Are Demodex Mites Contagious? 🧐

Often, one of the first questions we get asked is, are Demodex mites contagious in humans? In short, yes they are. They are transferred through either physical contact or the sharing of personal care items such as hairbrushes, bedding, towels, etc. so it’s very common for people who live together to share these uninvited guests.

-Mite populations flourish when your immune system is down.

-Although Demodex mites are contagious, they do prefer a weakened immune system to really make themselves at home and breed.

-In fact, the majority of mildly infested people show little to no signs of mites at all! This is one reason why many partners who regularly sleep with their mates may not have matching symptoms of infestation in the form of hair or skin problems.

-So why is it that those exposed to mites and living under the same environmental conditions can react so differently? This may be due to a healthier immune system, which means population density stays low, and another reason these terrifying little parasites manage to stay under our radar relatively unknown.