Skin Mite (Demodex folliculorum or Demodex brevis)
Scientific Name: Demodex folliculorum or Demodex brevis
Order & Family: Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Demodicidae
Size: Microscopic, typically 0.15 mm to 0.4 mm in length.
Natural Habitat
Exclusively on human skin, specifically inside hair follicles and sebaceous glands, favoring the face, nose, and eyelashes.
Diet & Feeding
They feed on dead skin cells, sebum (skin oils), and hormones found within hair follicles.
Behavior Patterns
These mites are nocturnal, typically coming to the surface of the skin at night to mate before retreating back into follicles to lay eggs. They move at a speed of about 8-16 mm per hour.
Risks & Benefits
Generally harmless commensals present on almost all adults. In some cases, overpopulation can cause demodocidosis or aggravate conditions like rosacea and blepharitis (eyelid inflammation).
Identified on: 2/27/2026