Pubic lice or crabs are unpleasant but, once diagnosed, easily treated.
What are pubic lice?
Pubic lice are tiny parasitic insects that live in:
•pubic hair
•underarm hair
•hair on the body
•eyebrows and eyelashes (although this is rare)
•pubic hair
•underarm hair
•hair on the body
•eyebrows and eyelashes (although this is rare)
They are yellowy-grey and about 2mm long. They have a crab-like appearance, so are often known as crabs.
The eggs are called nits and appear as brownish dots fixed to coarse body hair. Pubic lice don't live on the hair on your head and are different from head lice.
How pubic lice are transmitted
Pubic lice are easily passed from one person to another through close body contact or sexual contact. Both men and women can catch them and pass them on.
Pubic lice can live for up to 24 hours off the body, but because they depend on human blood for survival, they'll rarely leave the body unless there's close body contact with another person.
They move by crawling from hair to hair - they can't jump or fly. Pubic lice can be spread by sharing clothing, bedding or towels.
Symptoms of pubic lice
Some people have no symptoms, or may not notice the lice or eggs, so you may not know whether you or a partner are affected. It can take several weeks after coming into contact with them for any symptoms appear.
You may notice:
•itching in the affected areas
•black powdery droppings from the lice in underwear
•brown eggs on pubic or other body hair
•irritation and inflammation in the affected area, sometimes caused by scratching
•sky-blue dots (which disappear within a few days) or very tiny specks of blood on the skin
•black powdery droppings from the lice in underwear
•brown eggs on pubic or other body hair
•irritation and inflammation in the affected area, sometimes caused by scratching
•sky-blue dots (which disappear within a few days) or very tiny specks of blood on the skin
Sometimes you may notice the lice move, but they're tiny and keep still in the light.
Treatments for pubic lice
The lice won't go away without treatment, so get checked if you think you've been in contact. In most cases you can tell if you have them by looking closely.
Treatment is simple and involves using a special cream, lotion or shampoo, which can be bought from a pharmacy. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will advise.
Lotions tend to be more effective than shampoos, and sometimes the treatment has to be repeated after three to seven days.
All bedding, clothing and towels need to be machine washed on a hot cycle.
Tell the doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you might be pregnant, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, as this will affect the type of treatment you're given. Everyone in your household should be treated at the same time, as well as any sexual partners.