Demodex Mites. Lots of Questions About Them

[Gabranth]

Brady Barrows - Sure, I'll give it a shot. Thanks for helping me out.

[Gabranth]

Taking a few days of to let my skin heal.

[Gabranth]

Nose is slightly improving day by day, along with acne and blackheads. Cheeks are still very red. So far my skin looks better than before I started, I'd say.

[davem81]

Stick in there Gabranth. I'm now roughly 5 weeks into a new(ish) treatment, prosacea, and if it's any reassurance, this has been a bumpy ride so far too!

[Gabranth]

davem81 - Will do.


Acne has increased (forehead) since yesterday, a few red bumps have appeared on my nose and cheeks are about the same, only thinner in it's texture (which I deem as pretty good).

[davem81]

Acne has increased (forehead)

This is just what happened to me at one stage during ZZ usage. I was only applying to my nose.

[Gabranth]

Nose: is so far the only part of my face that is steadily improving, without any major breakouts. Blackheads (on nose) have improved.

Cheeks: have also improved in texture, but not in color (no less redness).

Forehead: Acne is about the same as when I started, maybe slightly better.

Temples: Redness comes and goes.

[Gabranth]

No change whatsoever (yesterday-today).

[Gabranth]

Still on the same level as the yesterday and the day before that.

[DianaLynn]

Ok, so I actually thought this whole Demodex mites on the face causing redness thing to be silly and didn't think of it as a possibility. But now I'm getting curious and have questions for anyone experienced and knowledgeable in the area.

If Demodex does exist and cause redness on the face associated with rosacea, why does it happen in a pattern (butterfly rash) and why only on the face? Why aren't mites overgrowing on the neck or the chest and rosacea redness appearing there too.

Do Demodex mites cause little bumps? Perhaps filled with keratin? And large open pores and blackheads? Pustules? Or just the red skin?

What are symptoms to knowing you have them? Can a doctor test your skin for mites?

What are some ways mite overproduction can occur? Because why would some people start having a mite problem out of nowhere in adult age.

I'm wondering if it's possible that I have a mite overproduction and am back tracking to think that since I think my problems all started when I tried using Duac acne gel (an antibiotic gel for acne prescribed by a derm) and an hour after my first application, noticed lighter skin spots that were perhaps bleached on random areas of my face an hour or so after use. Those areas still are not very much affected and the color remains light and seems to match the pale color of my skin so I can't tell anymore if it' s bleached skin or my actual color, BUT the areas around it about 3-4 months later slowly grew red, inflamed, bumpy to extreme severity before suddenly "breaking" and lessening in severity. I am just trying to figure out how the Duac could have caused mite overpopulation only on the face and in random spots that have lasted for 11 months now.

Should I try the Duac again? Maybe it actually was clearing up my skin? I just can't believe how fast it did something. It basically caused pigmentation to get lighter perhaps but it's so hard to tell because it seems to be the normal color of my skin. But after it happened, I started noticing slowly that my face was pink and that spot was light and then slowly I got pink spots and bumps that formed.

Birdsong, sounds like you are allergic to Duac. My skin responds that Way to topical antibiotics.
It is best to avoid antibiotics, as they do not address the cause of redness.