28/2018
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Complications of the disease

Treatment of demodicosis on the face should be carried out exclusively with the assistance of a doctor. Self-medication or ignoring this problem may not only not bring the desired result, but also worsen the course of the pathology. Skin scratching and regular trauma to the skin (due to severe itching and the patient’s desire to remove the rash mechanically) lead to disruption of the barrier function. As a result, the risk of developing a pustular infection significantly increases, which can be diffuse and affect large areas of the body.

In addition, this disease (especially demodicosis on the face in women) leads to psychological problems. As a result of the appearance of visible defects, the patient becomes withdrawn, begins to feel embarrassed about his appearance and stops leading a full-fledged lifestyle (closes himself off from the outside world, stops communicating with people, prefers to be alone). As this problem worsens, the developed complexes can develop into psychoses, neuroses and prolonged depression.

A large number of people with this diagnosis have concomitant pathologies (gastrointestinal tract, endocrine glands, etc.) and chronic infectious foci. Demodicosis damage to the body contributes to the aggravation of these conditions and, accordingly, deterioration of well-being.

Diet

Not only skin care for demodicosis, but also nutritional recommendations that are aimed at reducing sebum secretion will help cope with the manifestations of the disease.

To do this you need:

exclude, for the duration of therapy, alcohol, confectionery, fatty, smoked, hot, salty, spicy dishes;
eat food warm, hot food is not recommended;
limit your intake of sugar, spices and salt;
quit smoking or reduce the number of cigarettes consumed per day;
eat more fresh vegetables, berries, fruits, cereals and wholemeal bread (foods rich in fiber, which can remove toxic substances accumulated from the activity of parasites);
drink and eat fermented milk products, which improve intestinal activity and metabolic processes throughout the body.

A specially selected diet is one of the methods that can help cure chronic forms of demodicosis

When a positive result is given

When testing for demodicosis in a private laboratory, the patient receives the test result within an hour. State clinics provide results within 24 hours.

A positive diagnosis is made when a tick, its eggs or larvae are identified. If an empty shell of a parasitic mite is found on the skin, the demodex test is re-administered. If several individuals are detected within one cell, the result is considered conditionally negative and treatment is not prescribed, since this number of mites is not capable of harming human health (changes in appearance or hair).

When a parasite is detected, it is necessary to determine the type of tick (long or short), since this fact affects the duration of treatment and medication prescription. The shortest type is the most difficult to treat.