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Eyelash mite, SEM

Eyelash mite, SEM

Z445/0308 Rights Managed

This image is part of the feature Eyelash Mites

Credit: POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Eyelash mite. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an eyelash, or follicle, mite (Demodex folliculorum), a harmless parasite which lives inside human hair follicles. This mite infests hair follicles (depressions in the skin which contain the roots of hairs) around the eyelids, nose and in the ear canals of humans. It feeds on oily secretions from the skin's sebaceous glands, which empty into the follicles, as well as dead skin cells. Infestation with follicle mites is usually symptomless; they cause no harm to their host. However, allergic reactions to the mites in susceptible individuals can cause hair loss and acne. Magnification: x298 at 6x7cm size.

Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.

Keywords: acne, allergen, allergic reaction, allergies, allergy, animal, arachnida, coloured, commensal, commensalism, demodex folliculorum, ectoparasite, eyelash, follicle mite, hair, hair loss, harmless, human, invertebrates, nature, parasite, parasitic, parasitism, scanning electron micrograph, sem, skin, wildlife, zoology

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