Question
Over the last five months I have been dealing with itchy, dry, scaling, painful skin. I feel like there are bugs flying around me. To me they look like little blisters under and on my skin. When I try to pick it out it is white, rubbery, and stringing. Then its like they turn into almost blister looking like things. The blister looking things seem to have attached to my hair follicles. My scalp, eyebrows, and every where eles with hair!!! Not fun. On my clothes I will find little black specs that look like lint, until it flys away. Also on my clothes after washed white tadpole looking lint. I am not crazy, but after five months feel like it. I just noticed the same looking white (whatever) hanging from my Dracaena. This plant is next to my sink where there is an open window with full sunlight just above it. It is on the bottom of the leaf's and it looks like a very thin string with a white ball on the bottom. It is not on every leaf and its about 1/2 in from bottom of leaf to bottom of the white ball. It is now on my Hoya Carnosa, which was in my window seal above the sink directly above the other plant. It is very hearty, gets just the right amount of sunlight. After having these plants for ten years this is something new. There are also black spots on the Hoya, and it's not looking good. I apologize about the novel, I'm just lost. Been to the dermatologist,all he said was "I see no bugs, or fungus on your nails." Could be a coincidence these white things on me and the plant look alike, I just dont know anymore. I appreciate your time. Any help, ideas, or thoughts would be very appreciated. Samantha

Answer
Samantha,

The insects you are describing sounds like mealy bugs. They attack dracaenas and succulent plants such as your Hoya. You can clean them off the plants with q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol. Then you keep them off the plant by putting rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spraying the plants thoroughly making sure that you get the fronts and backs of all leaves. That can be difficult with Hoya carnosa because of all the leaf creases. You need to spray them thoroughly every 3 days to kill any insects that hatch from eggs before they hatch out. Spray them every 3 days until you have seen no signs of insects for 3 weeks. Be very careful not to keep these plants too wet while they are recuperating. They will stay healthier if you wait for them to dry out and allow the to be dry a day or 2 before you water them The black bugs on the Hoya are probably aphids. I have had lots of mealy bugs and aphids on plants over the years and have never had them attack me. You can try the alcohol treatment on yourself also but I would dilute the alcohol with equal amounts of water. Then use swabs to wipe the insects off you in the areas they seem to be. Alcohol kills all insects on contact. I hope you are successful with this treatment. Good luck.

Darlene