Demodex mites and rosacea seem to be a popular, if not controversial pairing. Even there is no proven link between rosacea symptoms and the presensce of demodex mites, many rosacea sufferers are interested in eliminating demodex mites to see if your rosacea symptoms improve.
So just how can you kill them ? Demodex mites are tiny, and live naturally in everyone’s skin. They are quite difficult to kill.
Read on if you’d like to know more about how to elminate demodex mites.
First of all, why would you want to eliminate them ?
There may be some new evidence that proteins from a bacteria that can be isolated from demodex mites cause an immune reaction in rosacea sufferers. I’m still not a believer in the involvement of these critters in rosacea. Just in case more evidence is found in the future, though, demodex mites are worth further understanding.
Demodex mites have a life cycle of 14-18 days.
Killing Demodex Invitro (in the test tube)
We know from the paper In vitro and in vivo killing of ocular Demodex by tea tree oil, that various oils and solutions can kill demodex mites quite quickly in the test tube.
| Solution | Demodex Kill Time |
| 100% alcohol | 4 minutes |
| 50% tea tree oil | 15 minutes |
| 100% tea tree oil | 4 minutes |
| 100% carraway oil | 4 minutes |
| 100% dill weed oil | 14 minutes |
Note that carraway oil and dill weed oil are toxic to the eye.
Studies have also confirmed that ether, xylol, benzene, Danish (compound polysulfide ointment) ointment can kill demodex in a few minutes.
Ivermectin
Ivermectin is used in dermatology against some parasitic infestations in humans. The drug is used in the treatment of patients with different forms of scabies, human body lice, head lice, demodecicosis, et. al. Published literature includes a case study of one patient who was treated with topical permethrin and oral Ivermectin. In another case report of one patient, the papules and pustules of rosacea were difficult to treat until oral ivermectin was included in the treatment regime.
Several rosacea sufferers on the rosacea-support email group report success in treating their rosacea with Ivermectin, but the benefits were only short lived.
Ivermectin (Stromectol, Mectizan, Ivomec, Oramec, Cardomec) has been patented as a treatment for rosacea.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is sourced from the Melaluca tree which is native to eastern Australia. Tea Tree Oil has been shown to kill demodex mites in as little as 4 minutes. External application of undiluted tea tree oil and/or at inappropriate high doses has been associated with toxicity, including death, in cats and other animals.
There is so much interest in the properties of tea tree oil that a research group has been created within the School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences at The University of Western Australia.
In a recent study, TTO was used to eliminate demodex mites living in the eyelashes of ocular rosacea sufferers. Study participants were given weekly lid scrubs with 50% tea tree oil and a daily lid scrub with a tea tree shampoo. After six weeks all 6 participants showed improvement in conjuctival irritation and inflammation.
TTO is not soluble in water, but is soluble in alcohol, but sadly that would be unsuitable for use around the eye. Tea Tree Oil can be diluted 50% in Macadamia nut oil for use around the eyes. Lid scrubs with 50% Tea Tree Oil did produce irritation in the participants but the effect was found to be minimised if care was used to avoid spilling it into the eye.
Full strength tea tree oil should never be used anywhere on the face.
Kwellada/Elimite (Permethrin)
Back in 2000, Annette Anderson advocated using Permethrin 5% on the face to eliminate the mites. Permethrin was originally used to treat scabies. She warned that getting it in your eyes burns terribly and that the instructions mention that you should not use it on your face. A few members of rosacea-support had bad reactions to using permethrin on their face, so use Permethrin with extreme care. In the U.S., 5% Permethrin (Elimite Cream) is only available by prescription.
If you are considering Permethrin in any form it would be wise to consider Dr. Linda Sy’s advice to “solicit the cooperation and supervision of their respective dermatologists, get a KOH skin scraping to establish the presence of florid demodex population … Participants try the Permethrin on a small area of face first, to determine if any immediate severe problem exists”.
Seabuckthorn Oil
Despite claims on various internet sites, I have not been able to find any published evidence that Seabuckthorn oil kills demodex mites. If you know of some evidence, please post in the comments below. In the meantime, please disregard any claims that you find that Seabuckthorn Oil kills demodex mites.
A natural approach
For those interested in a more natural approach to treating rosacea including using Olive Leaf Extract and Tea Tree Oil see Rachelle’s Alternative Treatments for Demodex Mites.
