It is advisable to repeat the treatment several times and ensure cure. Sources of infestation must be removed, and family, school mates and other acquaintances should be checked. Soaking the combs in ammonia water for 2 hours allows the nits to be easily removed. Hats are best discarded. Nits hatch in a week, so weekly examination must be done.
Benzyl benzoate is most reliable.
Ordinarily the crab louse is confined to the pubic and anal hair, but in hirsute or heavily infested patients, the chest hair, arm and leg hair, as well as the axilla, beard and eyelashes can be infested. These areas should be examined thoroughly on each visit. The nits attach themselves to the hair and probably are nourished by apocrine secretion. This disease is seen in all classes of society, as opposed to other varieties of lice which favor the poorer sections of the population. One hairy patient who periodically has to make a 6-week swing through some small towns with inferior hotels, shaves himself from head to foot before and during his trip.