Pubic lice (also known as "crabs") are small insects which mainly attach to the pubic hair area but may move up to the chest hair, armpit hair and down the legs.
They cause lots of itching and you may notice the small crab like insects as black dots within the hairs or white eggs. Sometimes due to the itching, red lines appear.
We see less of these now as people are waxing and shaving.
We diagnosis this by looking and occasionally we may pick one of the insects off and look under the microscope at it - they are harmless.
Application of a lotion you can buy over the counter or get from the clinics - apply this to all infected areas of the body. The lotion has to be applied twice - a week apart.
Antihistamine tablets may help with itching.
Wash all clothes, towels and bedding at hottest temperature they will tolerate.
Sexual partners need treatment too.
Unfortunately we have a wave of sickness within our sexual health team, which includes Doctors, Nurses and Administrative staff. Due to this, some patients may have their appointments cancelled and moved to another day due to low capacity in the team. For STI screening, you can order an online kit via this link. We are hoping this disruption will be for a limited period of time. Thank you for your patience.
