All hairy areas of the body should be thoroughly checked and treated because lice can move away from treated areas to other hairy parts of the body. Shaving won't get rid of
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.
Shaving your pubic hair, whilst it might make you feel better, does not get rid of the crabs but does remove their eggs. The crabs will cling on to you and crawl to other body hair. If you do decide to shave, do it a long while after you have applied the lotion.
And if you think waxing or shaving will protect you from crabs, think again. Removing pubic hair will only work if you remove all other hair with it, and even then it's considered to be an ineffective way of treating crabs by doctors.
Pubic lice are usually sexually transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact. Pubic lice do not voluntarily leave the body and will need to be treated with a cream or lotion that contains permethrin.
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.
A lice-killing lotion containing 1% permethrin or a mousse containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide can be used to treat pubic (“crab”) lice. These products are available over-the-counter without a prescription at a local drug store or pharmacy.
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.
You can usually see pubic lice by looking closely, or you may need to use a magnifying glass. Pubic lice are tan or whitish-gray, and they look like tiny crabs. They get darker when they're full of blood. Crab eggs (called nits) on the bottom part of your pubic hairs.
Adult: The adult pubic louse resembles a miniature crab when viewed through a strong magnifying glass. Pubic lice have six legs; their two front legs are very large and look like the pincher claws of a crab. This is how they got the nickname “crabs.” Pubic lice are tan to grayish-white in color.
Around 1 to 2 of every 100 Australians are estimated to have public lice.
Pubic lice are most common in adults. Every year, about 3 million people in the United States get pubic lice.
Pubic lice — also known as crabs — are small parasites that attach to the skin and hair near your genitals. Crabs aren't dangerous, and they're usually pretty easy to get rid of.
Crabs can live for up to 24 hours on bedding, towels, and clothes. They feed on the blood of the infected person (by taking small bites that can cause itching). They lay tiny white eggs (nits) that stick on the hair shaft.
They hatch after 7-8 days. Over the next 13 to 17 days the larvae will change skin three times before reaching adulthood. Adult lice live for just under a month. Pubic lice can only survive and reproduce on people.
How soon do symptoms appear after exposure? Some people may not have symptoms, particularly with the first infestation or when the infestation is light. It may take 4-6 weeks for itching to appear the first time a person has head lice.
The itching can get worse at night due to increased moisture in the area, temperature changes, bacteria, and increased awareness. There are certain conditions, such as pubic lice, in which the itching gets worse at night.
Crabs are often referred to as pubic lice and are not to be confused with body lice. The scientific name for crabs is Pediculus pubis. Crabs need blood to survive, but they can live up to 24 hours off a human body.
Pubic lice will not go away without treatment. If you're sure you have pubic lice, you may be able to get treatment from a pharmacist.
If you have pubic lice (crabs), you may experience intense itching in your genital region. Pubic lice can spread to other areas with coarse body hair, including the: Legs. Chest.
Avoid sleeping in the same bed as the person with an active lice infestation. Avoid sitting where the person with lice has sat in the past two days. Wash linens and clothing in hot water and dry on high heat. Place stuffed animals, pillows and items that cannot be washed into an airtight bag for two weeks.
To get rid of pubic lice and their eggs, machine wash and dry your clothes and bed sheets in hot water (at least 130°F) and the high heat drying cycle. Clothes and other things that aren't washable can be dry-cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks (until the lice and eggs die out).
Choose from among several over-the-counter lotions and shampoos (Nix, others) designed to kill lice. Apply the product according to instructions. You may need to repeat treatment in seven to 10 days.