Ailment: Mites (demodex mites)
Remedy: Vicks vapo rub
Comment posted by Mugatu of Albuquerque , NM, USA on 28 December 2022 at 9:47 5409
YES
This is how I cured my demodex infection. I quit all sugars, carbs, alcohol, tobacco and any other substances. Diatomaceous earth didn’t work for me. I tried it over 3 yrs, also pesticides, ivermectin flagyl, permethrin. The mites just kept coming back. Went to plenty of doctors and they thought that I was crazy, so did my family. You’re on your own with this. This is what I did to cure it. Wash everything every day, vacuum and wash pets. To get them off your body soak in hot water with strongest dish soap with tea tree oil then rinse off in shower with cold water. Then put dish soap mixed with tea tree oil in hair without water and use vicks vaporub on body. Get a vaporizer with Vicks and tea tree oil. I also took vitamin c and drank a lot of water. I bagged up my clothes every day after drying them then put in freezer for two days. You have to stay on top of it! Skip one day and you’ll get reinfected. It took two months for them to finally go away. This was crazy having to go through this! There needs to be more research on this with doctors and pest control experts. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
Comment from David Niven Miller. Please read the Grow Youthful web page on demodex mites and their breeding cycle. All this cleaning, vacuuming and washing is NOT necessary! Did you get a professional diagnosis of demodex infection or was it something else, such as bird mites? I am happy that your infection is over, one or more of the remedies you mentioned must have worked – or was it that a bird nest nearby ceased?
Comment posted by Sassenach of Phoenix , AZ, USA on 3 January 2022 at 2:15 5330
YES
For the last 3 years I have suffered with bad skin caused by mites. It seemed like the second I turned 30 my skin decided to wreak havoc. I have literally tried EVERYTHING. Laser, antibiotics, finacea, soolantra (ivermectin), expensive skin care, sulfur, professional facials and peels. The only thing that helped somewhat was the ivermectin. Not enough to wow me, but enough to pay the hefty price at the pharmacy monthly. This small improvement made me jump down the rabbit hole into alternatives to see if I could achieve more improvement. I put Vicks on my face two nights ago mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil. I did not realize how bad the creepy crawlies on my face were until I felt the relief of the Vicks. All of my current pustules dried up, and so far nothing new. I usually wake up with 5-6 pustules a day which then turn into scars. I’m still super worried that using the Vicks will clog my pores or make things worse, but so far this miraculous improvement has my hopes up. How long can you use it? Should you take a break? I think the smell of it even helps me sleep. I'm just so tired of being upset every morning when I look in the mirror and see the aftermath of mites hanging out in my skin all night. People think I'm crazy but I just want to go without makeup comfortably. My skin otherwise has a healthy glow. If I could only get rid of these stupid pustules for good!
Comment posted by Pao of San Pedro, San Jos , Costa Rica on 21 December 2018 at 14:25 5111
YES
Hi there, the real reason that Vicks works to kill demodex is because it contains Eucalyptus oil, which is being used to spray bedding and skin problems areas. It has to be diluted, otherwise it will burn as hell, so never use it pure on eyes or skin.
Comment posted by Pineapple of Penrith, Cumbria, UK on 4 January 2018 at 19:27 4894
YES
I had an itchy pimply lesion start up in one eye brow. I though I was developing a boil and put spot cream on it and it got worse, then more started appearing on my face and forehead. I've always had a clear skin and am not a teenager so it was a concern. At the same time the dog had developed mange owing to a mite issue. Didn't think this was a coincidence! I googled it and realised that the long-standing rosacea inflammation on my chin, hair loss on one eyebrow and blepharitis were probably linked with mites too. It's possibly me that infected the dog! I developed a crawling feeling in that eyebrow and around the hairline plus an itch. Rosex didn't help. Have ordered some tea tree products but in the meantime I have started zapping the areas with surgical spirit, rubbing alcohol and witch hazel to dry up any oils, then I smear the same bits with Vicks vapo rub. It may be just the menthol but what a relief from the itching! Plus the crawling has largely gone and the area of inflammation on my chin seems to be getting smaller. Am going to starting taking pics to check progress. I don't yet know if this is killing or just suppressing any mites but it is worth a try folks.
