Skin mites that mate on our faces may be becoming at one with humans

Tiny mites that live on almost all humans and mate on our skin may be evolving from parasites to creatures that share a symbiotic existence with us.

That’s according to scientists researching the creatures, which are a fraction of a millimetre in length, and are found in the hair follicles on the face and nipples.

The mites, called Demodex folliculorum, feed on sebum, a substance that coats the skin which is naturally released by cells inside our pores.

At night, they leave their hiding place to mate on our faces while we sleep.

Around 90 per cent of humans have these mites living on them, and they are passed on at birth. They’re usually harmless and go unnoticed, but in large numbers they can irritate the skin, make it flaky and cause redness and itchiness.

They are one of two types of follicular mite species living on humans, alongside Demodex brevis, which is a solitary species inhabiting the sebaceous glands under the skin.

From parasitic, to symbiotic

Until now, they had been thought to have a parasitic relationship with us, extracting nutrients at our expense.

However, the new research suggests they may be becoming symbiotic, meaning their existence grants a mutually beneficial relationship.

For instance, it was previously thought the mites did not have an anus and would therefore accumulate their faeces for their whole lives before releasing it upon death and causing skin inflammation.

This is however not the case, according to the research conducted by scientists at the University of Reading, the University of Valencia, University of Vienna and National University of San Juan.

The new study, published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, found the mites do in fact have an anus, and have been unfairly blamed for