What Is Morgellons?

Morgellons disease (MD) is a skin condition that presents as wounds with fibers lying underneath or poking out of the skin. Some people also report Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source that they experience stinging, biting, or a crawling feeling on their skin.

Doctors are unsure of the cause of MD. There are several possibilities, including bacterial infection. Others consider the possibility that MD symptoms are delusions related to a psychiatric condition.

To diagnose your symptoms, your doctor may order a skin biopsy. Treatment may involve medications.

This article will discuss what MD is, including symptoms, causes, diagnoses, and treatment. The article will also answer some frequently asked questions about MD.

MD is a skin condition in which fibers appear to be underneath or coming out of the skin. People also describe that their skin is itchy, sore, or has a stinging or burning sensation.

A 2018 research review Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source of the history of MD reported that mentions of MD date back to 1544. However, the first official reports of the condition in the United States were not until 2002.

The same review shared there were about 14,000 self-reported cases of MD worldwide in 2009.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sponsored a 2012 study that found a prevalence of 3.65 MD cases per 100,000 participants Trusted Source PloS One Highly respected journal, Expert written journal, Peer reviewed journal Go to source , or less than a hundredth of a percent.

MD is a controversial disease, and studies show that both psychiatric and bacterial infections may be the cause. This leads doctors to offer both psychiatric drugs and antibiotics as a treatment.

The primary symptom Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source of MD that people report is the development of ulcerative skin lesions. People also describe unusual fabric-like fibers that are embedded in or poke out from the skin. These fibers may be white, black, red, or blue.

Another reported symptom is the sensation of something crawling on your skin or a stinging or biting feeling.

Other symptoms include:

• intense itching
• slow healing wounds
• black specks on or in the skin
• tiredness
• visual and hearing changes
• brain fog
• hair loss
• muscle aches
• difficulty sleeping
• anxiety
• depression

The cause of MD is unknown, and more research may be able to help experts find more definitive evidence. One theory is that Morgellons symptoms develop as a result of bacterial infection.

Some studies suggest that the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, is related to the development of MD.

In a 2018 study, researchers evaluated 1,000 people with Lyme disease. Of this group, 60 of them also had a diagnosis of MD.

In a 2021 case report Trusted Source Wiley Peer reviewed journal Go to source , researchers gave antibiotics to a female who presented with symptoms of MD. The report showed that the female’s symptoms disappeared after 2 weeks.

Other doctors Trusted Source Wiley Peer reviewed journal Go to source consider symptoms of MD to be delusions related to an underlying psychiatric condition. However, researchers Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source note that mental health conditions may often result from an underlying physical condition, such as MD.

A 2018 research letter described a small study involving 24 people with MD between 2006 and 2016. Participants in the study received antipsychotic drugs. Researchers found that 63% of the participants Trusted Source JAMA Peer reviewed journal Go to source reached partial or full remission of MD symptoms.

The classification and diagnosis of MD remains controversial. Experts need to perform more research.

It may be difficult for your doctor to diagnose you with MD, since there is ongoing debate about how to classify the condition.

Your doctor may order a blood test or a skin biopsy if you have itchy skin or wounds that do not heal. This can help determine if you have a bacterial infection. If fibers are present in your skin, your doctor may take a sample for further testing.

If your physician thinks there may be a psychological component to your symptoms, they may refer you to a psychologist or another mental health professional for further evaluation.

You may receive a Morgellons diagnosis after your doctor rules out other possible causes of your symptoms.

There is currently no standard treatment for MD. Your doctor will evaluate your individual symptoms to determine appropriate treatment.

Treatment may focus on symptoms and underlying conditions. These treatments can include:

• antibiotics, to treat bacterial infection
• topical skin treatments, to help heal lesions
• antidepressants, to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety
• antipsychotic drugs, to treat symptoms of delusion or hallucination
• thyroid medication, to treat thyroid disorders

These are some other questions people often ask about Morgellons. Megan Soliman, M.D., reviewed the answers.

Further research may provide clearer information on what makes the fibers and what causes them. However, past research Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source found that MD fibers consist of keratin and collagen and are a result of keratinocytes and fibroblasts growing in the skin.

Doctors are unsure of the cause of MD. A 2021 case report Trusted Source Wiley Peer reviewed journal Go to source found evidence of both bacterial infections and psychiatric conditions as possible reasons for the development of MD symptoms.

There are three proposed stages Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source of Morgellons:

• Stage A: mild, with a small amount of inflammation and skin cells that are reasonably common in appearance
• Stage B: moderate, with some noticeable inflammation and skin that may be sore and appear thicker in places
• Stage C: severe, with visible ulcers and inflammation and possible bleeding from wounds

MD is a skin condition that presents as wounds with fibers either underneath or coming through the skin. Other symptoms include the feeling of the skin burning, itching, being sore, or the sensation of stinging or bites.

Doctors have various opinions on what causes MD. Studies show that both psychiatric conditions and physical infections may be the cause. As a result, doctors may prescribe antibiotics or psychiatric medications as treatment.