Demodecosis is an unpleasant and widespread disease, belongs to the group of acariases. It is caused by a conditionally pathogenic ciliary mite, the size of which is not more than 0.5 millimeters, so it is simply impossible to detect a parasite without using a microscope. By itself, it is not harmful, but its metabolic products are very toxic to the human body and can cause many unpleasant manifestations
Basic information
The eyelash mite, which is also called the acne gland in another way, is an opportunistic pathogenic parasite of microscopic size. It lives, as a rule, in the sebaceous and meibomian glands, as well as in the mouths of the hair follicles of humans and other mammals. In this regard, traces of his vital activity can mainly be observed on the eyebrows, ears, eyelashes, nasolabial folds, chin and frontal part of the face. Much less often it can be found on the chest or on the back. Normally, it is able to live on the skinhuman, feeding on dead cells and not causing any disease.
Consider how the eyelash mite is transmitted.
The reasons for its appearance
The reasons for its occurrence are mainly related to the weakening of human immunity. Demodicosis can develop as a result of hormonal changes, metabolic disorders, increased oily skin, diseases of the digestive system, and so on. The causes of eyelash mites are of interest to many. The factors that can provoke this disease include the following:
- Exposure of the body to severe stress.
- Sharp climate change.
- Treatment with corticosteroids.
- Appearance of seborrhea.
- All kinds of beauty treatments.
- Prone to allergies.
Eyelash mites can only be detected after microscopic examination.
Symptoms of demodicosis
The first signs of the appearance of eyelash mites are the following symptoms:
- Redness of the eyes.
- Noticeable eyelash loss.
- Discharge of sticky liquid from eyes.
- Skin peeling around the edges of the eyelids.
- Puffiness of the eyelids.
It is important to identify the symptoms of the eyelash mite in a timely manner. With a disease in humans, the mucous membrane of the eye is affected, it becomes very dry, and at the same time sensitive. The eyes begin to tire quickly. In the initial stages, there is severe itching, especially after sleep. Against the background of demodicosis, such symptoms occur as:
- Significant visual impairment.
- Frequent occurrence of barley.
- Presence of a feeling of sand in the eyes.
- The appearance of photophobia.
- Redness of the eyes.
What other symptoms of eyelash mites are there? The disease is diagnosed by the presence of plaque around the edges of the eyes and stuck together eyelashes, which are surrounded by a crust. Often, the presence of an eyelash mite can be accompanied by acne. Often, the waste products of such a tick cause other diseases, for example, allergies and blepharitis.
Demodecosis is a chronic disease with a pronounced seasonality, the peaks of its exacerbation occur mainly in autumn and spring, which is explained by a decrease in people's immunity during this period. The tick is well transmitted from one person to another, especially if hygiene rules are not followed.
Treatment of pathology
How is eyelash mites treated? In the event that the tick was actually the cause of the disease, the therapy should be complex and should be carried out according to a certain scheme. As part of the fight against this parasite, as a rule, anti-tick agents are used in the form of ichthyol and mercury ointment. From the eyelash mite, various drops also help, along with gels, solutions, which include benzyl benzoate. The principle of action of these drugs is based on the paralysis of the muscles of the tick and, as a result, its death. Used for treatment and pills that are aimed at suppressing the vital activity of the parasite.
Except for anti-mite agents,mechanical cleansing of the skin, eyes and ears from the parasites present there is required. The crust is removed from the eyelids and eyelashes. This is done using alcohol tinctures of eucalyptus and calendula, then an ointment or any other suitable drug is applied to the edge of the eyelid.
Course of vitamins
The treatment regimen for demodicosis necessarily involves a course of vitamins designed to increase immunity and treat concomitant diseases such as dysbacteriosis, allergies and hormonal disorders. In the event that the disease is accompanied by purulent lesions of the mucosa, eye drops with antimicrobial effects, for example, "Tsipromed" or "Tobrex", are used for treatment with a ciliary mite.
