Notice
The below is a forum entry made by one of our community members. If you want to know more about your condition, we suggest you read the following article written by a mental health professional on
Picking Scabs
White Stretchy Plugs
I've always squeezed bumps and blemishes on my skin, but recently I've gone through a period of work-related stress. I was off work for 2 months, during which time my picking and squeezing got worse. I had lots of blemishes on my chest which I squeezed and picked until I had a few nasty little wounds. One of them became quite deep, and I discovered that when I picked the scab off there were a few little white pinhead shapes under it, in the wound. They were screaming out to me to be picked out, but I couldn't do it by hand - I had to use tweezers. Sometimes I found I would need a wool needle to ease the white thing out a bit before the tweezers could get hold of them. When I pulled, a white elasticy thing would stretch and then come out. It was about 2mm long. It was VERY satisfying to pull it out, so I looked for some more in my skin. This made my picking worse, and I now find I am thinking of it quite a lot of the day. I am longing to pull more stretchy white things out of my skin. I put up with quite a bit of discomfort and pain just to get the satisfaction of pulling out these stretchy white plugs. To heal my wounds I use Savlon antiseptic liquid, and they begin to dry up quite quickly. But this is the most tempting time to pick - the scab becomes very crusty and itchy, and I see little white bumps underneath which could be those white plugs I long to pull out. They are itchy and I am dying to pull them out!
These plugs are just sebacious filaments.
Look closely at the tip of your nose. Do you see small, pin-like dots that resemble blackheads? If the dots are quite dark, then what you’re looking at are most likely blackheads, but if they have a more clear-ish flesh tone, or gray or yellow tinge, what you’re seeing are likely sebaceous filaments.
Another difference is that blackheads have a plug-like appearance when extracted, whereas sebaceous filaments more closely resemble a free-flowing column of wax-like sebum (sort of like a strand) as they are squeezed out. How do they get there in the first place?
How Sebaceous Filaments Form
Sebaceous filaments are naturally occurring hair-like formations that channel the flow of oil along the lining of the pore in which they lie (Archives of Dermatological Research, 1976). It’s a natural part of skin’s follicle (pore) structure and everyone has them. However, if your skin is oily or if your pores are large and prone to becoming clogged, you’re more likely to notice them. A sebaceous filament becomes visible as the lining of your pore fills up with sebum.
A sebaceous filament may or may not turn into a blackhead—the critical determining factor is whether or not the sebum in the pore lining becomes exposed to oxygen (thereby oxidizing into a blackhead). So, how can you reduce the likelihood of sebaceous filaments forming and, if they do form, how can you minimize their appearance?
How to Treat Sebaceous Filaments
Truth be told, you can never fully eradicate sebaceous filaments. Even when they are extracted, they refill shortly thereafter—around 30 days or less for those with very oily skin (Archives of Dermatological Research, 1976). In reality, they aren’t a bad thing, and chances are no one other than you and your magnifying mirror notice them anyway.
Nevertheless, if sebaceous filaments bother you and you want to make them less noticeable, regular use of a BHA exfoliant can potentially help because BHA is oil-soluble and, hence, can dissolve sebum and other substances in the pore lining. Because a BHA exfoliant helps normalize the collection of these substances, BHAs can help reduce the probability that a sebaceous filament will lead to a blackhead. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s the best way to stack the odds in your favor.
Also, occasional use of a well-formulated clay mask may help due to the clay’s drawing action and oil-absorbing properties. And, a good skincare routine that begins and ends with a water-soluble cleanser is always a smart idea, whether you have sebaceous filaments or no
In reply to These plugs are just by serene
Yes! This is what I extract everyday. They never go away! I can push the teeny dots ( the size of a pin head) out, or pull the out stretchy "string" w/ tweezers or a sewing needle. The next day or the day after there they are again. If you have a scab or flakey like scab and pull it off, sometimes they are attached underneath. Like a blackhead strip looked like when you pull it off. ( but it's a clearish white, more white ). It's satisfying seeing them being removed any way you do it. This is mostly my chin area. On my nose they are larger and more yellow. Not the same thing I don't think but if I push and squeeze it's a guarantee both will be come out. The thing is, until they both stop existing on my face, I won't be happy. As a result, of what most likely sebum I can see, I will pick, push or squeeze other things on my face. I do it to " make " the rest of my face look good at least. Bottom line, In my mind they should not be there. Not I. Every third pore at least.
