#109: How to Get Rid of Demodex in the Eyelashes

A few weeks ago, we talked about Demodex mites in the eyelashes and how I don't recommend the use of tea tree oil anymore to remove those Demodex mites. There is a new study out of Harvard Medical School indicating that Tea Tree oil is toxic to the cells of the meibomian glands. You can read the original article here.

Demodex mites normally live on human eyelids and lashes. These are microscopic and you can't see them with the naked eye. Below is a super magnified image of the Demodex mite. They have little mouths and they bury themselves inside of the lash follicle. Their little tails hang out at the top of the follicle. If you know you have an overgrowth of Demodex mites you will need an in office treatment or use a daily cleanser to get rid of them.

How do you know if you have a Demodex mite overgrowth in your lashes?

There are some distinct signs and symptoms that indicate Demodex over general blepharitis:

~ crusty lid margins
~ inner rim redness
~ irritation
~ itching right at the base of the lashes (not like an allergy where you want to rub the whole eye)

2 Ways to Treat Demodex at the Eye Doctor's Office

Your eye doctor's office is the best place to start your Demodex treatment. The in-office procedures are more effective in eradicating the mites. The two best methods currently available are Zest Zocular treatment and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) therapy.

ZEST
This is an in-office treatment produced by the makers of Zocular. The kit that we use in the office has a higher concentration of solution than the Zocular scrub or wipes that you can purchase for at-home use.

In the office, we scrub the Zocular gel onto the lashes themselves and do a real good cleansing there. Then, I usually even put the solution on the eyebrows as well. We leave the solution on the eyes for a couple of minutes and then rinse everything away. This in-office procedure takes about 10 minutes, and you leave the office feeling nice and clean.

Intense Pulsed Light
The second in-office procedure that can be done to get rid of Demodex is called intense pulse light or "IPL". This is a device that is used on the face. IPL is used to treat patients who have rosacea on the face using intense light to treat the blood vessels on the facial skin. What ends up happening is that the heat from the intense light actually kills the exoskeleton of the Demodex mite. They die off within seconds and the overpopulation is eliminated.

If your eye doctor doesn't have IPL available, they may recommend a dermatologist nearby who can perform the same type of treatment.

After you have received an in-office treatment, you will still want to continue with regular care of your lids at home. Just like if you have your teeth cleaned at the dentist, you will still need to continue to brush your teeth at home. Or, if your eye doctor does not offer any in-office Demodex treatments, you will want to get started with an at-home treatment.

2 At Home Demodex Treatments

There is a commercially available solution called Zocular. I dedicated an entire blog to it. Check it out here if you missed it. Zocular comes as a foam, a gel, and a wipe.

To use the foaming version, follow these simple steps:

       ~Pump a little bit of the foam onto your index finger
       ~Rub your two index fingers together
       ~Scrub the foam right onto your lashes (you could even scrub your eyebrows) 
       ~Leave on the lashes for 20 seconds to 2 minutes
       ~Rinse with cool water

I love the Zocular products because they smell good and they feel good on your eyes unlike the tea tree oil products, which had a really abrasive smell. Tea tree oil also really stings and burns when you put it on your eyelids.

To use a DIY option, follow these instructions:

If you prefer not to use a commercially available product, there is a DIY option you can do instead. The mixture consists of Manuka honey and organic coconut oil. It is a 50/50 solution. Mix those two ingredients together and you will get a paste-like solution.

Use a very small amount and apply to the base of eyelashes nightly for 6 - 8 weeks.  Then, use it three times a week for a full 3 months.  Finally, use the mixture once a week ongoing to prevent future overpopulation.

CONCLUSION

Although Demodex mites are normal to have present on your lids and lashes, having an overgrowth of their population will cause eye redness, irritation, and itchiness at the base of the lashes. There are two in-office procedures you can ask your eye doctor about doing at their clinic. Also, it is best to continue to treat the Demodex at home after an in-office procedure.

In this blog, you will learn the steps needed to avoid a re-infestation of mites. You will want to follow through with all of the steps to have the best success.