Pubic lice

Pubic lice | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Sexual and reproductive Pubic lice Pubic lice British Sign Language (BSL) |  | Polski | Romn | slovenina Pubic lice, also known as crabs, are tiny insects that live on coarse human body hair, such as pubic hair around the penis or vagina. Pubic lice are not linked to poor personal hygiene. Symptoms of pubic lice It can take up to 3 weeks after coming into contact with pubic lice before you notice any symptoms. The most common symptom of pubic lice is itchy red spots. The itching is caused by an allergy to the lice saliva or poo. It can take 1 to 3 weeks for itching to develop after the first infestation, and itll usually be worse at night. Public lice are very small (2mm long) and grey-brown in colour. Theyre hard to spot, but sometimes you may be able to see them in your hair. They live mostly on pubic hair, but can also be found in hair on the chest, armpits, face and eyelashes. They do not affect hair on your head. You may also notice the following symptoms: small red or blue spots on your skin (lice bites) white or yellow dots attached to your hair (lice eggs) dark red or brown spots in your underwear (lice poo) crusty or sticky eyelashes, if theyre infected When to get medical advice Speak to your GP practice, local pharmacy or local sexual health clinic if: you think you might have pubic lice Testing for pubic lice If you think you might have pubic lice, get checked for free by: booking an appointment at your local sexual health service contacting your GP practice for an appointment What does a pubic lice test involve? There is no test for pubic lice. Your doctor or nurse will check your hair for lice. They may check your pubic hair around your penis or vagina and any other areas that could be affected. To help spot any pubic lice, your doctor or nurse may use a comb and a magnifying lens. You can also buy treatment over the counter at your local pharmacy although they will not be able to diagnose the infestation. Treatment for pubic lice Pubic lice are treated with medicated creams or shampoos that kill the lice. Youll usually need to use treatment on your whole body and leave it on for a few hours before washing it off. Youll need to repeat this a week later to make sure all the lice have been killed. You may be asked to come back to your GP practice or sexual health clinic once youve finished treatment to check the treatment has worked. Your partner(s) should also be treated, even if they do not have symptoms. Resistance Some pubic lice can be resistant to treatment. Resistance means that the lice will not be affected by a particular treatment. If your symptoms dont settle, you may need to try more than one type of treatment. Speak to your GP practice or local sexual health clinic if your first treatment hasnt worked. Treatment of lice in the eye area Treatment of lice in the eye area is usually different from elsewhere. Certain creams and lotions are not safe for use near the eye area. Lice here can be removed with tweezers or Vaseline can be used to suffocate the lice before removal. Things you can do While youre being treated for pubic lice, there are some things you can do to help stop the lice from spreading. Do wash your clothes and bedding on a hot wash (50 degrees or higher), have them dry cleaned or put them in a plastic bag for at least a week  this will help kill any lice hoover your mattress to remove any lice Dont do not share clothes, bedding or hygiene products (including razors) do not have any close body contact (including sexual contact) with anyone during treatment How pubic lice are passed on Pubic lice are spread through close body contact with someone who has them, most commonly sexual contact. The lice crawl from hair to hair but cant fly or jump. They need human blood to survive, so generally only leave the body to move from one person to another. Pubic lice dont live on other animals such as cats or dogs. If you or your partner has pubic lice, you should avoid having sex (vaginal, anal or oral). You should also avoid close bodily contact. Do this until youve both finished treatment, including any follow-up treatment. How to prevent pubic lice Pubic lice are easily spread, and condoms dont protect against them. To reduce the risk of getting pubic lice, you should limit the number of people you have intimate or sexual contact with. Other STIs If you have been diagnosed with pubic lice you should get tested for other STIs including: gonorrhoea chlamydia syphilis Find your local sexual health clinic Source: Scottish Government - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 26 February 2024 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. 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