Where does the Demodex mite appear? - briefly
Demodex mites inhabit human skin, residing chiefly in hair follicles and associated sebaceous glands, most commonly on the face, eyelids, and cheeks. They can also be found on the scalp, chest, and other body regions with abundant oil glands.
Where does the Demodex mite appear? - in detail
Demodex mites inhabit the pilosebaceous units of mammals, most commonly the human face. The adult stage resides within hair follicles and the associated sebaceous glands, where it feeds on epithelial cells, sebum, and microorganisms. In humans, the two species most frequently encountered are Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis.
- Facial skin: Concentrated on the cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin, where dense sebaceous activity supplies nutrients.
- Eyelids and eyelashes: Inhabit the meibomian glands and follicular openings, contributing to blepharitis and other ocular surface disorders.
- Scalp: Occupy hair follicles, especially in areas with high sebum output.
- Chest and back: Present in sebaceous-rich regions, though density is lower than on the face.
- Other body sites: Occasionally detected on the arms, legs, and genital skin, but prevalence diminishes with decreasing glandular activity.
In veterinary contexts, Demodex species colonize the skin of dogs, cats, and other mammals, typically targeting hair follicles and sebaceous glands similar to human infestations. Infestations may become clinically significant when host immunity is compromised, leading to demodicosis characterized by alopecia, erythema, and secondary infection.