You are covered in mites – and most of the time that’s completely normal

Close-up of a demodex folliculorum mite: your skin is alive with company Kalcutta/Shutterstock

You are not alone in your own skin. Millions of microscopic creatures live there too.

Our skin is home to entire ecosystems of microscopic life. Bacteria and fungi get most of the attention, but mites are there too. Among the most common are demodex mites, tiny eight-legged relatives of spiders that live inside hair follicles and pores, especially on the face. Almost all adults carry them.

Despite their reputation...