What are dust mites exactly?
MORRIS NEJAT, MD: Dust mites live off of shed human skin. You find them in high quantities in mattresses and boxsprings and pillows, in bedding and clothes, on carpets. People who are genetically predisposed develop an allergy to their feces. At nighttime, as you’re sleeping, you’re breathing these particles, causing allergic reaction in your nose, in your lungs, in your eyes. How do you avoid them? MORRIS NEJAT, MD: First of all, you want to make sure that you’re allergic to dust mites. Go to an allergist and have skin testing done, to see if they are a problem for you. If you find that you are allergic to dust mites, get special covers to put on the mattress, the box spring and the pillowcases. These special cases encase the dust mite feces inside the mattress, and keeps you from breathing them in while you’re sleeping. Also, wash all the bedding in hot water (over 130 degrees Fahrenheit) once a week to kill and denature the mites and their feces. You want to really try and make the