Over to You
Have you tried any treatments to eliminate demodex mites ? Did you have a bad reaction them ? any suceess ? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Related Articles
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- Ivermectin clears Untreatable Rosacea
- Ocular Demodex, Tea Tree Oil as a Treatment
- Demodex Mites Continue to Confuse
- Ivermectin Patents
- Demodex Mites, Ivermectin (Stromectol) and its use in Dermatology
- Demodex Mites Treatment
- Demodex Mites Ivermectin Effective Treatment ?
700 Comments over 15 pages ↓
Oh, I forgot to add to my formula that a little Zinc Oxide makes it twice as effective. ZZ cream’s main ingredients are Sublime Sulfur and Zinc Oxide, but my formula works for me while ZZ cream does not. I guess my formula for demonex mites would be:
45 % Treetea Oil
40 % “BestYet”
5 % PineSol
5 % Subline Sulfur
5 % Zinc Oxide
The Zinc Oxide also hides the smell of Sulfur. This formula seems to be working. I will know in about a month. At the very least it works better than anything that I have tried yet except for Ivermectin (RX). And it may rival Ivermectin. At least that is my hope. Mike
Hi Mike,
So Happy to hear that you were able to try the Ivermectin.
Had my e-mail scammed and it also had a virus in it, luckily I was still able to keep up with all of you a nd read all the comments.
What a huge amount of info from all of you, a little over welming. But great!
I also went to a different derma Dr. and also was prescribed the Ivermectin and Permethrin.That day the only thing he could see on my skin were blood vessels, his asst. said the same thing. I was given 4 tablets of three mgs. each. Also did the topical, which I think didn’t do much for me. I know I have the mite thing going on we all know what that feels like. My thing here is for almost a year now my breakouts were hardly any,occasionally I would get little red bumps over these blood vessels, with in a day or two they were gone.I decided to try your formula everything but the zinc was in it (don’t have zinc) it seems like it broke up these blood vessels but still have them and I did add more cedar oil to it cause I thought it was making my cheeks feel like sand paper. Hope you or someone can help me out.The Derma Dr. didn’t do any skin scraping and I don’t know if these mites live under the blood vessels? This causes so much stress for me and I’m sure others as well.
Was on the other forum reading their comments they still think we with Rosacea might have a SIBO small infectionous bacteria overgrowth and a drug called Rifaximin from Silix Pharma. It is like a 10 -14 day treatment 1,200 mg.noy sure if it was daily or 3-4 doses. Results were very good.People need to do what they call a Hydrogen Breath Test with a gastero Dr.
Have you or others seen this?
I better let you go this is a long note. Hope to hear from you.
Maureen
Mike and Others,
I wanted to mention that maybe the reason I don’t hardly break out any more is do to my taking of Vitamin D-3. I take 5,000 IU per day. The tech who has a PHDthat I see Told me to take this it is really supposed to help with our Immune systems. I also took 25,000 units of it a day with a 1,000 mgs of vitamin C for a couple of days when I was feeling that I was coming down with something==== never got anything.
One article on the other site was talking about the importants of Vit. D-3, Calicum,Vit A.
Just wanted to share this with everyone, it has really helped me.
Thanks To All
Maureen
can someone please send me some ivermectin pills trough mail i will give you some extra money , my email is cosmos012@gmail.com
please help me
I works.
It works.
Destiny, try my formula in #301. If it is too strong just cut it with a little more “Best Yet.” It is working for me. It is the first stuff that has really worked for me outside of Ivermectin. But Ivermectin only works for a few weeks before the mites start coming back again, while my formula can be used continually. All the ingredients can be bought in ebay except for BestYet (cedarcide.com). Mike
Hi Mike, Have been using your formula for a few weeks now, also added the sulphur to it also. I always shake it up good cause the sulphur doesn’t seem to mix well,is this normal? Also at night I use the sno-seal but in the morning it’s hard to get it off my face. Do you clean your face with soap or other cleanser before putting the mixture on again in the morning?
Hope the burning I’m feeling means that it is working.
