Demodex Mite (Face Mite)
Scientific Name: Demodex folliculorum or Demodex brevis
Order & Family: Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Demodicidae
Size: Typically 0.15 mm to 0.4 mm in length (microscopic, generally only visible under magnification or as a tiny white plug when expelled from a pore).
Natural Habitat
Exclusively inhabits the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of mammals, most commonly found on the face (nose, cheeks, forehead, chin) and eyelashes of humans.
Diet & Feeding
They feed on dead skin cells, sebum (facial oil), and hormones available within hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
Behavior Patterns
These mites live head-down inside pores; they emerge onto the skin's surface mainly at night to mate before crawling back into follicles to lay eggs. Their entire lifecycle (about 14-18 days) occurs on the host.
Risks & Benefits
Generally harmless commensals present on almost all adult humans. However, an overpopulation (demodicosis) can trigger immune reactions, contributing to skin conditions like rosacea, blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), and general skin irritation.
Identified on: 2/10/2026