Eyelash Parasites

Deathofjocelynn · #1 ● 12-08-2010, 07:06 AM

Demodex folliculorum is a species of face mite. D. folliculorum is one of the parasitic face mites that occur on people (other than Demodex brevis).

These parasites are found in the human hair follicles, normally found in greater numbers around the cheeks and forehead. Each follicle can have a small colony of mites (commonly 10 mites per follicle). Their food is mainly sebaceous secretions and dead cells, such as cytoplasm. They do not defecate on the skin, however they do reproduce on it.
Their life cycle last between 14 and 18 days. The female may lay around 25 eggs in the follicle

The mites are common and are not hard to obtain; they are more common in the elderly. The mites can cause dermatitis and the presence of the parasite in the follicle can also cause hair loss as the mites release an enzyme that digests the oil generated by our sebaceous glands, obstructing the hair follicle.

You might not like the idea, but Demodex folliculorum infection is very common. Around 80% of the adult population, both men and women, have a Demodex folliculorum infection. It is believed that the frequency Demodex folliculorum is less in children. It is rarely found in children under 5 years old. Between 5 and 10 years, it is found in around 50% of children, while between the ages of 10 and 20 the percentage is about the same as in adults. So it would seem that as we get older we become infected with Demodex folliculorum probably through contact with adults. As such, it is more or less impossible to conciously avoid infection by Demodex folliculorum.