Thanks Mike
Maureen
Hello Maureen. The Zinc Oxide makes it twice as effective, and hides the odor of the sulfur. It also looks more natural on the face. Use as much Zinc Oxide as you do with the Sulfur. If it burns too much you need to cut it some with BestYet. I have been using Petroleum Jelly instead of SnoSeal for the last week. It seems to work now with the new formula, but the SnoSeal may still be better. You need to rub off the SnoSeal. If it burns too much you may be adding too much PineSol. They (the mites) do hate PineSol. They still bite a little every now and then (not as much as they used to), but I have been noticing a significant drop in mite numbers also. Also, I now have my eyebrows back for the first time in four years! Yes, you do need to shake the mixture before using it. I hope that I have been helpful. I know that this condition is very annoying to say the least. Mike
Hello. I had to go back to using SnoSeal when sleeping. Petroleum Jelly doesn’t seem to work as good on the eyebrows and nose. Mike
Hi Mike
Thanks for all your help. I still need to buy the zinc and add it to the mixture, these blood vessels on my cheeks might need a laser treatment. When i use the mixture on my nose I can breath so well, and there is still redness there, cause i also have seb derma. I sure hope someday soon that Dermatology gets their act together and find something to really kill this off.
Might think about a Hair Max Laser also to use, glad yours is working so well for you.
I see the Derma Dr. on Mon. after using Ivermectin/Permethrin
I’ll see what he thinks.
Thanks Again
~Maureen
Hey Mike,
Sorry just one more thing , can you please tell me whereor who you bought your zinc oxide from on the web?
Thanks Maureen
Hello again Maureen. I really do not know right now, but it came in a plastic bag, and I bought it through ebay. Go to ebay.com and type in Zinc Oxide. Mike
I’m convinced topical Metronidazole works by disrupting Demodex Folliculorum (hair follicle mites).
http://www.rosacea.org/rr/2004/spring/article_2.php
Furthermore, topical Metronidazole will NOT work by disrupting Demodex Brevis (oil gland mites) because it can not penetrate down in to the sebaceous glands that they dwell in.
Demodex Folliculorum (hair follicle mites)
Treatment = topical Metronidazole
Demodex Brevis (old gland mites)
Treatment = systemic Accutane
Treatment for the infections (pimples) caused by the mites dragging and burrowing bacteria commonly found on human skin can be helped by antibiotics. Antibiotics for Rosacea or Acne is just curing the symptom, NOT the cause of the problem. MITES!
These mites become UN-commensal parasites when they reach large numbers. Many things can lead to large numbers (otherwise known as an infestation – weaken immune system due to illness, stress, age, poor diet, etc.
http://skindisease.suite101.com/article.cfm/demodex_spp_face_mites
I forgot to include…
Demodex Folliculorum (hair follicle mites)
Treatment = topical Permethrin
Demodex Brevis (old gland mites) Treatment
= systemic Ivermectin
But good luck finding a Dermatologist who isn’t living in the dark-ages about the link between Demodex mites and Rosacea / Acne.
It blows my mind that the Demodex mites (found on 80-90% of all human beings and the other 10% are infants) are not even illustrated in medical texts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skin#Skin_layers
They are leaving out a proven component of human skin! MITES!
1. ANY human that gets close to your face can give you BACK the Demodex mites after Ivermectin dosing. That is why people sometimes get “temporary clearing” then they are right back to their current state after treatment. Treat your partner as well with Ivermectin at the same time. Then 2 weeks later again after the larvae have hatched.
2. All species of animals with Demodex mites (dogs, cats, bunnies, horses, check wikipedia for full listing) can give you BACK Demodex mites. Different then the regular ones you had before. The mite doesn’t know you from your pet.
3. Your immune system needs to be BOOSTED to a better state or else clearing with Ivermectin treatment will be temporary. The mites thrive in a weak immune environment.
4. Use an antibiotic to clear the previous infection(s) caused by the mites.
4. Skin scrapings will NOT show you the infestation / over-run on Demodex Brevis (oil gland mites) only the Demodex Folliculorum (hair follicle mites). And both are the problem. During the day Demodex Folliculorum stay underneath the skin, they only surface at night to breed on top of your skin. And unless you have a 24 hour Dermatologist, they are NOT going to scrape and Demodex on to a slide during the day 9unless you are really infested and over-run.
Treatment Plan
___
2 doses of Ivermectin:
- Ivermectin (1st dose)
PLUS 1 dose for your partner no matter if they show signs or not, they may have mites but no allergy to them.
- All pillowcases, sheets, towels, hats, and anything that touches your face, neck and head MUST be washed in HOT water and dried in HOT water to kill mites.
- All items your head and neck come close to should be sanitized (sunglasses, brushes, combs, scarves etc).
- Ivermectin (2nd dose)
2 weeks after initial dose to kill the mites that have hatched in that time.
