Demodex Folliculorum and Hair Loss

Hair loss is a widespread century old situation into which beset human beings. As to our generation these days, hair loss treatment is a need.

There are many known factors acquainted with hair loss which includes diet, stress, genetics and even chemical factors attributed with hair care products such as shampoos. What lies unknown and uncommon to mankind is the factoring cause of demodex folliculorum – a certain tiny creature, parasite to be exact, which have had the responsibility over the occurrence of hair loss.

Demodex Folliculorum or also known as Demodicids are tiny mites which thrive in skin pores and hair follicles particularly in scalp, cheeks, nose, eyebrow and even in eyelashes. They feed within the follicles at day, mate at night, and leave their eggs inside the follicles where their larvae can later feed on their host’s sebaceous oils.

Who have and who don’t have demodicids? A particular research concluded that there is a 25% incidence of the presence of demodex folliculorum in people at the age of up to 25 years old, 30% incidence up to the age of 50 years old, 50% up to the age 80 years old, and 100% in 90 years old and older.

Imagine the widespread existence of these mites in mankind. If almost everyone have these mites feeding on their hair follicles, why then not everyone gets the price of baldness? There are two (2) relevant factors that we can consider on this issue.

First, there are people whose body reactions against the existence of these mites will run through an inflammatory process. As this process unfold by blocking the hair follicle which eventually kills the mites due to a food blockade – the offset of such will also be the demise of the hair follicles causing the hair loss.

Secondly, the high degree or intensity of infestation causes the undernourishment of hair follicles. This holds the grounds of hair falling off.

The most common signs and symptoms of the presence of demodex folliculorum is itchiness in the affected hair area. Such areas include particular parts in the scalp, eyelids and even at the roots of the eyelashes. This itchiness can further cause serious problems of infection.

Treatment of such is a serious action that is being taken up nowadays.

In treating demodex folliculorum, one important note should be firstly known. Since we are taking a bath daily, even sometimes twice in a day, we should take into consideration that chemically laden shampoos could further intensify infestation. This is because some shampoos disintegrate the natural pH or acidity of the scalp which breaks the balance of sebaceous glands causing an overproduction of sebum oil. Overproduction of sebum is a primary attraction to demodex folliculorum mites, as sebum is their primary food. Occurrence of this signals a fertile breeding ground for the mites.

It is therefore important to note that treatment of such will basically require a method that which will not hamper or cause imbalance to/with the natural balance and integrity of the scalp. A wide-range option of treatments these days are readily available – which may vary from topical creams and lotions, shampoos and conditioners, and eye lotions.

However, going beyond those available treatments, we have had to get ourselves infused of basic knowledge. We may have had serious cases of diseases caused by those mites that would require us serious treatment, the need of a strong immune system prevails the best option and preventive measure.

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Shampoo for Demodex Hair Mites

There are studies that shows that populations of Demodex in the follicles have been highly correlated with the male pattern baldness. From the statistics on 99 subjects involved in the study, 87.3% of patients suffering from alopecia were found to have a Demodex infestation. 12% of patients suffering from alopecia tested negative for having Demodex infestation.

The control group were people who had a full head of hair. 13.6% of the control group tested positive for Demodex and 86.4% of the control group tested negative for Demodex infestation.

As the numbers show, a significant majority of people suffering from hair loss have found Demodex in their follicles. The numbers also show that only a small percentage of people without hair problems has Demodex in their scalp.

Currently, the only thing that this study was able to prove is that Demodex is associated with male pattern baldness, but we do not know if they really play a role in male pattern baldness or whether they are harmless and are only attracted by the follicles that are already bald (because this was the follicle would provide them a conducive environment for living, in terms of sebum oil / food abundance).

So, we face the classic dilemma of cause and effect, ie: it is not clear if the Demodex cause baldness, or vice versa, their proliferation is a result of a state of baldness already started. In theory, Demodex may cause inflammation (such as of the rest can also in other skin diseases), which may further aggravate the hair loss.

Shampoos with a Demodex killing agent will help to quell the numbers of mites killing hair follicles in your scalp. The problem with most chemical shampoos is that they damage both the hair, the skin and the hair follicles, making hair loss more likely. A shampoo with agents that kill Demodex mites and treats the scalp to help it heal is far better. This will gently remove the dirt that the mites feed on, and will kill the mites so that your hair is free to grow healthy, hence reducing the chances of it falling out.

A shampoo with natural healing properties will help to stop the scalp from reacting so harshly, and help stop the follicles from dying. Once the body’s immune system realises that the hair follicles have fewer mites in, they will stop taking such drastic action and stop swelling up the hair follicles. This in turn will help to stop further damage and help stop the hair falling out.

Some chemical agents are strong enough to kill the mites but will also damage the hairs roots. They can also cause the skin on the scalp to become flaky or greasy, which leads to dandruff. Mites are then more likely to re-infest when the chemical treatment stops, because the mites will happily feed on your dandruff. There is also the chance that the mites will react to the chemical agents and adapt so that it doesn’t affect them. They are then free to eat away at your scalp, safe in the knowledge that all the chemicals are doing is damaging the scalp and giving them more food.

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