Posted on 08/30/2012 1:03:01 PM PDT by neverdem
Scientists may have finally found what sparks the inflamed and reddened skin in people suffering from rosacea: tiny mites that crawl across most of our faces, unseen and unfelt.
The new finding may eventually lead to more effective treatments, researchers say.
As it turns out, the mites, which spend daytime hours in the glands that produce sweat and sebum, harbor a certain kind of bacteria in their digestive tracts. When the mites die, the bacteria spill out into the glands, according to a new report published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.
That’s not a problem for most of us, says the study’s lead author Kevin Kavanagh, a researcher at the National University of Ireland. But when people have an especially heavy infestation of the little bugs, the release of bacteria can set off rosacea.
“In normal skin, the density of mites is low,” Kavanagh explains. “In rosacea there is a high density and therefore a large number of bacteria are released. We believe that the high level of bacterial toxins overwhelms the immune response and leads to the inflammation. It is interesting to note that [the mites] do not have an anus and therefore all their waste is stored until they die and then it is released in one go.”
Skin problems only occur when mites die while in the glands during the day. At night they pop out and crawl around the surface of the skin often in search of a mate. Kavanagh notes that the mites can cover a lot of ground – moving as much as 4 inches before heading back to the glands.
Kavanagh and his colleagues came to their conclusions after reviewing the available literature on rosacea and mites. Looking at all the findings together, the researchers realized that the most likely culprit in...
(Excerpt) Read more at vitals.nbcnews.com ...
It’s all just conjecture — I’ve never seen an article with so many “mites” in it. It mite be this, it mite be that. [/jk]
The mites don’t have an anus and they release all this stuff when they die... I am assuming they just explode?!
I have rosacea. My doc told me that I should lay off booze, spicy food, and coffee. I told him, “what am I supposed to live on?”
It is interesting to note that [the mites] do not have an anus and therefore all their waste is stored until they die and then it is released in one go.”
Just the opposite of democrats who are mostly anus and
release their waste products constantly.
hahahaha...good one.
The bed bugs eat them!
If you are serious..my mom suffered w/ rosacea.
Here’s some advice....which I had known this while she was still alive: Selsun blue seems to be a cure.
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/06/06/getting-the-red-out-of-rosacea/
As far as I’m concerned, the only thing missing from his list was, “tawdry women who smell of cigarettes.”
I’ll check it out, thanks.
Urrrp. I think I’ll go sterilize my face now.
This doesn’t explain the ethnic component of the scourge of rosacea. It’s no coincidence the research was done at Ireland’s National University. The Irish, Scandinavians, and other northern Europeans seem to suffer while Greeks, Italians, and other Mediterraneans appear unscathed. What gives?
Years and years ago my pediatrician told my mom to use that stuff on my dry elbows which were always chapped and blackened no matter how hard I scrubbed or how much lotion was used. It worked!!
Also - for lice, don’t get the chemical stuff...just get some Cetaphil and work it through like a shampoo. Put a shower cap on and go to sleep. In the morning just shampoo it all out. The Cetaphil forms a crust and smothers the buggers.
It is posts like yours that force me to send money to Free Republic each month...:)
The mites also populate the eye lids causing heper-sensitivity when just waking and in many cases chronic blephoritis. You can get rid of them with tree tea shampoo.
Mite that true of DIMocRATs also? I always felt they are “full of it”.
A New Phlebovirus Associated with Severe Febrile Illness in Missouri
FReepmail me if you want on or off my combined microbiology/immunology ping list.
“The bed bugs eat them”
Why, oh why... am I so darn itchy right now?!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.