Pubic lice have traveled with humans for over 3 million years; it's unlikely that they are at risk of extinction, other than in Western, wealthy populations.
Pubic lice are 'here to stay' and will not become extinct, in part because fewer people wax their pubic hair, experts have said. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital dermatologists have said that cultural changes meaning less people wax has provided pubic lice – sometimes called crabs – with a habitat.
Dr. Park says this is actually quite an effective prevention method. “Shaving or waxing all your hair off would be an effective way to prevent pubic lice,” she explains. “Pubic deforestation through hair removal is certainly the reason for the [overall] decline in crabs.”
Pubic Lice Incidence in Recent Surveys. Typical Pthirus pubis infestation burden in the world appears to be approximately 2% of the (mainly) adult population. Records are often related to STD clinic records or to travel data.
Getting pubic lice doesn't mean you're dirty — it has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness. Anybody can get pubic lice if they have close, personal contact with someone who has them. About 3 million people in the U.S. get pubic lice every year.
Pubic lice affect men and women at all levels of society all over the world. Teens and people in their 20s are most often affected. But children and older adults can also get pubic lice. Some studies are showing pubic lice cases are decreasing because of genital hair removal techniques like waxing.
A lice-killing lotion containing 1% permethrin or a mousse containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide can be used to treat pubic (“crab”) lice.
Pubic (“crab”) lice infestation is found worldwide and occurs in all races and ethnic groups and in all levels of society. Pubic lice usually are spread through sexual contact and are most common in adults.
Human ancestors acquired pubic lice from neighboring apes
Among primates, humans have the dubious distinction of having not one, but two types of sucking lice--one that nests on the head and the other that calls pubic hair home.
Using a random effect model, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of head lice infestation among primary school children was estimated as 1.6% (1.2–2.05), 8.8% (7.6–9.9), and 7.4% (6.6–8.2) for boys, girls, and all the students, respectively.
You cannot get rid of pubic lice by washing or shaving, as the lice only need a minimal length of hair on which to lay their eggs. Therefore you do not need to shave your pubic hair. You can treat yourself at home with an insecticidal lotion or cream which is available over the counter from a pharmacy.
So it's relatively straightforward for a cylindrical body to flatten out, or vice versa. But for better or worse, humans won't be turning into crabs anytime soon. "Our body isn't modular like that," Wolfe said. "[Crustaceans] already have the right building blocks."
Condoms do not protect someone from pubic lice because the lice live outside of the area that condoms cover. Shaving pubic hair does not always prevent pubic lice. Not sharing clothing, bedding, or towels also can help lower the risk of getting pubic lice.
However, can shaving or waxing one's pubic hair treat an existing pubic-lice infestation? It might seem plausible, but the CDC, Planned Parenthood, and other health authorities don't recommend it.
They can also be spread through contact with the clothing and bedding of someone with crabs. Animals cannot get or spread pubic lice. If left untreated, the affected area will continue to itch. Repeated scratching of the infested area can result in other serious skin infections.
We hate to ruin Bloomberg News' squirm-inducing trend story of the day, but there's no solid evidence that the increasing popularity of the bikini wax is, in fact, actually leading to the elimination of pubic lice.
A common misconception is that pubic lice are spread easily by sitting on a toilet seat. This would be extremely rare because lice cannot live long away from a warm human body and they do not have feet designed to hold onto or walk on smooth surfaces such as toilet seats.
Pubic lice, also known as crabs, are tiny insects (about 2mm long) that live on coarse human body hair, such as pubic hair. Pubic lice are not linked to poor personal hygiene.
While the common ancestor of humans and gorillas lived around 7 million years ago, pubic lice and gorilla lice share a much more recent common ancestor — somewhere around 3-4 million years ago. The most likely explanation is a host switch, with gorilla lice adapting to live in human pubic hair.
Are pubic lice dangerous? No, pubic lice won't cause serious health concerns. Usually, the main problems that the lice cause are itching and discomfort. You may get a bacterial infection if you end up scratching your skin a lot.
The most common way to get pubic lice is through sexual activity. In children, pubic lice may be found in the eyebrows or eyelashes and can be a sign of sexual abuse. However, it may be possible to catch pubic lice after sharing clothing, bedsheets or towels with an infected person.
You can opt for vinegar: It possesses properties that render it toxic and an effective pubic lice treatment. So, just mix water with it in equal amount and take a cotton ball, dip it into the solution and apply it on the affected area.
Lice eggs (nits) are often easier to see than live lice. They look like tiny yellow or white dots attached to the pubic hair, close to the skin. Nits can look like dandruff. But you can't pick them off with your fingernail or brush them away.