Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the effectiveness of varying concentrations of selenium sulfide, an active
ingredient in antidandruff shampoo, in killing Demodex folliculorum.
Methods
Sixty-five eyelashes with live Demodex from 29 patients seen at the Nassau University Medical Center (17 patients) and Ophthalmic
Consultants of Long Island (12 patients) were observed under light microscopy for
90 minutes in 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 4% selenium sulfide with either carboxymethyl
cellulose (CMC) solution or petroleum jelly ointment (Vaseline, Unilever, London)
as excipients. Positive and negative controls also were evaluated as separate solutions
of CMC, petroleum jelly, basic saline solution, 50% tea tree oil, and 100% tea tree
oil. The number of Demodex deaths and time of death were recorded.
Results
Demodex deaths in the selenium sulfide reagents were observed in the 4% selenium sulfide
solution with CMC (36.4% kill rate, 4 of 11 Demodex, average time of death 17.5 minutes, p = 0.038) and 4% selenium sulfide with petroleum jelly ointment (12.5% kill rate,
1 of 8 Demodex, time of death 75 minutes, p = 0.351). No Demodex deaths were witnessed in the other selenium sulfide treatment groups. All Demodex died in the 50% and 100% tea tree oil positive control group.
Conclusions
Selenium sulfide has shown efficacy in killing Demodex at a 4% concentration with the CMC solution and mild activity with 4% petroleum jelly.
More research on selenium sulfide solutions at higher concentrations is indicated.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: May 17, 2022
Accepted:
April 21,
2022
Received in revised form:
April 2,
2022
Received:
August 5,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Uncorrected ProofFootnotes
Originally received Aug. 5, 2021. Final revision Apr. 2, 2022. Accepted Apr. 21, 2022.
Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), May 1–7, 2021 (virtual).
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
