Dust mites are very small, insect-like pests that feed on dead human skin cells and thrive in warm, humid settings. Dust mites are too small for us to see. They are not parasites that bite, sting or burrow into our bodies.
Most mites are visible to the unaided eye and usually measure 1⁄8 inch or less in length. Their life cycle has four basic stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult (Figure 1). The egg hatches into a larval stage, which molts to the nymphal stage. After 1-2 more times, the nymph matures into an adult.
Though too small to see with the naked eye (only about . 33 millimeters long), dust mites are easily visible through even a cheap microscope. You can pick up an inexpensive microscope from any store that sells toys, a hobby store, or a thrift store and use it to discover whether your home has dust mites.
Allergic reactions typically occur within 15 minutes of exposure to dust mite proteins. Reactions may include skin discoloration (red, gray or white) or raised, round spots called wheals that look like bug bites. Your allergist will measure the size of your wheal and flare (discolored area of skin around the wheal).
But, unlike rodent mites, itch mites and chiggers, skin irritation is rarely caused by exposure to dust mites. Although they may “hitchhike” on clothing, dust mites do not live on people. They feed primarily on dander, flakes of dead skin that fall from people and animals.
Wash bedding regularly
A temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes kills dust mites, according to one study.
You can't see them with your eyes alone. They're related to other eight-legged creepy crawlies that you can see, though, like ticks and spiders. Dust mites are happy to live in any dust in your house, but they especially like warm, humid areas like your mattress and bedding.
These can come from both animals and humans, found in mattresses, carpeted areas, lounging areas and furniture. Numerous dust mites have a short life span of 10-30 days.
You may not know this, but you share your bed with lots of creatures. Every home, no matter how clean, houses dust mites. These tiny insects, about 0.4 millimeters in length, feed on flakes of human skin.
People may mistake skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or contact dermatitis for scabies.
To diagnose scabies, your health care provider looks at your skin for symptoms of mites. Your provider may also take a sample of your skin to look at under a microscope. This allows your provider to see if any mites or eggs are present.
Many drug reactions can mimic the symptoms of scabies and cause a skin rash and itching; the diagnosis of scabies should be confirmed by a skin scraping that includes observing the mite, eggs, or mite feces (scybala) under a microscope.
Dust Mites are one of the major indoor triggers for people with asthma. Ongoing exposure to dust mites at home can impact the health of people with asthma and those who are allergic or sensitive to mites. These allergens can trigger mild to severe allergic symptoms and can be responsible for asthma attacks.
Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter or a special double-thickness bag, which collects dust-mite particles and pollen. Standard paper bag filters may allow the stirred-up allergens to escape back into the room. Dusting and vacuuming stir up dust, making the air worse until the dust settles.
Get a dust mite cover – plastic covers will make certain that someone's mattress is not infested. Use dust mite sprays – There are many different dust mite sprays available that you can spray over your bedding products. These won't be enough to completely eliminate the problem, but they can help.
Joining you in bed are countless dust mites and bacteria, not to mention lots and lots of your own dead skin. Dermatologist Alok Vij, MD, says you should wash your sheets at least every two weeks — maybe more, depending on factors like whether you live in a warm climate and whether your pet sleeps in your bed.
Sheets and towels absorb sweat, dead skin cells, body oils, drool and other body fluids. If they aren't washed frequently, sheets and towels become a breeding ground for dust mites, mold and mildew.
Q: What is the difference between dust and dust mites? A: Dust is made up of many different particles, a variety of which can cause allergies. The dust mite is much smaller and can leave behind more than 100,000 of its waste particles in a gram of dust, making it a main cause of allergy symptoms.
Keep your mattress and pillows in dustproof or allergen-blocking covers. These covers, made of tightly woven fabric, prevent dust mites from colonizing or escaping from the mattress or pillows. Encase box springs in allergen-proof covers. Wash bedding weekly.
Wash the bedding and dust covers with your regular detergent in warm water. To ensure that all of the dust mites have been killed, dry in an automatic dryer at a high temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Dust mite allergies usually cause milder symptoms than hay fever (a pollen allergy) does. But they occur all year round, whereas hay fever is seasonal. The symptoms are typically worse at night and in the morning because dust mites tend to live in mattresses, pillows and bedding.
Sprays and aerosols containing syngergized pyrethrins should kill mites immediately on contact, though the treatment will only remain effective for up to a few hours. Insecticide sprays containing permethrin or bifenthrin are effective against many mites and should retain their killing properties for several weeks.
Common dust mite allergy symptoms include sneezing, coughing, itchy eyes and itchy skin at night with the allergy often associated with asthma or eczema. For sufferers, the one place where they are most susceptible is the bed – as this is a favourite haunt of the dust mite.