Ailment: Mites (demodex mites)
Remedy: Epsom salts
Magnesium Oil may also be of interest
Comment posted by Brighter Days Ahead of Huntsville , Alabama , YSA on 28 December 2022 at 10:47 5410
NO
Hello Everyone. My symptoms started at the beginning of August 2022 with what appeared to be a rash under both breasts and some scalp sores. The first doctor said it was scabies and prescribed Permethrin. I still had issues. Then, the second doctor prescribed a steroid cream. I still had issues. Then, I went to a walk in clinic and obtained another tube of Permethrin. I still had issues. I went back to the second doctor who referred me to a dermatologist, who said I have nerve issues. I was prescribed a steroid cream, an antibiotic cream, and a pain med for the nerve pain . I’m still having issues. So, I shaved my hair to 1/8 inch all over so I could get a good look. I have sores all over my scalp accompanied by swelling and a 1 inch diameter red round circle at nape neck area of my scalp. My other symptoms include black scalp hairs twice the diameter of my normal hairs that appear to have little black balls at the hair tips. I don t have naturally black hair. There are transparent oddly shaped entities with a tail. Both the black and the clear entities turn bright red after feeding on my blood. I have personally watched them change color. Tiny sand like granules come off my scalp. I recently observed a granule attached to a clear entity. If I disturb my hair and scalp while not wearing a shirt, I get bites and sores that look like a rash on my breasts, abdominal area, and back. My scalp burns and is painful. They say you cannot feel mites crawling and biting but I occasionally feel movement and biting on my scalp. I’m autistic with a very heightened sense of touch. Another symptom is what feels like tiny particles falling from my scalp hair into my eye lashes and eyes, which get irritated and turn red. Also apparent after shaving my hair to 1/8 inch are small round bald spots all over my scalp. I have tried all kinds of things to kill them including super head lice treatments, nit combs which work great for getting some out, lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus essential oils, Neosporin 91 rubbing alcohol which strangely makes the scalp burning sensation temporarily subside, and epsom salt with lavender oil bath soaks. I have found nothing prescribed or at home remedies that will kill them. I don’t think that they are simply various varieties of demodex mites because they are present in both black and clear white both of which turn bright red after feeding on blood. I did however read on a forum that people have been contacting the CDC for assistance, which they apparently have not provided, because doctors and pest control can’t get rid of them. They are said to be two new species of mites. My entire life is being consumed with showering bathing, cleaning, laundry, and insomnia. Has anyone found anything that completely kills them? If not, we need to all be diligently searching for something that will eradicate them and pass on the treatment information.
Comment posted by Amanda of Colorado , Colorado, USA on 20 September 2019 at 16:52 5180
In reply to Itchy scratchy of Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand on 22 November 2017 comment number 4840
This sounds like morgellons, not demodex mites. Epsom salts is efficient for morgellons, but it mostly has to do with fabric. Washing and cleaning cloths and soaking them in epsom salts will help as well. I use both borax and epsom salt and soak my clothes one hour submerged in water. I consider morgellons more fungal than a mite.
Question posted by Kwnyc of Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 28 October 2018 at 21:56 5092
Hello, after some research I believe I am dealing with eyelash mites. My eyelids became very scaly and I have some skin discoloration on my chin area. I purchased some eyelid wipes and also put tea tree oil mixed with almond oil on my face and scalp. This started the mites moving. I wasn't feeling them move before this. I did a body scrub with Epsom salt and borax and this woke up a mite movement on my throat, chest and arms. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I have awakened something inside of me. Any suggestions of what I can do to stop this movement?
Comment posted by Itchy scratchy of Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand on 22 November 2017 at 19:6 4840
I am so grateful I found this site and comments that are exactly like my experience! I have been living under par health wise for 1-2 years. Our latest results for children and me have all come back with auto immune disease, relapsing fever, encephalitis. I conducted a thorough search of our home and found evidence of bed bugs, but fell into dismay when I eradicated them only to be left with the skin crawling sensation and constant exhaustion. I’m sending skin scrapings to a lab for correct identification. It is clear to me that we are dealing with some sort of mite infestation. We are on day 20 of our intensive cleaning routine and our lives have been altered dramatically. My partner had success with Navratna oil I got from an Indian market shop, mostly used in Nepal for long hair cleanliness and meditation. It had a most beneficial effect on the scratches and to calm the skin. But it didn’t seem to aid our children. After what I saw coming out of my skin I couldn’t believe my children had nothing in their skin, so we all went to the doctor. Our regime is we bathe the entire family twice daily in an Epsom salt bath then we dry and apply coconut oil and stand with it in for up to 20mins. The children had no results from this and we only got results with pyrethrum cream. I feel very conflicted using this though. We leave it on all night, and then shower and wash the next day, then when we apply moisturiser coconut oil, and end up with a wipe away of tiny black things! They could almost be mistaken for tiny fluff bits from a towel, but they are not! The crawling sensation is almost driving me mad, I will be looking into enzyme sprays and am so grateful to read these comments as I feel at least some psychological relief, like I have avenues to follow up. I will also go looking for bird’s nests tomorrow! It is not clear to me where we are on this journey or how long we have been on it, but I am just so glad to be looking at it with other human beings... even if it is via internet. Thank you thank you for sharing your unfortunate experience.
Comment posted by Tatum Ranch of Davenport, IA, USA on 14 April 2017 at 10:58 4565
YES
If you're in the extreme itch stage
1. Take an epsom salt foot bath before bed. Don't use a lot of water. Put drops of wintergreen oil in the foot bath.
2. Both am and pm slather arms, legs, wherever with real coconut oil. The kind you buy in the grocery store.
The foot bath should stop hair crawl and body itch.
Comment posted by Gloria of Murchison, Texas, USA on 22 December 2015 at 13:0 3780
YES
We who have rosacea are experiencing an over reactive immune response to the mites. Because it is normal for people to have this type of mite without being aware they even exist I think caring for the skin to rid ourselves of the rosacea and working on the immune system would be most beneficial. Clean pillow every night does help with all types of acne so it probably would be helpful for rosacea. I get pustules and they take forever for me to clear up. This last flare up has lasted 6 months. I have read and am using Epson salts (magnesium sulphate). I use it on wet skin straight from the package and rub it on my face, leave it on for at least 10 minutes and rinse. It helps with inflammation and the redness. I also use milk of magnesia (magnesium hydroxide). Sometimes I leave it on my face all night. I am still a little red and have a small amount of break out but it has improved in 2 weeks.