A comparison of follicle mite (Demodex sp.) collection methods.

Demodex is a genus of microscopic mites that live on human hosts, feeding on sebum and dead skin. They are classified as arachnids with an elongated abdomen that allows them to dwell in pores and hair follicles. The mites do not commonly cause any problems but a diseased state may arise if their population suddenly increases, leading to rosacea, blepharitis, and general dermatitis. Collecting the mites can be difficult and two collection methods were compared. The first method was spreading super glue onto a microscope slide and adhering it to the forehead for five minutes. The second was done by scraping the area on the forehead and transferring the debris onto another slide. For the eight participants, only one Demodex was found overall, using the super glue method. Our study concluded that, although mostly ineffective, the super glue method was best to collect and observe Demodex from human skin