In the article, we consider the symptoms and treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face. What is it all about? What are the reasons for this? The subcutaneous tick (acne) is a microscopic parasite whose body length is on average less than 0.5 mm. The body is translucent and has an elongated shape. It belongs to the type of tick-saprophytes, which can live on the skin and at the same time cause absolutely no consequences. It is believed that the passive existence of a tick on the skin is even beneficial, its complete destruction can harm the natural balance of the skin. Thus, it is a parasite of opportunistic nature. Treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face is described below.
Demodecosis
In medicine, it is not customary to attribute the presence in the body of this tick to diseases as such. Carriage of a subcutaneous tick is a type of norm. The danger is not the tick itself, but the fact that when certain conditions favorable for the tick and unfavorable for humans are created, the parasite actively multiplies. The products of his life negatively affect the condition of the skin. Inflammation of the skin caused by activation of a subcutaneous tick is called demodecosis.
The tick is particularly active at night, as it has photophobic properties.
The place of active dislocation of this parasite is the front part: sebaceous glands, hair follicles, chin area, but the localization of the tick in the cervical part, cheeks and on the folds of the nose is of particular concern.
The tick feeds on sebum and dead epidermal cells.
Outwardly, the symptoms of tick-borne skin lesions are similar to acne, which is why the methods of dealing with cosmetic imperfections in such cases are ineffective.
Symptoms and treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face (photo below) are interrelated.
The source and causes of the disease
Infection affects people of all ages, with the exception of newborns.
The latent existence is the norm: if the human immune system is working properly, then the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In the case of a decrease in immunity due to a variety of reasons, the tick begins to penetrate into the deeper layers of the epidermis, as a result of which the inflammatory process starts.
Female representatives, persons with fair skin are especially susceptible to the disease.
Also, increased reproduction of the tick is often caused by such internal factors as:
- Endocrine diseases and malfunctions of the endocrine system.
- Psychoemotional causes: stress and nervous tension.
- The abuse of cosmetics, as well as the use of low-quality cosmetics with harmful components, allergic reactions to cosmetics.
- Violations of the digestive tract.
- Improper diet, abuse of alcohol, fatty and heavy foods.
- The abuse of tea, coffee, carbonated drinks.
- Abuse of insolation. Especially harmful is prolonged exposure to the sun for people with pale and delicate skin.
- Excessive hobby for a bath and a sauna. The prophylactic cleansing effect of the bath and sauna when taken too often and for a long time leads to injury and an increase in the sensitivity and vulnerability of the skin.
What are the symptoms and treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face?
Symptoms of Demodicosis
The most common symptoms are:
- With the onset of active reproduction of the tick, oily skin noticeably increases, pore enlargement is noted. The skin acquires a greasy shine, its increased moisture is noted. The appearance of a rash, small sores, acne.
- Reddish spots appear on the face.
- Marked pronounced tuberosity of the skin is noted, the skin takes on a clearly unhealthy appearance.
- As we noted above, areas of skin on the face, and especially the nose, suffer. Externally, the nose may look even enlarged, swollen.
- Itching, aggravated in the dark due to the daily activity of the tick noted above.
- As a result of the appearance of scaly formations on the eyelashes, sticking, thinning and even plentiful loss of them are observed.
- The most complicated cases of demodicosis are accompanied by the formation of cortical deposits, which can even bleed and fester.
The causes and treatment of subcutaneous mites on the face are of interest to many.
Diagnostic methods
Diagnostic methods involve an initial visual examination followed by laboratory confirmation.
If the skin scrapes off at the lesion sites, this is sufficient evidence to suggest a demodecosis lesion.
For laboratory diagnosis, scraping is taken from the skin. An important condition for the accuracy of laboratory diagnostics is that a day before taking a scraping, it is not recommended to wash.
Also, the peculiarity of the disease is such that treatment is prescribed 10 days after confirmation of the diagnosis by a laboratory method.
Treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face
Depending on the degree of damage and the stage of the disease, the method of treatment may vary. Therapy can be local in scope, as well as system-wide.
May be assigned:
- Antiparasitic preparations in the form of ointments for topical use. Their goal is antiparasitic action in places of localization of tick activity. However, if the problem is of a system-wide nature, this will only temporarily eliminate unpleasant symptoms, but the root of the problem will remain unresolved.
- Restorative drugs aimed at restoring the intestinal flora and activating the enzymatic function of the digestive tract.
- Vasoconstrictors. The active activity of the subcutaneous tick weakens the surrounding vessels. In order to strengthen and restore the vascular system of the facial region, this type of remedy is prescribed.
- In some cases, they may resort to the appointment of antibiotics, immunomodulatory drugs and hormonal drugs.
What drugs treat the subcutaneous tick on the face?
Drug Examples
We list some drugs that are used when this disease occurs:
- Metronidazole (Trichopolum, Doxycycline). It has antiprotozoal activity, has an antiparasitic spectrum of action. Available in the form of tablets and gel.
- "Benzyl benzoate." The drug is anti-scabbing, aimed at the destruction of protozoan parasites, including demodex (subcutaneous tick).