No...not sebaceous filaments. Not like a strand.
I've found an interesting article. Might be related to our problem.
"Herpetic Folliculitis and Syringitis
Simulating Acne Excoriee
We describe the case of a 46-year-old woman with a long standing history of acne excoriee, confirmed by several
dermatologists, that finally was unmasked as herpetic fol-
liculitis and syringitis.
Report of a Case.
A 46-year-old, white, nonatopic woman who had not suffered from severe acne vulgaris in puberty developed acneiform lesions on her face at age 25 years.
Subjective symptoms like palpitation, burning, and itch-
ing made her pick and squeeze these lesions. Numerous
recurrences over the next 20 years led to considerable scar
formation. The “acne lesions” had resisted the acne treat-
ment advised by several dermatologists. Because of her skin lesions, she was in deteriorating psychological condition that seemed to support a diagnosis of acne excoriee.
When treatment for acne was again ineffective, a
5-mm punch biopsy was performed on demand of the
patient.
Serological testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected IgM and IgG antibodies to HSV.
Comment.
Over a period of 20 years, our patient suffered from recurrent episodes of acneiform lesions on
the face clinically resembling acne excoriee. Herpesvirus folliculitis and syringitis was diagnosed only by histopathologic examination. The diagnosis of HSV infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of HSV DNA, by detection of HSV-specific
antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and by the positive response to antiviral therapy with valacyclovir.
In herpesvirus infection of the skin, the histopathologic changes are often limited to the epidermis. Remarkably, the involvement of the follicular epithelia (herpetic folliculitis) and the sebaceous and eccrine structures (herpetic syringitis) is only rarely reported in the literature.
In conclusion, herpetic folliculitis and syringitis should be considered relevant differential diagnoses
in patients with acneiform lesions that fail to respond to conventional acne treatment."
I get these stretchy white plugs all the time!! I have tried acne meds, facial cleansers, all different kinds of creams and ointments, heat, ice, scrubs, wax, even weird random things. I pull them out with surgical tweezers, and they are hard to grab but until I get the plug out it feels like a shard of glass under my skin. If I don't get it out It basically stays an open sore until that plug comes out... or if you let it run it's life cycle it dies in about 2 or 3 weeks, then the wound will finally heal. Sometimes these things are huge! I have done so much research on everything to do with any symptoms of this stretchy white plug phenomenon. The personal conclusion that I have come to is that it is Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. They are face mites and very much alive. I knew it had to be something alive because when I try to pluck the damn things out, they can be sticking way far out and then when they touch the tweezers they go deeper into the skin where I can't get to them. If it was a gland or a build up of something it would just stay put, but these freaking things run from tweezers! I have read about these before but dismissed it because of the word "microscopic" and I figured it was something totally different. But nope... Smh. The ones we can pull out are adults, and we can see them. I hate these things with a passion. Supposedly we are supposed to be living in harmony with these things and they don't bother us. UNLESS you get an infestation... Then they get out of control and are everywhere, out mating at night, laying eggs in your pores, and having family bbqs and all you can eat buffets all over your face. (and sometimes your neck, chest, back, shoulders, lips and other spots on your body). I have been living with this bs for years and years and thought it was normal and that there was just nothing I could do about it. I read that tea tree oil will kill them and I ordered some online but until that comes in I won't know. What I did do after coming to this conclusion last week was get metronidazole gel (the kind of gel you use for bacterial infections in the vagina...eww but yeah) You can get it at the store. I washed my face and then I put it all over my face and let it dry. Then I used my nails and kind of scratched down my face and rubbed my face like when you exfoliate. These things started coming out of my face! It was really really weird. I think only the ones close to the surface were coming out and not the full grown adults that are deeper in, but hey you gotta start somewhere. I have always had tons of these little bumps under my eyes and on my upper chin right under my lip. I thought it was just something that happens with your skin that everyone has... Apparently not because when I scratched with my nails all the little bumps were coming out! Honestly my skin has never been softer in my entire life and the scaley bumps under my eyes are gone... I thought I was dreaming. BUT now my face broke out because I think this gel pissed off the adults and they all started coming to the surface and my face is pretty sore. It's healing but time will tell I guess. I think it's worth a sore face to get rid of alot of those annoying things at least to bring the population down to an average status. I'm not sure that this gel is reaching the adults, but I'm going to keep using it until the tea tree oil comes in and I can see what happens with that. I just want beautiful skin... and now I'm FINALLY heading that way after all these years and to be honest I'm pretty pumped.
