Crabs or pubic lice are small crab-shaped parasites that burrow into the skin to feed on blood. They live on coarse body hair, predominantly pubic hair, but can also be found in armpit hair, facial hair and even on eyelashes. The lice are yellow-grey in color and use their crab-like claws to grip hair strands. They can sometimes be spotted moving on the skin.
Crabs are easily passed on during sex, but can also be passed on through sharing clothes, towels or bedding with someone who has them. Crabs cannot be transmitted via toilet seats or swimming pools.
Symptoms of crabs are usually noticed around 5 days to 7 weeks after infection and include:
- Itchy skin
- Inflammation of the affected area
- Sometimes visible lice and eggs
- Spots of blood as lice feed from blood vessels in the skin
Although there is no effective way to prevent becoming infected during sex, a person who has crabs can reduce the risk to others by washing bedding, towels and clothes on a hot wash to kill off the parasites.
Treatment for public lice is easy, consisting of special shampoos, lotions and creams that kill the lice and their eggs. It is not necessary to shave pubic hair as this is unlikely to remove all lice.
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