Pubic Lice

Pubic lice are also known as crabs and pediculosis pubis. They are tiny grey-brown insects, about 2mm long, that live by sucking blood from the skin. They can also live on the abdomen, the back, the armpits, on the head and on the eyelashes and eyebrows.

Pubic lice only affect humans of any age. The females lay very small eggs and glue them on the base of the hairs. The female lice live between one to three months, during which time they can lay up to 300 eggs. When lice are present in very large numbers, it is known as an infestation.

Causes of Pubic Lice

Pubic lice are transferred through close bodily contact. They cannot jump, fly or swim. They crawl from one hair to another and that is the reason they are commonly passed through sexual contact. Using contraception like condoms cannot protect you from an infestation.

Though there isn’t enough research done on the transfer of lice through clothing, lined, towels, and toilet seats, it would be prudent to thoroughly clean items used by an infected person.

Pubic Lice Symptoms

The most common symptom of a pubic lice infestation is itching and red pimples. The itching is not caused by being bitten by the lice but rather by an allergy to the lice. If one is not allergic to the lice, you may not notice an infestation for a long time.

You may also find live lice and tiny white lice eggs in coarse hair anywhere on your body. This may include in:

• Your armpits,
• Moustache and beards,
• Edge of the scalp,
• Eyebrows and eyelashes, and
• The pubic hair or hair around the anus

If you are light skinned, you may see blue spots on your skin where the lice are living. The blue spots are caused by bites from the lice. Louse droppings that are dark brown or a black powder can be seen on your skin or in your underwear.

Treating and Preventing Pubic Lice

It is not possible to prevent a pubic lice infestation. However, there are things you can do to reduce the risk. One of the easiest is to reduce the number of sexual partners. Regular STI check ups should also ensure you are not infested if you are very sexually active.
A lice infestation is difficult to remove because of the size, life cycle, and ability to develop resistance to treatment. Since they are persistent and recurring, it is important to treat them quickly and thoroughly.

Once a lice infestation is confirmed, you might need to use insecticidal lotions or cream like malathion lotion, or permethrin cream to completely eradicate the lice. If your eyebrows are infected, special creams may be prescribed by your doctor.

It is important to follow up on treatment to prevent a re-infestation which can occur if all the lice were not eradicated. You should also treat people who are in close contact with you. This should include your sexual partners and members of your household.

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