Testing for demodex mites
The causes of acne and rosacea can be tested

In this section we will explain how to determine if you are infected with demodex mites and how to find and count them. In this way you will be able to follow the progress of the treatment. It is important to do the treatment until the test result is negative and all of the mites are gone. Otherwise they will continue to multiply and the treatment must be repeated. It takes about 5 minutes for an experienced person to perform the test. The test involves taking samples in the different drops of oil and from different parts of the face which will enable you to locate the originating areas of the mites. The test is best performed by a competent Chinese physician.


[ What you will need ]

These items can be purchased from a chemist:

1.

A microscope with a good lighting system and light condenser, a multiplication of 40 to 60 times is enough to detect them. In order to see more details you will need a magnification up to 400X.

2.

A tool to scrape the sebum from the face and mix the obtained sample with the oil on the glass slide. Anything will do but the tool we provide on the website is specially designed for this procedure and is the best choice.

3.

Household vegetable oil such as bean oil, grape seed oil, sesame oil, etc. to dissolve the sebum. Do not use liquid paraffin, glycerin, shampoo oil etc.

4.

Latex gloves to protect your hands from further infection from the mites, or latex fingers for the fingers you use to press the sebum out.

5.

Cotton balls to clean the tool

6.

A small bottle for holding the oil and a pipette

7.

A sterile solution, 3-5% liquid cresolis saponatus (Lysol)

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


[ Procedure ]

1. 

First put three separate drops of vegetable oil onto a glass slide.

2. 

The doctor should sit face to face with the person and press the thumb and second finger on one side of the nose hard enough to squeeze some sebum out and scrape it off with the mite tool or something similar (scrape).

3. 

Put the obtained sebum in the first drop of oil and mix it so the sebum will dissolve in the oil and free the present mites, their larvae and eggs. Label the drop of oil with the specimen, according to the part of the face from which the mites were taken.

4.

Do the same with the other side of the nose and put in the same drop of oil and mix.

5. 

Now press the top of the nose, scrape it and put the scraping in the same drop of oil and mix.

6. 

Clean and disinfect the mite tool.

7. 

Now scrape the forehead between the eye brows, stretch the forehead skin with your left hand up and starting in the middle of the fore head, scrape downwards to the beginning of the nose. Apply enough pressure so that you have a good sample. Do this a couple of times to ensure that you have collected enough to produce good results.

8. 

Put the obtained sample in the second drop of oil on the glass slide and mix with the oil and once again, disinfect the mite tool.

9. 

Now we have to obtain some sebum from the chin. Clench the jaw and facial muscles to create some tension on the skin of the chin. Scrape the skin starting from the lip down and apply enough pressure to obtain some sebum. Do this a couple of times in different directions.

10. 

Mix the obtained sample with oil in the third drop of oil.

11. 

Disinfect the mite tool for future use.

12. 

Place the glass slide under the microscope and examine the different drops one by one. Look very carefully and don’t use too much magnification in the beginning; 40 to 60X is sufficient. Increase the magnification after you find them and want to see more details. Adjust the light and focus as necessary to see the living and dead mites, eggs, nymphs and remaining bodies. Once you know what to look for, they become very easy to identify and the testing time will take only 5 minutes or so.

[ Notes ]

Counting them will allow you to follow the progress of the disease by comparing the amount of mites with the future tests. Record the number that you find according to type: long (folliculorum) and short (brevis) from the different areas of the face (different drops of oil).

If you want to see them move the most dynamic temperature is between 28- 36 degrees Celsius, the minimum is 25 degrees Celsius. If necessary, warm up the glass slide in your hands. They can live away from the host approximately 36-58 hours in a drop of oil.

Larvae and nymphs never move but if you increase magnification you can sometimes see the mouth of the nymph moving. If you don’t find any then it is almost sure you are looking for the wrong things or you did the test incorrectly and need to do it over.

Discontinue the treatment once the test results are negative.

[ See ]

1. Zhongzhou ointment
2. Xin Fu Man Ling