Model Citizen, I have had exactly the same issues as you. I have read all the other experiences and have exhibited some of the symptoms described. I have now confirmed to myself that I have a Demodex infestation. Due to this infestation it may be possible that I am also suffering from additional skin issues, but i'm concentrating on the Demodex and hope anything else will get better. I want to thank everybody on here for sharing their problems, it was through your descriptions of symptoms, issues with medical advice and prescribed treatments that either didn't or only partially worked. About 6 months ago i noticed the white bumps that would not squeeze out on my nose initially. After extracting the long white plugs over around a week, i had dug a hole so deep on my nose i thought i was almost through to the nasal passage! My doctor diagnosed adult acne and an infection due to picking. I was given antibiotic gel. At this stage i was aware of the myriad of skin issues and was not convinced by the diagnosis, especially as the lesions i was generating by extracting the white plugs were now all over my face. I was using about 6 different creams, fungal, antibiotic, acne, antiseptic, light face cream i dosed with tea tree and 100% tea tree oil. i was also using tea tree shampoo and face wash. My normal daily routine/life went out the window as i was spending on average 6hrs a day picking!!!! Worse of all my regime wasn't having a significant effect on my problem, things were getting worse in fact. Further research on the net took me to a site, National Rosacea Society that covered Demodex backed up with with scientific evidence, so now i was 100% convinced that this was my problem. The inspection glass i had been using to inspect the white plugs was not strong enough to define the mites and even in my mind, i didn,t want it to be true, the though of these hideous creatures burrowing into my face and infesting my life was abhorrent and i knew if i went again to my doctor with inconclusive evidence, i would be dismissed with the same diagnosis and probably labelled in the doctors mind as a neurotic! In the last week or so i had noticed some small clear blisters just inside my nasal passage which i put down to a cold sore as i was by now very stressed and run down, i then developed a full blown cold sore on my lip. so you can imagine my state of mind and well being....open sores and scabs on my nose and chin and a large cold sore covering almost half of my bottom lip! It couldn,t go on! I bought a cheap microscope from the net, that connected direct to my laptop. It arrived about 3 days later and i had to spend almost all night getting the thing to connect to my laptop. Eventually it worked! I set up a sort of laboratory in my kitchen next to the sink, took a deep breath and started picking and collecting samples, transferring them from my tweezers onto a small round magnifying mirror. Anybody else who has done this will know that they stick like glue to the tweezers and i had to poke and spear them with a pin to get them off. When i saw in full screen colour what i had collected i was physically sick! It took me some time to recover, i sort of 'switched off' The microscope allowed me to take pictures, however after having left them for some time, they had dried up into vague shapes and i also though i had damaged them during the transfer. Something reminded me of a Chinese doctor i watched on youtube collecting Demodex from eyelashes and dropping them into alcohol. So i cleaned the mirror of my now 'crispy' collection and poured some vodka onto it and started again. this time, as soon as i dipped the tweezers in the vodka, they dropped off instantly and there on the screen was the squirming shape of the mites. I was sick again!!! I could clearly see now that i was not pulling out one mite, but numerous mites all attached to 'something' including eggs from one white dot. This meant there were 100's possibly thousands of them on my face and body! T then put the microscope directly onto my face and was horrified at what