PLUS 1 dose for your partner no matter if they show signs or not, they may have mites but no allergy to them.
- Again sanitize and hot water sheets, etc.
At the same time as Ivermectin administration…
90 days Permethrin 5% Topical Cream:
- Must be 5%
- Permethrin every night before going to sleep (the mites come out at night to mate on the surface of your skin, and hide in your skin during the day)
PLUS your partner no matter if they show signs or not, they may have mites but no allergy to them.
___
NO snuggling face-to-face with ANY animals EVER! Or re-infestation will occur. This goes for your partner as well.
Boost your immune system! Eat healthy (plus supplements), exercise, sleep.
Repeat if necessary to clear skin.
The Ivermectin (Systemic) and Permethrin 5% Cream (Topical) treatment plan works, but it must be done properly!
- Partners must be treated
(the same as a human scabies infestation)
- Animals must be treated
(the same as an animal mange infestation)
- Environment must be treated
(the same as scabies and mange infestations)
- Immune System must be treated
(the same as an infection, the immune system needs to stay string to fight off infection)
Demonex mites die within a few hours after being off of their human host, and human demonex mites will not take to animals. Animals have their own mites, but not human mites. I will probably have these mites for the rest of my life. So I need something that will keep their numbers down, otherwords maintenance. Most people have these mites, but some people with rosacea multiply their numbers to a cronic level due to their chemistry. Lets not go overboard on the cleaning, etc.. What is needed is something that can be used as maintenance, that will keep their numbers down. Ivermectin (RX) and my formula seems to do just that. At least I hope so. Mike
Hello again. There is no way of getting rid of everyone of the human demonex mites that are on your body. It would only take one pregant mite or even one egg left over to restart the process. Even if you did it would not take long for you to re-infect yourself again with these mites from another person. Remember, that most people have these mites, and the reason why we have a problem with these mites exploding in cronic numbers to infect us seriously is because of our body chemistry (most probably our genetics and with our rosacea). So the next best thing is a way of maintenance to keep the numbers down to acceptable levels. Mike
Hey Mike I don’t have rosacea but I do have a condition known as blepharitis. That is where the skin of the eye lids become infected and have similar problems like rosacea. I also heard that rosacea can cause blepharitis as well. I know I dont have rosacea though because i dont have horrible rashes on my face, but I do have my eye lashes falling out, my eye lids are red and inflamed and i get this strange crawling itching sensation where my eye lashes are. I have studied this condition for the past 7 months and have heard everything from borax, to oils, to alcholhols to peroxide…You name it…Now all those harsh chemical’s I know Are never to be used anywhere near the eyes. What I would like to know Does this Petroleum jelly suffocate these demodex I know that would be harmless to my eye balls. Plus what do you think would be best for someone without rosacea to rid themselves of these demodex in their eye lids…and their life?…Something non toxic?…I hear all these things and no where does any person recommend putting such harsh substances on your body…it is unfortunate that I have been blessed with my mother’s hyper sensitive genetics so if i was to do such treatments i could cause real bad problems…What you suggest?…and If that JP guy is there What do you do for demodex in the eye lids?…
I am not telling you what you should do, but I will tell you what I would try. I noticed with myself that one teaspoon of Borax in four onces of boiled water (then cooled) and applied to the eyes via an eye cup works to keep them out of my eyes. I also noticed that my formula used on my face and especially the eyelids does work itself down gradually to my eyelids to where it does not get into the eyes. It is not a cure for all but it does seem to work. I would use this with Ivermectin (RX). Mike
Did I say Borax. NO! I would use one teaspoon of Boric Acid to four onces of water. This is a mixture that my mother gave me years ago for eye infections, and it does work for mites as well. At least for me. Sorry, Mike
Mike
Thanks for all the help.I was just reading Rosas comments about our immune systems. I was told by a Dr. that people with cancer and major illnesses like that have weak immune systems, and people with Rosacea have super hyper ones that is why our skin reacts to everthing that normal people don’t. just like the spring time and trees and grasses are budding I especially have a system that is over reacting,our bodies are in over drive. This is where we need to calm the body, maybe for example strecthing, light excerise,both of these to relieve stress, eating healthing, take good supplements etc. Yes I do agree we need to keep our immune systems strong or calmed. Maybe partners should be treated also even if they don’t react It is a little scary when you think about all of this.And I do like the tea tree oil mixture much better than Permethrin, but then again, I didn’t use that cream every night only tried it once for the 24hrs.