The process of therapy takes a fairly long period, which can range from six months to two years, depending on the neglect of the case. At the first stage of treatment, the condition is likely to worsen along with increased rash and burning. This is an absolutely normal skin reaction and therapy against this background should not be stopped.
The eyelash mite is a contagious parasite, so the first thing to do is to protect yourself and others from infection. The rules of personal hygiene are very important. All linen of the patient should be machine washed at high temperature and ironed well using steam. As part of the disinfection, you can use chlorine. In the event that the patient wears glasses, then their cleansing must also be carefully taken care of.
An equally important aspect of treatment is proper nutrition, whichshould be enriched with vitamins. At the time of treatment, you need to give up fatty, smoked, sweet and spicy foods. For more effective therapy, experts recommend physiotherapy, such as eyelid massage, cryotherapy, and so on.
Folk treatment for eyelash mites
In addition to traditional treatment, folk remedies will not be superfluous. Below are the most popular and proven methods:
- In order to prepare a solution for cleaning eyes and eyelashes, take 1 tbsp. l. dried eucalyptus and chamomile and brewed in a glass of boiling water. The infusion is cooled and their face is washed. The procedure is carried out twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.
- A special decoction will help against itching and burning. Take 1 tbsp. l. oak bark and dried linden leaves. Pour in water and keep on fire for 5 minutes. The resulting decoction is used to wipe the eyes - this reduces itching and relieves inflammation and swelling.
- Brew very strong tea, cool. They should wash their face 3 times a day. This speeds up treatment and reduces symptoms.
- Effective tincture of calendula. The flowers of the plant are placed in alcohol or vodka (10 g per 0.5 l) and infused for two weeks. Tincture rub eyelashes, eyelids and ears in the morning and evening. This will kill the mites and reduce inflammation.
Hygiene
The main preventive measure in the fight against this parasite is compliance with hygiene requirements. A person suffering from demodicosis must necessarily have his own personal towel, washcloth and means forface care. With all this, it is recommended to store such accessories in a separate place so as not to infect other members of your family. This rule is especially true for families with small children.
It is very important to change bedding frequently for a person with demodex. It is best to use pillows and blankets based on synthetic winterizer. Experts recommend giving up feather pillows for a while. Old bedding should be disinfected and then put away in the closet until the patient is fully recovered.
In the event that a person suffers from this disease, he should constantly carry clean disposable handkerchiefs with him in order to wipe his eyes more often when there is no opportunity to wash. This is especially true for people who have poor eyesight.
You should also temporarily refrain from close contact with he althy people and the use of cosmetics. This is especially true for girls who love to do makeup on their faces every day. It is required at least for a while to stop applying creams and gels on the eyelids, since the oily base of such products serves as an excellent breeding ground for the tick.
It is required to keep glasses and hats clean all the time. Hands should be washed with soap as often as possible. You can't just touch your eyes like that. This can lead to the fact that the eyelash mite will spread to other areas of the face: eyebrows, ears.
Prophylaxis
People with eye problems, especially those whowears contact lenses and wears regular make-up, you should be more wary of infection with this parasite. In order to prevent its occurrence, it is required to eliminate the negative background:
- It is very important to keep your hands clean.
- Touch your eyelids as little as possible.
- It is very important to increase immunity by taking vitamins and minerals, it will also be useful to take strengthening drugs, including those based on herbs.
- You should normalize your metabolism - this will reduce the production of subcutaneous fat, which these parasites love to eat.
- Diet adjustment is important. It should include more natural fiber along with vegetables, fruits and cereals. It is necessary to refuse (at least for a while) from pickles and marinades, sweets.
- Allergy sufferers should not neglect regular intake of antihistamines.
A final word to say
The eyelash mite is a rather dangerous parasite that brings people a lot of all sorts of inconveniences of an aesthetic, physical and psychological nature. Fighting him is quite difficult, but possible. All that is required is to be patient, since the duration of the therapeutic course can be up to two years. In order to avoid infection with this tick, as part of preventive measures, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, carefully monitor the general state of your he alth. Also, do not use other people's towels and other personal belongings of other people.