i saw, they were even squirming about in my cold sore. I made an emergency appointment at the doctors and armed with my lap top containing all the pictures i took, saw a doctor. Not my normal doctor, but when she saw the pictures and asked incredulously if they were from my skin, she believed me. She had never heard of Demodex and did a quick bit of research. She prescribed Permethrin 5% cream and advised to follow the instructions for 'scabies' as she didn't know what else to do, but was going to research the issue herself. I also purchased ready made tea tree cream from the Pharmacy. At this point I had now been awake for 24hrs! and it was only 11am, i felt like a zombie on autopilot. I decided not to apply the prescribed cream until i had totally decontaminated my bedroom, including throwing out my matress, but i did apply the tea tree cream to my face to sooth the sores and tightening scabs. As i started to clear and disinfect my kitchen lab, i had a strange sensation on my face, looking in the magnifying mirror i could see the mites dropping off like dandruff!!!!! I'm currently sleeping on my sofa waiting for my new mattress to arrive, ive used the prescription cream, i shower every day in tea tree products and wash my bedding every day. I'm not totally cured yet....day 3, but the dropping off sensations have reduced dramatically. My conclusions are, only a correct dilution of tea tree products will work, too strong makes it worse, not strong enough has little effect on my level of infestation. so i am researching what concentration works best and i intend to make my own products by dosing with 100% tea tree oil. Including a spray for my bedding and around the house just in case. I hope this helps some of you, as your experiences have helped me. Apologies for the length of my comment.
@Frustratedandfe...
I Have the sane problem. I'm in ontario so cal.if you send a lot of time outside or have a large garden it can be cunning from thee trees. I knife in kansas they are oak mites. No cure. And they may be causing lyken an immune defficiency thats could possibly be triggered from allergies to the mite bited and which is why your skin won't heal. Try hair skin and nail vitamins Taking allergy pills likeallegra and claritin help with the itch and inflammation. These things are said to die after some time but they travel in tree wind and I noticed my park down the st has them now. You will notice that certain furniture outside on your pourch makes u itchy if you sot on it and if your trees are dying then it's just a matter of time before your caught n a shower and your covered from head to toe. These things are like scabies if you are allergic to them. They are common around summer thru fall yo winter. I have done my research and doctors keep calling me crazy but I work with animals and I have been bitten by many things. I am also allergic to certain bites. Stay inside. Pit you're clothes and linen in the dryer on high Clorox bleach wipe ur home. After the season is over I suggest a steroid shot. I have gotten the scabies shot and I have takes a series and after each the symptoms went away and my wounds began to heal. Stay hydrated. Also doses of vinager morning and night kill expel and ward them off. My dog has them and everyone that I live with has them but due to my allergies and my hypo allergenic dog, our symptoms are more severe. You may notice gnats around your home and stray animals. Get rid of them. You're doing everything right when the body is in lack of something it will tell the mind what you need and naturally you will self medicate.
Hot showers wash and weinse from head to toe don't forget the toe and the tea tree works too it doesn't always kill them but it makes them run away. Don't re use towels and dry with 2 separate towels also don't scrub too hard and elongate your shower by about 15 minutes to open your pores because they burry in your skin.dont scratch because they dig deeper and eventually will lay eggs. Only the females travel and they dig into whatever they land on.
@Frustratedandfe...