~Maureen
Hello again. Over the last five years I have tried everything out there, and what I am doing seems to be working now. I notice that the mite levels are droping with what I am doing, and that is without the laser. Every now and then I have to treat my hair as well with my formula, because they retreat there to get out of my mixture. I do use SnoSeal at night on my face to keep their activity down while I sleep. My eyebrows are now growing back, and my nose is not disfigured. I no longer have rosacea sores on my cheeks. I am now giving them the one-two punch. I want to see if I can control the mites now without using the Ivermectin (RX). Over the years I have learned not to over-react. It all so draining emotionally, and it keeps going on, and on, and on, all over again and again. I inherited something that keeps fighting, and fighting, and fighting, again and again. Hopefully I can get this thing down to maintenance, to where it will not take much effort to keep this under control. Mike
Hello again. I had to use 99% alcohol for 15 minutes on my eyebrows to kill the entrenched mites that accumulated within the last few weeks. I quess they dug very deep into the skin. That is why I use “Bestyet” in my mixture. I has a skin penetrant, but sometimes not enough, I guess. I am, though, controlling the situation without Ivermectin. Mike
Mike can you please tell us or give links to the exact snoseal product you use (on your face this is ok?) and which best yet (small/large size?). you put these both on your face with no irritation?
thanks
Hello Grace. First, I want to say that I still have problems with demonex mites associated with Rosacea, but as of now I can control them to a certain degree. Normally I buy Snoseal from a shoe store, leather shop, or even a sports store. You can call them before you go there to see if they carry it. I have bought it on ebay. Snoseal is used for leather. It is made of beeswax and a petroleum product to soften it. I use it at night to keep the mite activity down. Nothing else that I have used works as good. None of the products that I use irritates my face with the right mixture. PineSol will burn my face if I use too much, and Treetea Oil will irritate my face some if I use too much. I just add a little more BestYet to the mixture to tone it down. BestYet has a 10% Cedar oil and a 90% penetrant to soak the mixture deep into the skin where it will reach the mites and drive them out, hopefully with my mixture. You can get BestYet at http://www.cedarcide.com or 1-800-842-1464. I bought a whole gallon of it, but you can just buy a few oz. of it to see how it works for you. They sell it in a spray that doesn’t cost too much. Just unscrew the top and pour it out. My formula is: 43% Teatree Oil, 40% BestYet, 5% Sublimed Sulfur, 5% Zinc Oxide, 5 % PineSol, 2% Lavender Oil. It doesn’t have to be exact. All of the rest of these ingredents can be bought on ebay. If the mites entrench themselves in an area where the mixture does not work as good as other times I take 91% alcohol (drug store) on some tissue paper and soak the area for 15 minutes. Any longer and it can lift up the skin! If the mites get into the eyes I mix up one teaspoon of Boric Acid to 4 ounces of boiling water, let it cool, and apply it to the eyes. It works. Also, I am now starting to use Ivermectin (RX) Stromectrol (in US)every six months. Stromectrol is “only” short lived, but it sure does feel good not to have them for a short while! My mixture also works on Rosacea. I really have not had any sores on my cheeks ever since I started using it, and my nose is good as well. I now have full hair on my eyebrows. The doctors do not have it together on this one. Good luck. Mike
Dear Mike,
thanks so much for your generous reply. I’ve seen 10 derms in the states and NON will prescribe the Ivermectin/Stromectol–how did you get it?
Hello Grace. I received my RX prescription through my local doctor. I had to convince him for him to OK it. Mike
Hello all. I found out something last night that really works for those times when we have an “extreme” rosacea outbreak. I don’t know if I should be telling you this since the regimen is very agressive! You see, I had one of those times where for some reason my rosacea desided to go berzerk, I mean like a rocket ship. My face swelled up, my face got very red, and I had pimples all over my face. Even my formula was not working well that day. So I decided to try something new and very agressive that I had never tried before. But I had to think up something before the mites turned those pimples into sores (at least that is what I believe happens). I tried just about everything out there, but there had to be something more. All of a sudden I came up with a brain storm! I never tried Nair hair removal. If it burns up hair it may well burn up mites. I had to be careful not to go crazy with it, because it is agressive and it will remove hair in places where I do not want hair removed. So I did it. I want to say first that it stinks. I tried a little area first, and waited for four minutes. I then washed it off. After that I appled 91% alcohol with boric acid mixed therein to the area. It burns. I mean it really burns! I then did it to the rest of my face. I did a five minute dance after applying the alcohol mixture, but then everything felt good, real good. When I got up in the morning my face was almost back to normal. I don’t advise this for anyone, but I will be aggressive for aggressive onslaughts. It is interesting to note that when I applied the nair I felt nothing, no bitting or movement of the mites. They just died!!! yea. Mike
I did have a slight chemical burn, though. Mike
Mike why don’t you just use ZZ cream, tea tree oil, Borax + peroxide or Permethrin, all well known and effective treatments, to kill demodex?
