Eyelash Mites

Eyelash mites are less than 0.4 mm in size. They normally live on the nose, forehead, cheek, chin, and the roots of the eyelashes...Although eyelash mites infestation is quite common, it does not cause any severe symptoms. However, in certain cases these tiny mites can be the cause of certain skin conditions.

Eyelash Mites - What are they?

The adult mites are only about 0.4 mm long, with a semi-transparent elongated body. The body consists of two fused segments with the first body segment having around eight short segmented legs. The mites are covered with scales that are used for attaching the body to the hair follicle. The needle-like mouth-parts feed on dead, flaky skin cells, hormones and sebum which accumulate in hair follicles.

The female adult eyelash mites are somewhat shorter and rounder than males. A genital opening is present in both the male and females of the species, and fertilization is internal. Once mating is consummated in the follicle opening, eggs are laid inside the hair follicles or glands.

At a time a female mite may lay up to 20 eggs in one hair follicle. It takes 3-4 days for the eggs to hatch and around seven days for the larvae to develop into adults. The lifespan of these parasitic mites can extend up to several weeks. They are transferred by hair, eyebrows and glands of the nose.

How to Get Rid of Eyelash Mites

In case of mild parasitic infection, ointments to clear the mites and cure infection may be prescribed. For chronic blepharitis, an antibiotic treatment may be prescribed by your doctor. Persistent human mites can be cured by tea tree oil which is known to control the symptoms and heavy infestation.

Self care measures that you can take at home include:

☞ Washing the eyebrows, lashes and eyelids with a tear-free shampoo and lukewarm water is recommended.

☞ A weekly eyelid scrub with tea tree oil and daily eyelid scrub with tea tree shampoo for up to 6 weeks may result in effectively treating the parasitic mites.

☞ Use of disposable tissues for washing the eyelids.

☞ Launder your paraphernalia and iron the towels and pillow covers every day.

☞ Your shaving set and spectacle-box need to be cleaned everyday.

Causes of Eyelash Mites

While every person has some number of eyelash mites, certain people are prone to large numbers of these creatures. This includes women who continually wear mascara and eyeliner and thus have a higher tendency to be a host to more mites than others do, especially when the makeup is not removed thoroughly at the end of the day.

Older people are also increasingly prone to getting mites while children have a much lower rate due to a lesser production of sebum. People with a suppressed immune system, caused by stress or illness may also have an eyelash mite infestation in large numbers.

While these are usually harmless, a dramatic increase may result in a condition known as demodicosis. This skin disorder is characterized by itching and inflammation. Other skin disorders like rosacea and swollen eyelids caused by blepharitis are the result of an infestation of Demodex mites. This can result in eyelashes falling out and other eye problems.

A persisting infestation may result in corneal irritation or scarring. In addition to blepharitis, these mites can cause demodectic conjunctivitis which leads to conjunctiva blushing (eyelashes gluing in the morning).

This was all about the eyelash parasite and the problems it causes. If the eyelash mites persist despite the treatment measures, then it is best to consult a doctor for an effective remedy. Take care!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.