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Pubic lice

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Pediculosis - pubic lice; Lice - pubic; Crabs

Treatment:

Pubic lice are best treated with a prescription wash such as Elimite or Kwell:

• Thoroughly work the shampoo into the pubic hair and surrounding area for at least 5 minutes.
• Rinse well.
• Comb the pubic hair with a fine-tooth comb to remove eggs (nits). Applying vinegar to pubic hair before combing may help loosen nits, but the hair should be dry when applying the shampoo.

A single treatment is all that is usually needed. If another treatment is recommended, it should be done 4 days to 1 week later.

Over-the-counter medications for the treatment of lice include Rid and Nix.

At the time of treatment, wash all clothing and linens in hot water. Items that cannot be washed may be sprayed with a medicated spray or sealed (suffocated) in plastic bags and not used for 10 - 14 days. It is imperative for all intimate contacts to receive treatment at the same time.

People with pubic lice should be evaluated for other sexually-transmitted disease at the time of diagnosis.

Expectations (prognosis):

Adequate treatment, including environmental cleaning, should eradicate the lice.

Complications:

Secondary infections may occur because of skin break-down from frequent scratching.

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you or your sexual partner have symptoms of pubic lice. If you know that itching is caused by pubic lice, you can try over-the-counter lice treatments. Call the health care provider if these are ineffective. Also call if symptoms persist after treatment.

References:

Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases . 5th ed. London, UK: Churchill Livingstone, Inc.; 2000:2972-2973.

• Review Date: 10/16/2006
• Reviewed By: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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