Face mites, also known as Demodex folliculorum , are microscopic tick-like organisms. They live in the hair follicles in your skin, especially on your face and around the eyelids and lashes, and feed on dead skin cells and oils.

How do you know if you have face mites?

folliculorum aren't visible to the naked eye, you'll need to see a doctor to get a definitive diagnosis. To diagnose these mites, your doctor will scrape a small sample of follicular tissues and oils from your face. A skin biopsy shown under a microscope can determine the presence of these mites on the face.

How common are face mites?

Demodex, a genus of tiny parasitic mites that live in or near hair follicles of mammals, are among the smallest of arthropods with two species Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis typically found on humans. Infestation with Demodex is common; prevalence in healthy adults varying between 23-100%.