Help Me Reclaim My Life — Healing From Demodex (Demodicosis)

For the past two years, I’ve been battling a debilitating and poorly understood medical condition: Demodex overgrowth (Demodicosis). It is a parasitic infestation affecting my skin, eyes, and gut, causing chronic blepharitis, severe skin irritation and flare-ups, internal inflammation, and toxic strain on my liver and kidneys.

Demodex mites live naturally in hair follicles and sebaceous glands, but when they overpopulate, they can completely overwhelm the body, reproducing nightly and triggering relentless symptoms. Overgrowth can be caused by weakened immunity, hormonal imbalances, excess oil production, stress, depression, or underlying health conditions.

Demodex overgrowth is also contagious, meaning it can spread through close contact with others, fabrics, or shared surfaces. This makes daily life extremely isolating, especially as a parent, because I constantly worry about passing it on to my son or others around me.

What many people don’t see is the emotional and psychological devastation this illness brings.

I have become a prisoner in my own skin.

Every day and night, I feel them crawling across my face, eyes, scalp, and body. The itching, biting, and discomfort never stop. Sleep is rare. Relief feels impossible. But as unbearable as the physical symptoms are, they pale in comparison to the emotional weight I carry.

Out of fear of passing this on to others, especially my two-year-old son, I’ve had to isolate myself. I’m afraid to hug him. Afraid to kiss his face. Afraid to simply be his mum. And yet, despite every precaution, I’ve noticed bite marks on his skin after we cuddle. It breaks my heart in ways I can’t put into words. No mother should ever feel like a danger to her own child.

I’ve been carrying this while also battling postnatal depression, feeling completely alone, unheard, and unsupported. No one around me truly understands what I’m living with, or how deeply it has affected every part of my life.

I live in constant fear of infecting others, so I keep my skin fully covered at all times, even at home. I disinfect obsessively. I wash clothes and bedding daily. I’ve done everything possible to prevent re-infestation, knowing these parasites can burrow into fabrics and materials.

In desperation, I’ve thrown away thousands of pounds’ worth of belongings, my bed, sofa, clothes, shoes, just to try to break the cycle. I even made the heartbreaking decision to cut my very long hair as short as possible, hoping it would limit their ability to survive. The process has been physically exhausting, emotionally devastating, and financially crippling.

The hardest part? No one seems to understand.

I’ve seen four NHS clinicians and four dermatologists, yet none were able to offer meaningful help. I was prescribed topical creams that only made things worse. When I shared my own research, requested proper testing such as skin scrapings for lab analysis, or asked about specific medications, I wasn’t listened to.

The only informed medical guidance I’ve received came from doctors online in the US and Australia, where Demodex overgrowth is more commonly recognised and treated. Here in the UK, I’ve been told I may simply have to “live with it”, because Demodex exists naturally on the skin and clinicians don’t know how to treat an overgrowth. My condition has been dismissed.

I’ve been left to fight this alone.

Demodicosis is an invisible illness with very visible consequences: facial sores, hair loss, inflammation, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Even mentioning Demodex to healthcare professionals often leads to blank stares.

Over the past two years, I’ve tried everything:

• Countless herbal and holistic remedies

• Detoxes / parasite cleanses

• Extremely restrictive diet (excluding all non-inflammatory, processed, refined foods in my diet, including natural sugars, carbs, wheat and yeast

• Expensive supplements and vitamins

• Endless hours of research, desperately searching for answers

All while navigating single motherhood, losing my job while on maternity leave, and trying to survive during a cost-of-living crisis.

The mental and emotional toll has been overwhelming. I’ve lost my confidence. I barely recognise myself anymore, inside or out. I’m exhausted. I’m grieving the life I had before this illness took over. Sharing something this personal was never something I wanted to do. I’ve kept this hidden for so long. But I can’t do this alone anymore.

I refuse to accept this as my life. Finally, there is hope.

I’ve found a private specialist on Harley Street who understands this condition and has successfully treated similar cases.

For the first time in two years, I was listened to, truly listened to. I wasn’t dismissed. I wasn’t minimised. He believes I can be cured, not just managed.

This feels like the breakthrough I’ve been praying for.

Medical Update: Progress, Treatment, and Ongoing Challenges

Thanks to your support and the many donations on GoFundMe, I was able to attend my first appointment in late November 2025. I was diagnosed with:

• Demodex overgrowth

• Eczema

• Rosacea affecting my face and body

• Folliculitis - a fungal and bacterial infection of the hair follicles caused by demodex

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition causing redness, flushing, burning, stinging, visible blood vessels, and acne-like flare-ups. In my case, it is strongly linked to the demodex overgrowth.

My treatment plan involves several months of rounds lasting 4–12 weeks each, followed by specialist reviews to track improvements.

The first 7 weeks of treatment were unbearable. The activity and numbers of demodex increased dramatically, causing constant biting (papule spots) and crawling sensations all over my body, and intense skin flare-ups. It was physically and emotionally overwhelming.

However, from week 8 onwards, as it seemed the medication could be working, I noticed significant improvements. The bites and crawling sensations reduced, I did not experience a single flare-up on my face, and flare-ups on my body became less severe and shorter-lived. These small victories gave me something I hadn’t felt in a long time: hope.

My second appointment was January 2026 included:

• Ivermectin tablets (continued)

• Topical ivermectin cream for my face and eye area, because there had been no noticeable decline in demodex on my face

• Strong antihistamines to help manage the crawling sensations

• Medicated body and hair wash to combat folliculitis

Alongside my medical treatment, I am continuing my holistic healing journey, including:

• Supplements to support my liver, kidneys, and gut

• Oregano oil, pre- and probiotics, and herbal detox cleanses

• Continued strict eating regime, excluding all non-inflammatory, processed, and refined foods in my diet, including natural sugars, carbs, wheat and yeast

I am doing everything I possibly can to support my body and give myself the best chance at recovery.

While I am incredibly grateful to see small signs of progress and to finally have hope, the reality is that this is still a long and costly journey.

Ongoing specialist care, medication, follow-up appointments, and treatments are essential, and I cannot continue this journey alone.

I still need financial support to complete my treatment plan and give myself the best chance at long-term healing. Every donation, share, or message of support makes a real difference, helping me keep going through the hardest days.

My greatest wish is simple:

• To hug my son freely.

• To kiss his face without guilt.

• To sleep without itching.

• To step outside without shame.

• To have our life back.

Thank you for standing with me through this incredibly difficult chapter.

Your kindness and support have already changed my life, and they bring me closer to healing.

With love, hope, and deepest gratitude.