I have tried all of those things. What I am doing is what works for me. Mike
Hi there,
I have been diagnosed by a dermatologist with servere rosacea. Im 36 years old, female, and never before 34 had any acne / skin problems at all. But the past 2 years of my life have been “hell”.
I have deep red cheecks with red bumps as well as chin area and little on forehead. My right ear is also effected (dry/itchy). I have an extreme dry right eye most days of the week, although only from noon each day. My face is overall very very dry, flaky itchy and in the mornings quite red.
I have tried so many things over the past two years, except for accutane altough I had the script in my hands, I just couldnt take something that is known to dry you out, and Im already sooo dry.
Im tired of docters, homeopaths, optomologist etc experimenting on me.
My journey begins now with all your advice from the previous posts (Ive read them all). Thank you all, especially Mike Marca.
My one hiccup though is my location, South Africa. Most online sites do not want to ship this far, and PayPal is not supported at local banks yet. Amazon.com stopped all shipment to South Africa due to postal theft… sigh… Thus I need to find products that will work the same way for instance BestYet and SnoSeal from Mike’s recipe. This is not an easy task. But so far Ive got 100% Tea Tree Oil (will dilute). And will try with normal Vaseline for a start until I can get around my battle for products.
I have fixed up my right ear I would say 99% with the use of a locally produced lip balm out of pure frustration. Ingredients is Oil of Eucalyptus, camphor, oil of thyme and oil of sassfras. Lip Balm is called Zam-Buk. I have triend this on my cheecks as well, and although it gives me slight relief from the itching and flakiness it doesnt do much for the bumps and redness unfortunately.
Thank you all!
Cindy
One other bad symptom, loss of vision when dry eye sets in around noon each day. But vision will be fine in the morning. And only right eye.
Cindy
I realized a few weeks ago that my loss of eyelashes and my dry eyes were the result of a mite infestation. I had taken a combined antibiotic protocol with Flagyl for something else. When I first started that, for about a week, I smelled bad. I had to change the sheets on my bed daily, or I would itch all night. At the time I didn’t know what caused this.
I still take 3,000 mg of niacin some days to burst infected white blood cells (from the original intracellular infection). I get a miserable niacin flush that is worse on my face, shoulders, and neck, but not under my bra strap. I think the niacin is doing something to the mites. Does anyone have any ideas here?
When I wake up in the night, I don’t turn on a light. I rinse my face with borax water, using my hands as eyecups. I got some melaleuca ericifolia, a milder tea tree oil, and use a Qtip to run it along my eyelids. I didn’t expect this, but I haven’t needed my reading glasses since beginning this.
The past year my scalp was itchy, and at times I could feel the hair move. I have a red rash down my neck. I started using pyrithione shampoo. That stirs up little red bumps along my hairline.
I take Pinesol and borax baths. Who would have thought that would be a beauty treatment? For my all-over moisturizer I use BestYet.
Thanks for the great information.
Also, I have mild rosacea. I put a little green eyeshadow in my mineral foundation. I apply the powder with a cotton ball on my nose and chin. I don’t double dip the cotton ball. I hope with this treatment I will no longer need greenish makeup.
Cindy have you tried antibiotics? (at least to get a grip on the problem)
you could also try demodexsolutions ZZ Cream. it’s helped many
Grace, I have been on antibiotics for 6 months yes. Didnt make any noticable difference. What did help was going for an IPL, but now 8 months since my last one I desparetly need another, so that will be something I need to do every 6 months or so for the rest of my life?
Grace, sorry, also, I would love to try ZZ cream, but are unable to find an online site to purchase it from that will ship to South Africa and not use PayPal as method of purchase…
any ideas on how I could get my hands on ZZ cream anyone?
