I’m a dermatologist and there’s an 8-legged creature that LIVES on your face – 12 signs you’re affected

THE idea of eight-legged creatures living on our face might sound like something from a horror film.

But the microscopic critters, known as demodex mites, are very much real and are crawling all over you as you read this.

During a video posted to Tiktok, Dr Scott Walter, a dermatologist from Colorado, US, sheds some light on the mites – and why they might not be as scary as they might first seem.

“These mites are actually distantly related to ticks and spiders,” he said.

But unlike their bug friends, demodex live in our pores on the face, eat off the sebum we produce and mate while you’re asleep.

But they don’t stop there.

After having their wicked way with one another, the creepy crawlies burrow back into your pores to lay their eggs – paving the way for the next generation of bugs.

As grim as it sounds, and while it might send a shiver down your spine, the good news is the mites are relatively harmless.

The only people who might have issues with the bugs, are those have more than their fair share living on their face.

“This can contribute to rosacea and a skin condition called demodex folliculitis,” Dr Scott said.

Demodex folliculitis occurs when the face mites multiply out of control.

This usually occurs because your immune system isn’t functioning well.

What are the 12 symptoms of demodex folliculitis?

The symptoms of demodicosis appear very suddenly, seemingly overnight.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, you may experience any of the following:

1. Burning sensation
2. Itchiness
3. Pustules that look like whiteheads
4. Redness
5. Rough feeling on your skin, like sandpaper
6. Scales, perhaps resembling eczema
7. Sensitive skin
8. White sheen on your skin or eyelashes
9. Decreased vision
10. Eye irritation and itchiness
11. Loss of lashes
12. Thickened or scaly eyelids

Treatment involves cleaning the face regularly and using various medications to kill the mites.