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Pubic lice are tiny insects that live on body hair, usually in the pubic area. They are also called crabs or crab lice. Pubic lice can also be found in facial hair, chest hair, armpit hair, on the upper thighs, and lower abdomen. Rarely, pubic lice may be found in eyebrows and eyelashes.
Pubic lice are spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone who has lice. Pubic lice can not jump or fly. Lice are most often spread through sexual contact and may spread by sharing clothing, bedding or towels of someone who has pubic lice. Condoms do not prevent the spread of pubic lice.
The infected area is usually itchy. Pubic lice cause severe itching. Their bites may cause small marks that look like bruises on the torso, thighs, or upper arms. If pubic lice get on the eyelashes, the edges of the eyelids may be crusted. You may see lice and their eggs at the base of the eyelashes.
The itching can be worse at night. Bites from the lice can cause a rash or small bluish spots on your skin. The spots may last for several months, even after all lice have been treated or killed.
Along with the symptoms described, you will likely see tiny tan-coloured specks on your pubic hair that can not be pulled off. These specks are the eggs laid by the lice called nits.
Doctors recommend using a special lotion or shampoo to kill the eggs and lice. These can be purchased without a prescription. Follow the directions carefully. Shampoos or lotions are not for the treatment of pubic lice found on the eyebrows or eyelashes. Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can be applied to the eyebrow, eyelid and lashes three times a day for several days. A pharmacist, public health nurse, physician or nurse practitioner will be able to provide information on these treatments. Pubic lice will not go away without treatment.
Your sexual partners need to be treated as well. Other people living in your home do not need treatment unless they have shared your clothes, bed or towels.
All clothes, bed sheets, and cloth toys need to be washed with hot water or dry-cleaned. Wash in hot water [greater than 54.5 C (130 F)] in an automatic washing machine or place them in a hot dryer for 30 minutes.
Woolen items may be ironed to kill lice and eggs.
Anything that can not be washed in hot water or dry-cleaned should be put in a sealed airtight plastic bag for 10 days to kill the lice. Storage of clothing is recommended for up to 30 days because body lice can survive that long.
Contact a health professional if the lice do not go away after the first treatment, or if you have any signs of a skin infection. Skin infections can be caused by frequent scratching.
If you have different sexual partners, or if your partner has different partners, you should also be tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STI), including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HIV virus linked to AIDS. The more sexual partners you have, the higher your risk of getting a STI. You should also consider getting vaccinations to prevent hepatitis B infection.
For more information, see HealthLink BC File #08o Condoms Help Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
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For more HealthLink BC File topics, visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/index.stm or your local public health unit. Click on www.HealthLinkBC.ca or call 8-1-1 for non-emergency health information and services in B.C. For deaf and hearing-impaired assistance, call 7-1-1 in B.C. Translation services are available in more than 130 languages on request. |
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