Symptoms Of Pubic Lice
Pubic lice are little creatures that live on pubic hair. They are not necessarily sexually transmitted but are passed through close contact.
They can take a few weeks to become visible and even then they are hard to see!
They can be red or yellow and they attach their eggs to the base of the hairs.
Other symptoms include:
- Itching
- Black powder in your underwear (lice poop)
- Irritation and inflammation
- Sky blue spots or specs of blood from the bites
They can also be found on your underarms, legs, back or beards.
Causes Of Pubic Lice
Pubic lice are not a sign of bad hygiene. They can be passed on through sharing towels, bed linen or sex (anal, oral & vaginal).
They cannot jump like fleas or fly and can only survive for 24-48 hours without the human body. They cannot transmit other STIs and are different to head lice.
Condoms will NOT protect you from crabs.
Treatments For Pubic Lice
There is no test for pubic lice but nurses at a sexual health clinic or GP surgery can examine and identify them. Once they have found them you will be given a solution to apply to the area over 3 to 7 days.
You shouldn’t have any type of sex until you gave been given the all-clear.
Shaving won’t do any harm but it won’t necessarily help as they can cling to the tiniest of hairs.
⚡ I am not a health professional. I am qualified in RSE but I am not a doctor. Content for this page has been drawn from the NHS website and Brook.org.uk. Please head over to these great sites for more details.