I Have the sane problem. I'm in ontario so cal.if you send a lot of time outside or have a large garden it can be cunning from thee trees. I knife in kansas they are oak mites. No cure. And they may be causing lyken an immune defficiency thats could possibly be triggered from allergies to the mite bited and which is why your skin won't heal. Try hair skin and nail vitamins Taking allergy pills likeallegra and claritin help with the itch and inflammation. These things are said to die after some time but they travel in tree wind and I noticed my park down the st has them now. You will notice that certain furniture outside on your pourch makes u itchy if you sot on it and if your trees are dying then it's just a matter of time before your caught n a shower and your covered from head to toe. These things are like scabies if you are allergic to them. They are common around summer thru fall yo winter. I have done my research and doctors keep calling me crazy but I work with animals and I have been bitten by many things. I am also allergic to certain bites. Stay inside. Pit you're clothes and linen in the dryer on high Clorox bleach wipe ur home. After the season is over I suggest a steroid shot. I have gotten the scabies shot and I have takes a series and after each the symptoms went away and my wounds began to heal. Stay hydrated. Also doses of vinager morning and night kill expel and ward them off. My dog has them and everyone that I live with has them but due to my allergies and my hypo allergenic dog, our symptoms are more severe. You may notice gnats around your home and stray animals. Get rid of them. You're doing everything right when the body is in lack of something it will tell the mind what you need and naturally you will self medicate.
Hot showers wash and weinse from head to toe don't forget the toe and the tea tree works too it doesn't always kill them but it makes them run away. Don't re use towels and dry with 2 separate towels also don't scrub too hard and elongate your shower by about 15 minutes to open your pores because they burry in your skin.dont scratch because they dig deeper and eventually will lay eggs. Only the females travel and they dig into whatever they land on.
Finally figured out how to kill those plugs.seems to be working for me. I was treated by a doctor for bacterial to no avail. It is a fungus and after trying everything under the sun i took and sprayed hydrogen peroxide on them every 5 mins. For about 20 min.First time I ripped the scabs off and sprayed them ,stung like hell.I let it dry on there and didn't wash it off till the next day.i could see them alot better to pull them out.2nd day i pulled off one scab to see if any were under there .To my supprise NONE. They finally started to heal after a year of trying everything.I noticed a big difference .I spray with the scab on but it sofetens it up, so I daub it with toilet paper.They say peroxide kills healthy cells too but who cares IT WORKS. No more picking for me. Let me know how you make out.I m on day 2 but couldn't wait to share the news.I leave them uncovered for the air to dry them up.Just keep repeating what I said till their gone. Good Luck
Hey Bikerchick,
You are awesome. Can you send me some of the pics you took? My email is elizabethcarmella@yahoo.com
FOR EVERYONE WITH THESE WORMS IN YOUR SKIN
You are NOT crazy! Many doctors dismiss what we have and call us things like "DELUSIONAL", "STRESSED OUT", "PARANOID", "HALLUCINATING", "HYPOCONDRIACS", "PICKERS", "TIRED", "OVERREACTING", saying that we have....."MORGELLONS SYNOROME", "ALLERGIES", "INFLAMMATION FROM PICKING", "MENTAL PROBLEMS", "ACTIVE IMAGINATIONS", "TOO MUCH GOING ON".....and that we need to ...."SEE A PSYCHIATRIST", "RELAX MORE", "STOP PICKING", "GET A MENTAL EVALUATION"
This is all a big steamy pile of BS!!!! We are made to feel like we are crazy and seeing things. Doctors who are supposed to take care of us and heal us are making us doubt our own sanity. Making us rethink our whole lives, wondering if we have always been crazy, or is this something new? Making us feel like we are stupid. Making us feel inadequate at life, at our jobs, at being a parent, at being in a relationship. I don't know about you but this lack of respect is ruining my life. We should NOT be made to feel like this. We don't need to put up with this.
