f your skin and/or eye problems are caused by demodex mites, there is an oral treatment that was quite effective for me. It was published in the International Journal of Infectious Disease in 2013. Treatment takes 2 weeks. Oral Ivermectin and Oral Metronidazole. Insurance copay was just $13.03 (Uninsured retail about $52 USD). These drug are older, so cheap generics are available. In the study, using the combined oral drugtreatment helped put 71.6% of patients still in remission after one year, about 27% showed marked improvement.
Paper is here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S120197121201315X
Treatment (from paper) based on body weight for the oral Ivernectin:
1. Two dosesof oral Ivermectin one week apart - 200 micrograms Ivermectin per kilogram of body weight. Worked out to 12 mg for me. Take on an empty stomach with a large glass of water.
2. Oral Metronidazole, 250 mg. three times a day for two weeks.
As always, it is best to discuss this treatment with your doctor. These are prescription drugs. My family doctor was most helpful.
I had demodicosis caused by demodex mites. Onset at age 11.5 after a severe bout of German Measles and possibly the flu. Immune system was at rock bottom allowing the mites to become infested in spite of good hygiene. It got worse with every bout of the flu after that.
After being misdiagnosed with allergic conjuctivitis and acne vulgaris (bacterial origin) for 51 years, it advanced into blepharitis demodex (ocular rosacea) painfully gritty, dry eyes with eyelashes falling out, etc. Over the years, 4 board certified dermatologists prescribed about 8 different antibiotics, retin A, micro-retin A, benzoyl peroxide, etc. None of the expensive treatment worked. They never checked for demodex mites.
Demodicosis can be confused for Hormonal acne due to the fact that the mites live 2-3 weeks and may indeed be tuned in to the hormonal cycles of the body. The mites eat oil. When your hormones are causing more oil to be generated, there is more for the mites to eat. Any drug that levels out or reduces the oil in your skin can temporarily control the mites by controlling their food source. This combination drug treatment for mites doesn't treat the symptoms it treats the cause.
In other studies, the topical version of Metronidazol has not been found to be effective but the oral version is effective. Oral metronidazol is believed to work indirectly by changing something the mites are consuming or changing the environment so that they die.
I've been reading and researching down this alley after I read this topic:I really think this whole demodicosis thingy fits the bill for me perfectly. I have the eyelashes falling out and yeah actually everything fits... Problem is I really doubt im going to get a doctor on board on with prescribing this treatment. All the doctors I've been to have been really unhelpful, really hesitant to prescribe any antibiotics, and I feel like I would be laughed out of the office with this.
Anyone have any ideas as to alternative, non-prescription treatments? Alternative ideas to procuring ivermectin? I've been trying tea tree oil but I don't think it's effective enough.
Oh, and does chlorhexidine kill demodex mites?
Basically could someone compile a gigantic list of everything that kills demodex mites!
@99f
One treatment for body demodex mite issues is soaking in a warm (not hot) bath with 20 Mule Team Borax and Dr. Teal's Epsom Salts - Super Moisturizing Avocado oil. Demodex mites can make your skin and scalp itch. Borax kills them. But don't drink Borax, it could be toxic if ingested internally! You can take an oral Boron Amino Acid Supplement made by Nature's Way (about $7.99 at stores like Sprouts).
If you have any serious health issues, like kidney problems this would not be a recommended treatment! The magnesium in the Epsom Salts may be a problem for some health conditions. As long as you are healthy, this soak should be OK. Talk to your physician if you are not sure if this is safe for you.
For a standard 5 foot bath tub:
1. Fill tub with pleasantly warm water. If the water is too hot, you may pass out or get over heated. Its not the heat its the borax that will kill the mites.
2. Add 1 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax (available at Kroger for about $3).
3. Add 1 cup of Dr. Teal's Epsom Salts with Moisturizing Avocado Oil (about $5 at Kroger) . This ingredient will make your skin moist but the borax is more important.
4. Swirl the water in the tub and break up any lumps in the borax.
5. Get in tub, use the water to shampoo your hair and scalp too. Borax is a good and simple DIY shampoo. It is also a good water softener.
6. Soak in tub for 30 minutes.
You can take a shower after you are done if you like. Some people say that leaving the borax on is better. I've never tried it that way.