Mites are parasitic insects that can live on an individual, which invades the body and sucks the blood of the infected individual. With a body length of approximately 2.3-3-3.6 mm, mites can live on clothing and household furniture (especially bed sheets belonging to individuals infected with the mites) and will only move to the human body as a new host when they are adults. and begin to enter the phase of the need to eat. Due to this nature, mites are rarely detected on the surface of the skin, so sufferers are confused about the cause of the skin irritation they are experiencing.
Step
Method 1 of 1: Detecting Mites
Step 1. Know the common symptoms of a mite infestation
When mites on our skin eat, our skin will experience an allergic reaction. These reactions, among others, appear in the form of:
- intense itching,
- rashes on the skin, especially in the armpits and waist line,
- red dots or spots on the skin,
- thickened or darkened skin.
Step 2. Examine your skin for signs of irritation
Irritation of the skin can be caused by biting or by repeated scratching, and both are indications of the presence of mites. Repeated scratching can also cause skin blisters and can lead to a bacterial or fungal infection.
Make sure that you also check the waistline area, upper thighs, and especially the curves of the thighs
Step 3. Check for mites on the skin
Sometimes mites can be seen while sucking blood on human skin. Although this is not uncommon, it never hurts to check for mites on your waistline, upper thighs, and armpit area. All mites have approximately the same size, shape, and body color, which is about the size of a poppy seed.
- Observe the area of skin that is irritated.
- Look for areas of skin that are dark in color or have “calluses”/thickening.
- A magnifying glass can help, but is not absolutely necessary.
Step 4.
Turn your garment over so the inside is outside.
Mites usually live in the seams of clothing. Mites will attack human skin only after the eggs hatch and the mites become adults.
Although rare, mites can incubate their eggs on the human body
Check the seams of your clothes. Adult mites cannot live more than five to seven days after leaving their host. Therefore, it is easier to find mite eggs than the mites themselves on your clothes.
- Mite eggs are oval and yellow or white in color.
- Mite eggs on human clothing are usually found on the waistline and armpit area.
- Mite eggs will hatch within one to two weeks.
Getting Rid of Mites
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Maintain personal hygiene. Most cases of mite infestation can be overcome if the body has been cleaned of mite eggs or mites. Unlike hair or pubic lice, mites on your skin only attack the skin when it needs to eat and are not always visible on the skin.
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 6 Mite eggs rarely nest on the body
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See a doctor. Your doctor can prescribe you over-the-counter creams and body washes that help reduce skin irritation or allergic reactions that may be caused by mites biting your skin (or by excessive scratching).
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 7 -
Use a pediculicide. In extreme cases of mite infestation, the doctor will recommend the use of pediculicide. The well-known brands of pediculicide that are sold freely in stores are, for example, “Clear”, “Rid”, and “Nix”. Pediculicide is designed to kill mites in the following ways:
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 8 - Ovicidal pediculicide kills mite eggs and only needs to be used a few times.
- Non-ovicidal pediculicide kills adult mites, but does not kill their eggs. Therefore, it is recommended that non-ovicidal pediculicide be used regularly, to prevent the mite infestation from happening again (because the eggs hatch).
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Clean your personal belongings from mites. Make sure that you wash all clothes, sheets, and towels in 55 degrees Celsius water. This temperature will kill the mites and their eggs.
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 9 -
Dry the clothes in the dryer on a high temperature. Unfortunately, the dryer cannot be used for all types of clothes. To avoid the risk of mite infestation returning, consider removing clothing that cannot be cleaned of mites.
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 10 -
Wrap the clothes you don't want to throw in a plastic bag. Let the mite-infested clothes remain in the garbage bag for five to seven days, then wash them again separately.
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 11 -
Clean upholstery, mattresses, and carpets with a vacuum cleaner. Cleaning with a vacuum cleaner will remove mites or their eggs that may have lodged in the seams and tears in various corners of household furniture. Mite eggs can nest for as long as two weeks so it is very important to remove or clean them before they hatch and the mites can move to other areas.
Recognize Body Lice Symptoms Step 12
Tips
- Maintaining personal hygiene and changing clothes regularly to help deal with body problems caused by mite infestations.
- Mite infestations are usually transmitted through close physical contact, but this only occurs in places with low levels of hygiene (eg tents in refugee camps, shelters for the homeless, etc.). Cats, dogs, and other pets do not transmit mites.
- The use of chemical insecticides, such as spraying or fumigation, is sometimes necessary to prevent and control the spread of disease caused by mites (i.e. typhoid outbreaks).
Warning
- Mites are known to spread disease. Mite nests must be removed immediately.
- Disease "Vagabond's disease" is a condition caused by the nesting of mites over a long period of time. This condition is characterized by dark, hardened skin in the areas bitten by the mite, usually in the middle of the body.
- Recurring outbreaks of louse-borne fever and typhoid are also caused by mite infestation.
- Frequent scratching can lead to new/further infection problems.
Related article
- Recognizing Head Lice
- Cleaning Lice Eggs from Hair
- Getting Rid of Bedbugs
- Handling Mite Bites
- Getting Rid of Mites
- https://www.healthline.com/health/body-lice#Symptoms3
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- https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/body/gen_info/faqs.html
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- https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/licecon.htm
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https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/licecon.htm