To anyone that has this....YOU ARE NOT CRAZY
Show this article to your doctors. It is from the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of INFECTIOUS DISEASES
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S120197121201315X
Model Citizen, thank you and no problem. I will also say at this time that I don't think I have totally cured the problem yet. Things were healing slowly but surely then started to get worse again and using just my magnifier I spotted the wee bastards!! I'm guessing they were either buried deep or newly hatched. I'm keeping up a strict programme of showering daily in tea tree everything, adding 10 drops of oil to my washing machine, adding couple of drops to toothbrush, replaced my bedroom carpet with Vinyl, mist bedroom and living room with a tee tree solution etc etc. I cleanse my face with a tea tree cleanser, wipe the 2 sores on my face around 3 times a day with a flat cotton bud soaked in Manunika oil to pull out any enlarged gland sebum, then dap with pure tea tree oil and finally moisturise with light tea tree face cream. It's a battle! I think I probably have a hormone imbalance due to my age, planning a visit to the doc. and see if a low dose birth control pill will help. Good luck everyone and stick with it and keep the updates and results coming.
Model Citizen, thank you and no problem. I will also say at this time that I don't think I have totally cured the problem yet. Things were healing slowly but surely then started to get worse again and using just my magnifier I spotted the wee bastards!! I'm guessing they were either buried deep or newly hatched. I'm keeping up a strict programme of showering daily in tea tree everything, adding 10 drops of oil to my washing machine, adding couple of drops to toothbrush, replaced my bedroom carpet with Vinyl, mist bedroom and living room with a tee tree solution etc etc. I cleanse my face with a tea tree cleanser, wipe the 2 sores on my face around 3 times a day with a flat cotton bud soaked in Manunika oil to pull out any enlarged gland sebum, then dap with pure tea tree oil and finally moisturise with light tea tree face cream. It's a battle! I think I probably have a hormone imbalance due to my age, planning a visit to the doc. and see if a low dose birth control pill will help. Good luck everyone and stick with it and keep the updates and results coming.
I discovered that these white stretchy plugs were hair follicles, so I have a cross between dermatillomania and trichotiilomania. They are meant to be in my body but I pull them out as it brings stress relief.
Plug puller, how did you find that out? The demodex 'white plugs' pulled away from the tweezers. I have 2 types left, ones that pull out easily with the tweezers and under the microscope I'm guessing are sebum plugs, the others are hard at the top, like trying to pick up a glass marble with chop sticks! They are well rooted and almost always break when trying to pull them out. I do not know what these are.
When I did the tea tree oil stuff (shampoo, body soap, 100% tea tree oil, and tea tree toothpaste) my face became so dry and scaly and never cured the problem. When I was diagnosed with "demodex" I was actually diagnosed with the technical term "papulopustular rosacea." I went back and asked "so this is demodex" and he said "yes." It was really that simple to be diagnosed. Getting to a dermatologist (without avoiding a waitlist) is a whole other story :S. There are 2 types of demodex and they bury their heads inside your hair follicles and pores and they eat sebum and (for lack of an anus, yes anus) they poop our sebum and cause a big sore that doesn't go away until they are basically dried out or extracted. Under the scab there is tiny little white plugs. There can be one (bigger) or multiple (smaller ones). Most of the time there are multiple. I dealt with this for so long and my cure was accutane. It is truly a God send and since I tried everything; I am telling you that it's probably the only thing that actually works long term. Good luck to you all!
GillCo thank you very much for the info. To now I haven't had any issues with tea tree oil, but I still have my problem. You mention the white plugs under the scab, I have many of these, however you haven't said what these are, or have I just not understood. Can you explain please. Many thanks.
The two types of demodex living on humans are called Demodex folliculorum (live inside hair follicles)and Demodex brevis (live in sabaceous glands).
I want to first explain, everyone has demodex living on their skin. For people who grow an infestation, their immune system has probably been low for any number of reasons. I had serious gallbladder and digestive issues and have now had my gallbladder removed. I'm not sure if this is why, but I feel it could be a likely cause.