- Ointment "Yam". Salicylic and carbolic acid ointment. It also includes birch tar, lanolin and petroleum jelly. Due to the complex effect, the ointment has an antiparasitic effect, as well as a softening effect on keratinized skin areas, thereby activating the process of regeneration of the epidermal layer. Often, treatment of a subcutaneous tick in a person's face is a long process.
- Cream "Spregal". The antiparasitic effect of the drug is due to the presence of an active substance - sulfur, the drug must be used with extreme caution in order to avoid chemical burns to the skin.
- "Demodex Complex". A number of forms of modern complex preparations of different spectrum of action. They include natural extracts that have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. It combines the properties of antiparasitic value, aimed at destroying the activity of the subcutaneous tick, as well as at eliminating cosmetic skin defects associated with an active inflammatory process. Although the drug is indicated for use at home, but its use should occur under the supervision of a physician. The disadvantage of this drug is its high cost and, therefore, inaccessibility to some patients.
Non-medication
If possible, the patient has a complementary procedure: cryotherapy.
Three forms of cryotherapeutic approach exist and are practiced:
- cryomassage;
- cryo-peeling;
- cryodermabrasion.
Cryotherapy is aimed at restoring the protective functions of the skin, which are lost during the inflammatory process. Thus, its own protective functions, local immunity, are activated, which allow the skin itself to fight the harmful effects of a subcutaneous tick. In cryotherapy, sulfur-containing preparations are also used.
This procedure is recommended for the treatment of demodicosis. But it is considered conditional, because it gives only a pleasant coolness on the face and relieving itching. This will be effective if you want to quickly get rid of burning on the skin. But it is impossible to kill ticks with liquid nitrogen, it simply provides for their freezing for a short time. Cryomassage is used for cosmetic purposes.
Consider the treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face with alternative methods.
Folk remedies
Quite bold and, most interestingly, far from the most inefficient approach. Traditional medicine in general has recently become increasingly important. And already in questions of solving aesthetic problems with the skin and acne manifestations, a lot of folk methods have been used for centuries. We list briefly the most popular.
Clay and herbs
To prepare the therapeutic mixture, blue (white) clay and a decoction from the collection of herbs are used: celandine, chamomile, calendula and nettle.
Follow the instructions for preparing the decoction on the packaging, then mix it with clay. The resulting mixture is applied evenly to the skin and kept until completely dry. Then rinse with warm water. You can wipe the skin with the remaining broth. The important thing is not to overdo it, because this method dries the skin too much. It is better to repeat the procedure every other day, rather than daily.
What other means do subcutaneous ticks treat on the face?
Special tinctures
They are designed to wipe the skin, help fight excessive oiliness of the skin, cleanse pores, and have anti-inflammatory effects. These include:
- tincture of calendula;
- wormwood infusion;
- decoction from the root of elecampane.
Pharmacies offer both ready-made forms of these funds, and dry forms, which are accompanied by instructions for cooking at home. Naturally, you can completely prepare these solutions yourself.
Alternative treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face is very effective.
Kerosene treatment
Despite the abundance of medicinal methods for treating skin problems, some still have not refused to use this miracle remedy from the "grandmother's" arsenal.
Kerosene is heated to 36-37 degrees (body temperature) and lubricate areas affected by the inflammatory process. Then, kerosene is left on the surface for a day. The action of kerosene is such that under the oily layer there is no oxygen supply, which is necessary for the tick to ensure its own vital activity. Tick has nothing to breathe, and he goes outside. After a day, it is necessary to wipe the skin with tincture of wormwood, which neutralizes all parasites that have come to the surface.
Treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face (pictured) is not limited to this.
Tar soap
It has a powerful antiparasitic and antibacterial skin value. It is not for nothing that tar is a part of pharmaceuticals that are used to combat demodicosis. As a preventative measure, they can just wash themselves. The soap is grated and mixed with vegetable oil. Then the resulting mixture was diluted with a small amount of water and allowed to melt in a water bath. For greater effectiveness, Metronidazole tablets are added to the mixture, then applied to the inflamed areas of the skin for 15-20 minutes. After this, it is desirable to fix the effect by wiping the skin with any of the above herbal infusions.
Treatment of a subcutaneous tick on the face with folk remedies should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.
Preventative measures
As they say, any disease is easier to prevent than to cure.
Preventive measures are based on the following factors:
- Proper skin care. We noted above that maintaining the skin's natural health is the most reliable method of self-defense.
- Any disease or inflammatory process must be treated immediately, preventing the transition to a neglected state. Do not rely on "maybe it will pass by itself."
- Proper nutrition and the maintenance of the normal functioning of the digestive tract is an important factor in preventing a decrease in the protective functions of the skin.
- Compliance with household hygiene measures. Since the disease is transmitted by contact-household means, the key points of personal hygiene are of great importance.
If, despite a complex of effective measures to combat the inflammatory process, the disease has a recurrent nature, a comprehensive examination and consultation of an immunologist may be required.
Reviews on the treatment of subcutaneous tick on the face
According to reviews, the effectiveness of treatment depends on the timeliness of contacting a doctor. It will not be possible to get rid of the disease independently. For a quick result, drug therapy should be combined with folk remedies.