The development of demodecosis is provoked by subcutaneous ticks of the genus Demodex. In non-dangerous quantities, they are found in 96% of people, with an increase in the population, they undermine health and leave irreversible cosmetic defects. It is important to recognize the clinical signs in time and stop the spread of the pathogen at an early stage.
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What is demodex, how does a tick look on the face and body
Of the 65 species of demodex in humans, two are parasitic: Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. The first live in the hair follicles, eyelashes, the second - in the ducts of the sebaceous glands. A tick cannot be seen without a microscope; the size of arthropods is 0.12 - 0.48 mm. A translucent elongated body is covered with scales, with which demodex is fixed in human tissues. Ticks spend most of their life in the depths of the skin, feed on keratin, dead cells, and the secretion of the sebaceous glands. They come to the surface for pairing or moving to another duct with a lack of nutrition.
The life cycle lasts 2 weeks, consists of 4 stages. The female lays 20 - 25 eggs per day, from which larvae develop, which are transformed into protonymphs, then nymphs. At the final stage - into sexually mature individuals. Demodex lives and multiplies safely at a temperature of 30 - 40 ° C, dies when heated to 52 ºC and above, freezes at plus 14 ° C and below, but remains viable. Outside the human body, in a dry environment, Demodex lives for two days, in water - up to 3 weeks.
The subcutaneous tick is localized on the face, scalp, around the eyes and ears, less often on the neck, back, chest, groin. Ticks do not cause concern if per 1 sq. cm inhabits no more than 4 individuals.
Normal immunity prevents the spread of demodex, the impetus for the growth of the population are external and internal factors that reduce systemic immunity and the protective functions of the skin.
The table lists the factors that contribute to the spread of demodex:
| Internal: | External: |
|---|---|
| • nervous or physical exhaustion; • chronic diseases; • bacterial and viral infections; • autoimmune pathologies; • hormonal imbalance; • failure of lipid metabolism; • skin diseases: near-mouth dermatitis, seborrhea, acne, rosacea, acne. • disruption of the digestive tract. | • favorable season for ticks: late spring, summer, early autumn; • abuse of creams with hormonal and natural components; • excess flour, sweet, spicy, salty foods in the diet; • bad habits: smoking, alcohol; • frequent visits to baths, steam rooms, saunas; • excess exposure to the sun, in the solarium. |
Demodex mechanically damages blood vessels, follicles, hair. The products of metabolism and decay accumulate, cause allergies, intoxication. With a tick, pathogenic bacteria and viruses enter the body. Demodex is transmitted through bodily contact, household items, but with strong immunity it will not be able to multiply and harm. Other species of Demodex are parasitic on cats and dogs, they are not dangerous for humans.
Signs, symptoms, stages of the disease
According to the localization of the tick, two forms of demodicosis are distinguished: cutaneous and ocular. The severity of the condition depends on the degree of concentration of demodex.
In the development of the skin type, 4 stages are traced with characteristic clinical signs:
- Prodromal. The secretion of fat increases, the pores expand, a greasy shine, blackheads appear, for which the people call demodecosis acne zheleznitsa.
- Erythematous. The capillaries are filled with blood and enlarge, red spots appear with outlined, slightly raised borders. The hairy areas of the head are condensed, flaky, whitish scales similar to dandruff appear.
- Papular pustular. The ducts of the sebaceous glands are clogged. On the surface, tubercles, nodules from pink to crimson, pustules up to 2 mm with redness at the edges are formed.
- Hypertrophic. With advanced demodicosis, functional tissues are replaced by connective tissues, the affected areas grow, thicken and disfigure a person. At this stage, the drugs will be useless, surgical intervention is required.
All stages of demodicosis are accompanied by nocturnal itching, sleep disturbance, increased irritability, fatigue.
With an ocular form, the following symptoms of demodicosis appear:
- the eyelids turn red, swell;
- there is a feeling of dryness, a foreign body;
- tear intensifies;
- sticky discharge appears at the base of the eyelashes, because of which they stick together;
- eyelashes become thinner, become fragile, fall out.
In advanced cases, inflammation covers the eyeball, conjunctivitis develops, blepharoconjunctivitis. Sometimes demodicosis becomes chronic, when periods of remission and exacerbation alternate.
Diagnostics
If skin demodecosis is suspected, they turn to a dermatologist, and an ocular one to an ophthalmologist. The doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis on the basis of examination and questioning of the patient. Then he appoints a microscopic analysis to differentiate demodicosis and rosacea, these diseases have similar external signs. For research, skin scrapings or eyelashes are taken. Sometimes materials for analysis are prepared at home: in the evening, stick an adhesive tape to the lesion, in the morning they unfasten and give it to the laboratory.
The materials are treated with a solution of alkali, placed between glass slides and examined under a microscope.The diagnosis is confirmed when more than 5 ticks are found per 1 cm. If the analysis is not properly prepared, the results will be false. A week before the doctor’s appointment, they don’t use cosmetics, and they don’t wash themselves with soap on the day of delivery.
How to get rid of a subcutaneous tick
To combat demodicosis, complex therapy will be needed aimed at killing the tick, preventing bacterial infections, and supporting immunity. According to the results of the survey and patient complaints, the dermatologist sometimes sends to other doctors with a narrow profile to determine the root cause: immunologist, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist.
Drug treatment
The choice of drugs depends on the degree of infection, stage of the disease, localization of ticks.
The treatment regimen for demodicosis includes the following groups of drugs:
- Acaricidal destroy adult ticks, larvae.