I would not bother with ZZ cream, it irritates and dries the skin and is not effective enough.
In my experience the most effective medication is Ivermectin 1% (used about once every 3-4 weeks) combined with Benzyl Benzoate 25% (used daily). I like Ivermectin and BB because they do not cause redness or make the skin dry. Not only do you clear very quickly, but you have nice normal skin too.
Another treatment I find very effective is ultraviolet light. Strong summer sun works the best. A UV face tanning lamp is a reasonable backup.
If you want to tell the difference between someone with rosacea and someone with papulopustular rosacea (demodex folliculitis)? Put them in the sun. Rosacea sufferers go red and worsen, papulopustular rosacea sufferers love it and improve == Two different diseases.
Wistar,
After trying the ZZ cream i completely agree–tho’ glad i tried, at least. tell me where do you get the
Benzyl Benzoate 25% ?
thank you.
I have started my own mix of a treatment, based on all the comments above:
I have mixed Tea Tree Oil 100% with C-Ester serum. My mix is not too drying and applies easily without any burning sensation. This I apply every night, leave it on for 10min and then cover it with a locally made Daiper Cream which is made up of Vaseline, Water and Zinc Oxide. (This makes me look like a ghost, but it feels very calming on my skin.)
I have only done this twice now, so its still early days. Maybe I so desperatly want to see this working… but I think I can already see a difference. Especialy re all the little red bumps on my cheeks and chin, they seem a lot less this morning. Just one new big and red pastule on my forehead since yesterday.
I have also applied the TTO and C mix this morning, and covered it with my normal foundation from Dermalogica.
Tomorrow I have an IPL session, have booked this about 3 months ago. I am actually sad about this now, as I would have loved to see the affect of the TTO first, now it will be a combination of the two.
I am also treating myself starting today with Apple Cider Vinegar, a little mixed with water before every meal. Ive “Googled” it, and it just seems like a very good idea for over all health and mostly for me a good ph balance and healthy intestinal bacteria.
I will try to get some Ivermectin from a pharmacy near our home, else if it needs to be on a prescription, it will have to wait for my next Homeopath appointment in July.
Thanks to everybody out there sharing their stories. It really feels like I have been handed a life line again.
Injested oils! Injested oils! Injested oils! I have just found out something that is helping me out considerabily! I noticed it first with frying in olive oil a pound of salmon fillet, and I saw it again days ago when I increased my intake of micro-wave popcorn. What I noticed was an extreme flash-up of Rosacea and demonex mites. On this second flare-up from oils I observed scabs that were impregnated with oils. It is my conclusion now that my body excretes excess oils to my skin, and that it is these oils that produce the bacteria and food that the mites feed upon as well as conditions favorable for more extreme Rosacea. I just stopped eating mocrowave popcorn and have noticed a decrease in both Demonex and Rosacea. I also remember that I started eating micro-wave popcorn around the time my wife and I divorced. That was also the time I started having extreme conditions of Rosacea and started having problems with demonex mites (of which I had isolated in my microscope). Also, years ago my doctor put me on O-Mega fish oil pills. I had problems with this oil as well. I am going to start cutting down my intake of oils (especially palm oil). I will still take my formula which works for me, and put SnoSeal on my face at night. Hopefully, this will take care of my condition before my wife of now comes over here to the US from the Philippines.
Hello again. I must add that I will also use Ivermectin Rx (also called Stromectol) every six months. To get mites out of my eyes when it does happen I use 1 teaspoon Boric Acid to 4 ounces of water. I apply the solution with an eyeglass. My topical mixture can be found in these comments at #289. I use SnoSeal, which is a sticky beeswax mixture, on my face at night to keep the mite activity down when I sleep. If you cannot get SnoSeal try using lipbalm or something sticky like it. Hopefully now I will have this condition under control. Mike
It has been a long time since I posted but I have some rather surprising discoveries to share and am right now feeling the best I have felt in a year!
1) the mites burrow under the first layer of skin leaving ridges that are visible, very similar to the way the ants build ant holes. (A little salt at the openings can be very effective).
2) Windex kills them (ala My Big Fat Greek Wedding) Gus was on to something. I have been adding a little to my Epsom salt baths with very positive results.
3) Xin fumanling creme!! I think this may be the best thing ever but I have not tried everything yet. It is a little pricey, but I think it is worth the cost at twice the price. This creme has surpassed Ivermectum in it’s mite killing effectiveness and it doesn’t smell bad or require a prescription!!
