this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2026
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[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 23 points 20 hours ago (4 children)

Question:
If I were to come up with a way to rid myself (and others) of these face mites then what would happen? Would it be a positive or negative thing for me?

And the same question about human body mites. If I were to get rid of human mites completely would that be good or bad?

[–] ToastedRavioli@midwest.social 52 points 19 hours ago (3 children)

Its important to remember that human bodies are effectively an environment unto themselves, and that there really isnt a distinct “you” and then other things like this.

For example, there are trillions upon trillions more cells of bacteria on/in you than there are human cells. Every person’s overall existence is composed primarily of stuff that isnt technically “you”, although it is inseparable from you. While people’s bodily ecology can be modified, you couldnt possibly remove every quasi-foreign substance from yourself and still survive.

Its part of why seemingly horrific stuff like fecal transplants can be very helpful. If youve cultivated a very mean ecology for one reason or another then resetting that to a healthier state is essential. Its like the gut version of you being a country suffering from unrest. But even though we think of negative or positive bacteria as being totally distinct from us, we are strongly defined by those bacteria. It affects your brain and emotions far more than most people realize. Scientists are still just beginning to understand the complexities of these systems, too.

These little dudes I would assume are a similar situation. They probably have some form of essential symbiosis with us that we may not even understand yet. Killing them off would likely be bad. And even if you did, you would be creating a vacuum that could be filled by something worse. Our bodies are fertile ground for such tiny individuals. Better to have benign ones or helpful ones than it is to have bad ones

[–] applebusch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

there is a distinct you, its all the cells with your dna, and theres no bacteria inside your body. your stomach and intestines are functionally a well controlled part of the outside of your body. bacteria being inside you is an infection and is generally considered bad for your health. by mass the vast majority of your body is your own cells, so implying most of your body is stuff thats "not you" is pretty hyperbolic.

your argument that it would probably be bad to kill these mites is an appeal to nature. just because theyre there doesnt mean they serve a vital function. im sure there are any number of disorders caused by them, but whether there are any caused by them being absent neither of us can say. maybe there is, maybe there isnt. its possible that no one can say at the moment.

[–] MrKoyun@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago

when it comes down to it, you're just a really weirdly shaped and tall donut.

[–] Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 14 hours ago

Of course it would be bad, I just learned they’re my little emotional support face buddies

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 7 points 19 hours ago (1 children)
[–] bryophile@lemmy.zip 13 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

There's variety of demodex that eat sebum (face grease) and another eats dead skin cells.

So I guess, logically, if you got rid of them you'd have greasy skin with dead skin cells. Or at least the balance on your face ecosystem would be disturbed.

[–] Stinkywizzleteats@piefed.social 4 points 15 hours ago

so they are why I can't get my greasy face callous going?

[–] Smoogs@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

scuz me i gotta go wash my face. EVERYBODY WASH YOUR FACE RN

[–] MrKoyun@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

i went and did it just for you 💚

[–] sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 27 minutes ago

Is this the same guy who looks sideways in the reaction face?

[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 14 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

The other commenters are well meaning but don't really know what they're talking about. I have chronic dry eye from staring at screens too much (remember to blink!). My tear ducts have gotten overworked and started to produce thicker, gunkier, tears which blocked them and cause styes. I've lost a bunch of my tear ducts. Once they're gone they don't grow back.

These little mites eat the gunk my eyes produce and, when they get overpopulated, leave a ton of gunk on your eye. It's called blepharitis

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/demodex-blepharitis

I've had it so bad that I've had trouble opening my eyes in the morning. There's a relatively new eyedrop that clears them out. Combining that with hot dye compresses and lid scrubs have helped keep them under control and has drastically increased my eyelid health

I hope that helps answer your question

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

How many years of staring at screens did it take, if you don't mind me asking ?

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 7 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

It must be a personal issue because I have been a screen starer for 35-40 years and don't have this issue. One of my kids got itz and the remedy was morning and night eye washing.

[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 4 points 11 hours ago

The doctors say it's common for screen starers. It's certainly not going to be everyone but I've been playing video games/using the computer heavily since I was a kid

My doctor's practically predicted I was a programmer when they saw the problems I was having with styes and dry eyes

https://www.trieyecare.com/dry-eye-optometrist/electronic-devices-and-dry-eye/

[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 2 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I've been using computers heavily for over 2 decades

https://www.trieyecare.com/dry-eye-optometrist/electronic-devices-and-dry-eye/

My eye doctors have impressed on me the importance of eye lid health and hot eye compresses. They say everyone should do it twice a day

I'm not sure if I'd go as far as to reccomend that (plenty of people do fine without it) but my eyes get gunky FAST if I skip hot eye compresses

[–] sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 1 points 22 minutes ago

So like do you wet a washcloth with hot water and drape it on or is there a different way?

[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 9 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I have rosacea and apply a 1% ivermectin cream to my face every night to kill the mites. It costs 300 dollars a tube.

[–] phar@lemmy.world 16 points 15 hours ago

But if you live in the bible belt, your face skin would never get covid

[–] Crescent@fedinsfw.app 9 points 19 hours ago

Not a doctor but I watch YouTube sometimes.

You can remove them with some oils and it helps some people with things like acne.

If you did this, they would just come back after a while. If you don't have any skin issues, they are harmless to you.