- Anti-inflammatory reduces redness, swelling, itching.
- Antibiotics are prescribed for the extermination of pathogenic bacteria and the prevention of secondary infections when purulent foci appear.
- Antihistamines relieve allergies.
The table lists examples of drugs in groups:
| Acaricidal | Antibiotics |
|---|---|
| Gels, ointments: | Creams, gels, powders: |
| • Permethrin; • Sulfur; • Ichthyol; • Metronidazole; • Crotamiton; • Demotin; • Metrogil. Pills: • Metronidazole; • Ornidazole. Drops for eyelids: • Carbachol; • Physostigmine; • Phosphacol. | • Dalacin T; • Duac; • Fusiderm; • Streptocide; • Zinerite. •Pills: • Doxycycline; • Erythromycin. Antibacterial eye drops: • chloramphenicol; • ciprofloxacin; • Tobrex. |
| Anti-inflammatory | Antihistamines |
| Ointments, emulsions, solutions: • Advantan; • Dimexide; • Uniderm; • Chlorhexidine; • Differin. Eye creams; • Demazole; • Dexodem Phyto; • Blepharogel. | Pills: • Tavegil; • Fenistil; • Suprastinex; • cetirizine; • Lomilan. Eye drops: • Dexamethasone; • Okumet; • Akyular. |
In difficult cases, veterinary drugs are prescribed: liniment Amitrazin, NM ointment, Amidel-gel. To support the defenses, vitamin complexes, immunomodulators are prescribed.
Treatment with folk remedies
Medicinal herbs are used in addition to drug therapy.
Here are some examples of traditional medicine recipes:
- A decoction of wormwood. 2 tbsp. collection spoons pour a liter of hot water, boil for 5 minutes, insist 3 hours. The finished broth is drunk half a glass during the week: the first day every hour, the second - with a frequency of 2 hours, the rest of the days - with a time interval of 3 hours.
- Mask for the face. Sour fruits or berries are mixed with egg white, applied for 15-20 minutes. Lemon, currant are suitable for this, in an acidic environment, the demodex tick multiplies less.
- Soothing lotions. To reduce inflammation, decoctions of chamomile, sage, and calendula are prepared. 1 teaspoon collecting insist in boiling water until it cools. In the broth, moisten gauze, put on the face, stand for 15 minutes.
- Infusion of tansy. 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flowers pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 2 hours. The finished composition is instilled in the eyes three times a day, put lotions on the face and eyelids before bedtime.
- A decoction of a string with tea tree essential oil. 1.5 tbsp. tablespoons of grass pour 200 ml of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 3 hours. After cooling to 100 ml, add 5 drops of oil, wipe the face 3 times a day. The broth is stored in the refrigerator for 2 days. With an eye form, 2 drops of oil are added to strong tea, eyelids and eyelashes are wiped.
Masks, lotions soothe, reduce tick activity, itching, enhance the therapeutic effect of medications.
Non-drug methods
Along with taking medications, they change their diet, and use cosmetology:
- Diet. They restrict carbohydrates in the diet and refuse fatty, salted, spicy foods. At the same time, the share of vegetables, fruits, skim milk products is increasing.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures.With demodicosis, measures are indicated that strengthen the local immunity of the skin. Cryomassage reduces inflammation, cryopilling cleanses, removes dead cells. Photo and ozone therapy strengthens the walls of blood vessels, normalize metabolic processes.
- Medical cosmetics. Instead of the usual creams, lotions, it is better to use dual-action drugs. They moisturize, soften, contain anti-mite and antibacterial components. These include Demodex Complex, STOP Demodex of 7 drugs, Manting cream.
Read also: indications for the use of ozone therapy intravenously
The listed methods of combating ticks do not cancel visits to a dermatologist and prescribed treatment.
Useful tips and tricks
The goal of anti-mite therapy is to stop the reproduction and reduce the demodex population to an acceptable amount. This will take from a month to a year.
To speed up recovery, follow the rules:
- They regularly use moisturizing cosmetics, oily cream is a nourishing medium for mites, and everyday eyelids are replaced with gel.
- Do not cleanse the face with scrubs, so as not to transfer parasites to healthy areas.
- Wash with cool water with tar or laundry soap.
- Refuse decorative cosmetics.
- Temporarily do not go to baths, sunbeds, do not sunbathe.
- After washing, use disposable napkins, not towels.
- Pillowcases are changed daily.
- Personal items are washed at temperatures above 60 ºC, then ironed.
- Regularly disinfect glasses with alcohol along with the case, razor devices.
- Down and feather blankets, pillows are replaced with bedding made of synthetic materials.
Subject to the above rules, the tick recedes faster.
Preventive measures
After the course of treatment, cosmetic procedures will help to avoid relapse: fruit peels, microdermabrasion - removal of the epidermis layer, under which the subcutaneous ticks in humans are concentrated.
Dermatologists advise to maintain immunity, to exclude favorable external factors for the spread of demodex:
- Regularly undergo a routine medical examination to detect hidden diseases at an early stage.
- In spring and autumn, take vitamins as prescribed by a doctor.
- Add more dairy, vegetable products to the diet.
- In case of skin changes, take an analysis to detect ticks.
- Cosmetic tweezers, tweezers periodically boil or disinfect with alcohol. To wash brushes, puffs, sponges with soap, rinse with boiling water.
- Cream, lotion for the face to choose by skin type, avoid excess fat.
- Do not abuse makeup.
Demodecosis is an unpleasant but treatable disease. The sooner you start treatment, the easier it is to stop the tick attack.
