Newbie - Could this be demodex and if so, how do I get rid?

[Nonono]

Hi!

I am at my wits end regarding facial skin problems and looking for advice and help.

I am 47 and have had skin problems since the age of 12. I will do my best to explain and describe things.

At 12 I took chickenpox very badly with urticaria on top......lovely and was left with a lot of pit and pockmarks over my cheeks, jawline, between eyes etc. Soon after, I developed what I've always assumed to be acne . My face has suffered these symptoms for 35 years now Ok, every pore in my face below forehead area is constantly filled with white dots and threads. I squeeze them and they come out, but fill up again almost immediately, so they never ever clear.

Sometimes it's just the constant blocked pores with white stuff, but now, every few months or so, areas become red, raised, scaly and sore. My pores are also very open and when I get a breakout/flare up, it resembles orange peel. I thought it may be eczema and for a while, managed to get the redness and scaliness under control with borage oil capsules and cream. But during this time, my pores continue to be blocked with white wormy goo Now the borage has lost effectiveness and am back to square one.

Another thing I notice with my skin is black dots appearing from my pores also. Not like blackheads, more like tiny specks of dust .

I am immaculate when it comes to hygiene, never have dirty skin and have a strict cleansing routine with no chemicals or parabens. I have a very healthy diet. After 35 years of suffering a nightmare and trying every cure and remedy out there, I feel this should not be happening to me and because it is, there must be a reason for it.

Through my searches for answers, I found information on demodex.

Could demodex be what has plagued me for so long?
Do the symptoms I have described match with having demodex mites?
Does having mites cause pores to be constantly blocked with white dots, plugs and string and black specks like dust?
Does demodex cause the skin to flare, crust, scale, scab etc, periodically?
If this is the answer, how do I start to cure this..........and can it be cured?

Any advice most welcome as I don't think I can take much more

[Robin]

Hi Nonono, I can't say if what you have is caused by demodex but I too had the tiny white things sticking out of my pores untill i switched to pine tar soap and then they went away (I don't know why) I just recently got my ZZ cream and have been using it for a few days now, walter said that if the skin condition IS caused by mites this cream will fix it. I figure.. after years of skin problems this is the only type of thing I have NOT tried so I figured it can't hurt to try it. I had acne since about 14 and now at 36 I have rosacea.. one thing after another. I also have Very very oily skin and large pores as well and the orange peel texture! I sure hope this stuff works because I to am at my wits end. I wish you (and all of us) the best. I am going to update the thread I started after a few weeks to let people know how it is working for me.

[Nonono]

Wow Robin, did Pine Tar Soap really clear up the white things? I read about that somewhere else a while back and was going to give it a go then started on the oil cleanse method instead. Can't say my white things stick out my pores as such, but when I slightly stretch my skin, I can see them and just have to squeeze I may just try the Pine Tar and see how things go with that

Please keep me posted on the ZZ Cream. I am determined to find out what this problem is and beat it.

Good luck.

[Nonono]

Ooopsy, I meant to ask you Robin, does the pine tar dry your skin out in any way?

[Robin]

No the pine tar soap didn't seem to dry me out at all, and it didn't make me break out either (one thing I am always scared of when trying something new one my face!) i use the grandpas brand pine tar soap, its fairly cheap as well which is also a plus. The smell of it isn't that great but I could care less about that.