Demodex Mite (specifically the Face Mite or Follicle Mite)
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
They live almost exclusively inside human hair follicles (specifically on the face, near the nose, eyelashes, and eyebrows) and sebaceous glands.
Diet & Feeding
They feed on dead skin cells, sebum (facial oil), and hormones found within the hair follicles.
Behavior Patterns
These mites are nocturnal and emerge from the hair follicles at night to mate on the skin's surface before crawling back into follicles to lay eggs. They move quite slowly, at a rate of about 8-16 cm per hour.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits: They may act as a natural cleaning system by removing excess oil and dead skin. Risks: While harmless in most people, an overpopulation (Demodicosis) can lead to skin irritation, rosacea-like symptoms, or blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids).
Identified on: 2/20/2026