Next, in order to give yourself a correct diagnoses, think about the life cycle of the demodex. I clearly noticed these breakouts seemed hormonal (to others) as they would come and go "monthly" and would be clearing up--when all of a sudden, a new breakout would occur (also cystic and painful in more areas than just around the chin ie. back of neck). They would appear during ovulation and not from PMS (which would happen a week or so before or during menstruation) so it definitely seemed like something other than hormones. Shaving my legs and bikini zone was a nightmare (itchy and red, ingrown).
When comparing this to the life cycle of demodex--they lay eggs which hatch in 3-4 days and live about 14 days after that. Therefore, 17-20 days later, your face will begin this vicious breakout cycle again; looking at its worst when they die.
The only thing different between you and the person next to you, is that your immune system is weaker and thus, has become infested with the same mites you both share every day with everybody.
From a technical standpoint:
Demodex mite is an obligatory human ecto-parasite, and it is resident in or near the pilo-sebaceous units.[3] About 65 species of Demodex are known. Two species D. folliculorum and Demodex brevis, collectively referred to as Demodex, are typically found on humans, occurring in 10% of skin biopsies and 12% of follicles[4,5] [Figure 1]. Identification of these mites dates back to 1841-42 for D. folliculorumby Simon and 1963 for D. brevis by Akbulatova.[4,6,7]
...Demodex is an ecto-parasite of pilo-sebaceous follicle and sebaceous gland, typically found on the face including cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, temples, eye lashes, brows, and also on the balding scalp, neck, ears.[4,5] Other seborrheic regions such as naso-labial folds, peri-orbital areas, and less commonly upper and medial region of chest and back are also infested.[2] They may also be found on penis, mons veneris, buttocks, and in the ectopic sebaceous glands in the buccal mucosa.[2]
D. folliculorum is more commonly localized to the face, while D. brevisis more commonly found on the neck and chest.[9] Infestation with D. folliculorum is more common than with D. brevis, but the later has wider distribution on the body.[4] D. folliculorum is usually found in the upper canal of the pilo-sebaceous unit at a density of ≤ 5/sq cm[4] and uses skin cells and sebum for nourishment.[3,10] Several mites, with heads directed toward the fundus, usually occupy a single follicle.[4,11] D. brevis, on the other hand, burrows deeper into the sebaceous glands and ducts and feeds on gland cells.[5] Penetration of Demodex into the dermis or, more commonly, an increase in the number of mites in the pilo-sebaceous unit of > 5/sq cm,[4] is believed to cause infestation, which triggers inflammation.[10,12] Some authors consider the density of > 5 mites per follicle as a pathogenic criterion.[10,13]
Life cycle
Female Demodex are somewhat shorter and rounder than males. Both male and female Demodexmites have a genital opening and fertilization is internal. Mating takes place in the follicle opening and eggs are laid inside the hair follicles or sebaceous glands. The six-legged larvae hatch after 3-4 days, and the larvae develop into adults in about 7 days. It has a 14-day life cycle[6] [Figure 2]. The total lifespan of a Demodex mite is several weeks. The dead mites decompose inside the hair follicles or sebaceous glands.
Age/sex consideration of infestation
The number of Demodex mites present in the lesion increases with age.[9] The prevalence of infestation with Demodex mites is highest in the 20-30 years age group, when the sebum secretion rate is at its highest.[14] Older people are also more likely to carry the mites.[15] Demodicosis is exceptionally seen in children aged <5 years.[16,17] Presumably, Demodex passes to newborns through close physical contact after birth; however, due to low sebum production, infants and children lack significant Demodexcolonization.[5]"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3884930/
White patches and stretchy plugs are occurred because of Vitiligo. So you should take care about these. All these types of skin problems are completely curable now. You can select Ayurveda treatment, that giving the complete cure for the problems like Vitiligo, Eczema, Psoriasis, Acne, and itching.