Microscopic menace may be cause of skin trouble

[David Pascoe]

Microscopic menace may be cause of skin trouble



FOX 8 Live, Louisiana

Reported by: Jennifer Van Vrancken, Reporter
Reported by: Donny Pearce, Photographer
Last Update: 10:38 pm

Invisible to the naked eye, they live under dermatological disguise looking on the surface like something else. Dermatologist Dr Nicole Rogers explains, "A lot of people they have been diagnosed with rosacea, dermatitis, even blepharitis which is inflamation of the eye lids. They may go on with normal treatments, but not respond." It is when the first diagnosis and treatment don't work that dermatologists look deeper and often discover something called demodex.

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Demodex live in hair follicles and oil glands -- and while they look a little creepy-- studies show they are common to somewhere between 60 to 90% of the population. Dr Rogers adds, "It is actually surprisingly common and for most people it is not a problem. It doesn't cause a skin issue or irritation for the majority of people."

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[Mike T]

Do you think if one responds well to Metronidazole then this may suggest a dominant bacterial role in the cause of there Rosacea?

Mike

[David Pascoe]

One of Metrogel's benefits is put down to the fact that metronidazole breaks down into a substance that kills the DNA of the cells of some particular bacteria and protozoa.

It is still a leap from this statement to suggesting a dominant bacterial role in rosacea.

Further, 2 types of bacteria have been isolated from demodex mites, and this bacteria causes an increased immune response in rosacea sufferers. I haven't seen any research either way, but I suspect that metronidazole doesn't act on these recently isolated bacterium.

Sadly the pathways are complex enough and other factors come in to play, making an answer to your question difficult. A good question to ask though.

[CrabbyCathy]

I was just about to pop a Ritz cracker into my mouth when I clicked into this thread and saw the nice close-up of the mite.

[David Pascoe]

I think the fact that these mites look so creepy definitely adds to the belief that they are bad. I think they are just misunderstood and lonely

[Aurelia]

I think they are just misunderstood and lonely

Hmm, I don't know about "lonely". When we turn out the light to go to sleep, don't they emerge from the pores to socialise and mate?

Who's for sleeping with the light on? Would that stop them from multiplying?

Kind regards,

Aurelia