Roger do you bathe in the windex?
have you tried the ZZ cream? it helped me more than any rx. not a cure but certainly a good product. one must find their own “method” of using it though. and stick with it.
Has anyone with Rosasea been tested for any type of Lupus?
I have 5 family members that have been diagnosed with Rosacea with broken veins, redness and tiny bumps on face.
One sister was diagnosed with Lupus and I have Lupus Anticoagulants in my blood. The other 3 refuse to be tested as they say they don’t won’t to know.
I am the only one that has acne like outbreaks but only on the lower sides of my face. My chin has the tiny, tiny bumps on the skin and is covered with broken veins but no broken veins or tiny bumps any other place.
My brother had Rosacea with the red nose which was getting larger, with very heavy broken veins all over his nose and when he had a heart attack and was put on medication he no longer has the redness or broken veins and his skin and nose are normal.
Anyone know why our case is different than most people on this site?
what medication did your brother go on? please share!
it might help others here (and myself).
i tested negative for lupus but have many lupus symptoms. it can take years for a positive ANA test though, which means little in my book if one is suffering from many lupus related diseases regardless.
Hello all. I’m new to this site, and am particularly interested in the demodex theory. I hope the reason for this will become clear as I tell my story…..
I’m 29. As a teenager I suffered with moderate acne (severe enough to require several courses of antibiotics), which often centred on my nose, causing the huge red spots/pustules/papules that would come back to haunt me so terribly years later….
As for many people, my teenage symptoms eased with the passing of time. Although I never had perfect skin and was prone to occasional breakouts, through my late teens & early-mid twenties acne did not play a significant role in my life. How blissful those days were with hindsight!
Then at 26, all of a sudden, literally overnight, I had major skin problems again. Just as when I was a teenager, it was centred on my nose – huge, terrible, sore red spots, pustules and papules, one after another, just days apart. At first I hoped it was a temporary problem – no such luck! To cut a long story short, it’s been three years of misery so far! I’ve taken several courses of doxycycline with some limited success, but it’s far from a full solution, and the doctors I’ve spoken to can’t seem to offer anything any more effective – there’s no way to get rid of it. I won’t elaborate too much on the depression it has caused me as I’m sure any fellow sufferer will be all too familiar with the problems, but in brief I split up with my long term partner and have felt too handicapped by this skin condition to consider finding another. The ‘hopeless’ nature of the problem has even led me to consider taking my own life – I hasten to add that I have never come close to attempting this, nor do I intend to, but the thought has occurred on numerous occasions.
Currently, I’m diagnosed with a mixture of adult acne vulgaris, and acne rosacea, but it’s the rosacea (the terrible reddening of my nose) that is by far the bigger issue to me psychologically. I’ve never suffered with the ‘flushing’ associated with rosacea, just the spots and more recently thread veins, which are only adding to the problem. On a bad day, which can be often, my nose looks so hideous I won’t leave the house. Most other days I require some amount of ‘concealer’ make-up in order to feel able to go out.
Anyway, back to this topic! I discovered this website, and the demodex theory, which immediately interested me. I looked into ways of eliminating the mites from my skin, but was disappointed to find that the options were quite limited – only a few substances are known to kill demodex, some of them not feasible options for use due to toxicity.
Now to backtrack a little. When the problem first started, I racked my brain to think of what might have triggered it off – it started up so suddenly I figured there MUST have been a cause. I cut certain things out of my diet, but nothing had more than limited success. I always had a gut feeling that the fact that I had given up smoking (a ten year, 40 a day habit) was somehow involved. I gave up just a few months before my skin problems started up. I know that sounds a little crazy, and I had no basis for believing that except for this wierd gut feeling. I even considered starting up smoking again just to see! But I never did!
The link came when I found reference to the substances that can kill demodex – one of them was benzene. The same benzene that was present in the smoke of all of those cigarettes I consumed for years – years in which I had no issues with acne rosacea. Is it just a co-incidence that, just a few months after I stopped smoking, and exposing myself to benzene, these symptoms flared? Now, of course I hope it goes without saying, I’m not suggesting smoking or benzene to anyone as a solution! What I’m doing is highlighting the fact that my problems started shortly after I stopped my exposure to a substance proven to kill demodex mites. I know that this is only circumstantial evidence, but to me it reinforces the theory of demodex involvement in my condition. I’d love to hear any comments or advice that anybody could offer.