Pubic Lice Prevention

Pubic lice are parasitic insects that infest pubic hair. The lice spread through sexual contact or contact with infested linen or clothing. The lice are not a serious health issue but they are a nuisance and steps should be taken to prevent their spread.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Pubic lice are similar to head lice, but they are a different species and feed in the genital area as opposed to the scalp. Though these lice prefer pubic hair, they can also infest leg, arm, chest, and facial hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes.

  Public lice are also called "crabs" because they resemble tiny crustaceans when viewed through a microscope. Without a microscope, public lice are hard to see. Itchiness is often the first sign of infestation. The itch becomes worse at night when lice are more active and bite into the skin to feed.

  A person exposed to public lice may notice itching immediately or it could take up to four weeks for eggs to hatch and the mature lice to start feeding.

  A visit to a health care provider is the best bet for diagnosis, but some people can self-diagnose using a magnifying glass to spot the pale gray or dark brown lice. Lice eggs are white and attach in small clumps at the hair roots.

Sexual Transmission

• Pubic lice are extremely contagious and are most often spread through sexual contact. The best way to prevent pubic lice is to limit the number of sexual partners or maintain a monogamous relationship with someone who is also monogamous.

  Condoms that prevent the spread of other STDs will not prevent the spread of lice living in pubic hair.

  Shaving pubic hair may prevent lice from attaching to the pubic area, but remember, pubic lice can infest other body hair.

  Shaving pubic hair does not rid a person of lice once he or she is already infested. The only way to get rid of the lice is to apply anti-lice medication, which can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy.

  People diagnosed with pubic lice are morally obliged to tell all their sexual partners so they too can take measures to stop the further spread of lice.

Transmission via Linens

• Pubic lice can live for a several days on bed linens, towels and clothing and can spread to anyone using these infested items.

  A person diagnosed with lice should wash all suspect articles thoroughly in hot water. If, for example, a bedspread cannot be tossed in the washer, place it in a sealed plastic bag for at least 3 days. Lice can't live more than a few days without a human host.