Comment posted by Sue of Ellicott City, MD, USA on 21 February 2017 at 6:1 4482
YES
I have had Rosacea for years and never a significant issue except I get red in the face if I have any alcoholic drink - easy enough to avoid. Recently I developed the classic bright red cheeks, but with no known trigger. Then it spread to my forehead, chin and neck. I tried cortisone cream and it actually got worse, so I knew it wasnt an allergic reaction. Day by day it grew worse, my skin thicker, my face more swollen. It was alarming. But Google to the rescue! Found this site, realized it was Demodex Rosacia. I still think its creepy, ick, but read every single comment. I started with a little diluted tea tree oil mixed with aloe gel on the face and neck. It helped! Washed bedding, clothing, everything, as was recommended, tea tree oil shampoo - more improvement. Someone recommended Vicks vaporub at night with the tea tree oil and that's when things really improved! There is something about the combination of Vicks and TTO that really speeds up healing. I actually have used the tea tree oil full strength on some of the worst facial areas its very drying . I wash pillowcases and PJs daily and sheets every 2 days, with borax. I sprinkle Gold Bond powder on the sheets as the aroma may deter mites. Looks like a sustained battle ahead to keep this condition in check, but I want to thank everyone on this site who has shared their experiences. You have helped me enormously and I'm very grateful!
Comment posted by Andrea of Burlington , Ontario, Canada on 29 December 2016 at 3:15 4420
YES
It took me almost a year to kill all the mites off...it gets way worse before it gets better. I got rid of mine and then I was an idiot and stopped being precautionary. It's back and I'm so annoyed. I use selson blue dandruff shampoo which has silver in it and castor oil as a mask. I only use olive oil as a face moisturizer. I use Vicks at nighttime. I haven't woke up itching in awhile. It went from the full both cheeks and forehead to two reddish patches and a few bumps on forehead and now they are on the way out. So they burrow deep in your sebaceous glands and then climb on your face when sleeping to make babies eww ...then go back in. When your face breaks out its because they are dying and you get a reaction. You will get a breakout every two weeks but each will be significantly less, until you have clear pretty skin.
Comment posted by T of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa on 7 August 2016 at 5:42 4185
YES
I had persistent little red bumps on both cheeks that would not go away with all the usual over the counter creams I tried. After weeks of attempting to self treat this rash I decided to pay the dermatoligist a visit. He immediately diagnosed me with demodex mites demodicosis rosacea. He prescribed rosex gel and an oral antibiotic with the same active ingredient as the rosex. I felt positive and hopeful... at first... but the bumps just kept popping up. After doing some google research, I found out that I most probably got this disease from the ear infection I had around the time since my immune system was down. I found out that tea tree oil works well in killing them and decided to add a tea tree oil facial wash and toner to my other treatments. The bumps then started to itch after about 3 days of TTO use and they would appear to get better, then worse. I was extremely confused after about 2 weeks. I decided to try pure tea tree oil on my face, found that leaving it on my face for ten min per day seemed to burn the little buggers! Pure tea tree is very strong though so careful not to leave too long or it will burn your skin. It also dries your skin out. So 2 weeks into treatment I was bathing using tea trea oil facials and then toners, then applying pure tea tree oil for 10 min, washing off properly, then applying rosex gel and sleeping with a face full of cream. I would wake up during the night itching because that is when the mites are active, and I would go and wash off and then reapply my mixture. In the morning, I would use the facial, toner and rosex under my make up. This procedure seemed to be keeping my condition consistent but not really improving it. Very frustrated, my husband was applying vicks vapor rub for his cold, I had the idea to try that on my face. So I did and noticed HUGE improvements the very next morning. I haven't used the pure tree oil again. For the last week I have been treating with tea tree oil facial and toner and rosex gel, followed by vicks on top...every night. Itching is gone. Inflammation is gone ...and finally the bumps are almost gone. To avoid a reinfection I am going to continue doing this for the next couple of weeks, and will probably continue with vicks indefinitely. Hope this helps! PS from what I noticed, the itchiness is good...it means they are dying!! Good luck!