While many look forward to the comfort of their beds after a long day, few realize they’re not entirely alone during the night.
These eight-legged mites, though invisible to the naked eye, are present on nearly everyone’s skin, particularly around hair follicles on the face. Feeding on skin oils and dead cells, they emerge from pores after dark, engaging in what researchers describe as lively nocturnal behavior.
“While we are sleeping, they come out and are very happy, mating, visiting relatives, walking on our faces. The moment we wake up, they go back inside the pore,” explained Alejandra Perotti, a professor at the University of Reading in the UK.
Despite sounding unsettling, experts emphasize that these mites are typically harmless — and may even play a helpful role. As CNN reported, demodex mites contribute to cleaning out clogged pores. They are also highly adapted to human skin, equipped with resistance to UV radiation that would otherwise damage their DNA.
In return for their pore-cleaning services, the mites absorb melatonin from the body — a hormone that not only helps regulate human sleep but also fuels the mites’ nightly activity.
However, under certain conditions, these mites can become problematic. Dr. Dan Friederich, a U.S.-based physician known for his online medical advice, highlighted a connection between demodex mites and close contact with household pets.
“There is a common mite called Demodex that we see in the eyelashes that is a parasite. And the minute I see it in someone’s eyes, the first question I ask is, ‘do you sleep with your dog at night?’” Dr. Friederich said in a viral video. He added, “Don’t sleep with your animals if you can help it.”
While their presence might sound alarming, researchers and medical professionals agree: for most people, demodex mites are a normal — and largely beneficial — part of the nighttime routine.
