How fast can pubic lice move

Scabies, other mites, and pediculosis. In: Fitzpatrick's Dermatology. McGraw Hill; Hoffman BL, et al. Gynecologic infection. In: Williams Gynecology. Parasites: Pubic "crab" lice. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. Even after successful treatment, a few stubborn lice eggs might cling to your hairs.

Remove any leftover nits with tweezers. Lice can easily survive ordinary soap and water. If several people in your household have contracted pubic lice, treat everybody at the same time.

This helps prevent reinfection. You will also need to decontaminate your home. Vacuum the entire house and clean the bathroom with bleach solution. Wash all towels, bedding, and clothing in hot water, and machine dry them using the highest setting. You might need stronger medicine if the lice survive these efforts. These products include:. For pubic lice in eyelashes, you may be able to pluck the nits and lice with tweezers or a nitcomb.

But the best option for an infestation near the eyes is to see a physician. Your doctor might prescribe a special lice medicine suitable for the eye area. Itching may persist for a week or two as your body works through its allergic reaction to the bites. Call your doctor if you notice swelling, skin discoloration, or drainage from wounds. To prevent a pubic lice infestation, you should avoid sharing clothes, bedding, or towels with anyone who has pubic lice.

Sexual contact should also be avoided until treatment is complete and successful. Having an itch on or around your testicles or scrotum isn't uncommon. Sweating in your groin after taking a walk can cause your testicles to itch more…. Lice are definitely not the sort of guests you want in your home. Pubic lice usually are found in the genital area on pubic hair; but they may occasionally be found on other coarse body hair, such as hair on the legs, armpits, mustache, beard, eyebrows, or eyelashes.

Pubic lice on the eyebrows or eyelashes of children may be a sign of sexual exposure or abuse. Lice found on the head generally are head lice, not pubic lice. Pubic lice usually are spread through sexual contact and are most common in adults.

Pubic lice found on children may be a sign of sexual exposure or abuse. Occasionally, pubic lice may be spread by close personal contact or contact with articles such as clothing, bed linens, or towels that have been used by an infested person. A common misconception is that pubic lice are spread easily by sitting on a toilet seat. This would be extremely rare because lice cannot live long away from a warm human body and they do not have feet designed to hold onto or walk on smooth surfaces such as toilet seats.

Persons infested with pubic lice should be examined for the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases. Pubic lice may be difficult to find because there may be only a few. Pubic lice often attach themselves to more than one hair and generally do not crawl as quickly as head and body lice.

If crawling lice are not seen, finding nits in the pubic area strongly suggests that a person is infested and should be treated. How does someone get crabs? What are the symptoms of crabs? How are crabs diagnosed? How are crabs treated? Recommended treatments for crabs include: Permethrin cream The cream can be applied to the affected area and washed off after 10 minutes. Permethrin is available over the counter. Should not be used for treatment of eyelashes or eyebrows.

Available only by prescription. Should not be used on broken skin. Pyrethrins with piperonyl butoxide This shampoo is applied to the affected area and washed off after 10 minutes. Available over the counter. For infested eyelids and eyebrows an ointment is available by prescription. What else can I do to get rid of crabs? Even after treatment, most nits or eggs will remain attached to the hair. Nits can be removed with fingernails or a fine-tooth comb. Wear clean clothing and sleep between freshly laundered bed linens after treatment.