Pediculosis Pubis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Pediculosis pubis which is known as crabs, which is a common term for the lice found in human pubic hair and thus is known as pubic lice as well. This is a parasite who dwells on another organism to live, like in this case; it would be the human body which would be acting like a host for the pubic lice. The terms crabs come from the way these pubic lice look under the microscope. The public lice are visible through the naked eye as well. These might appear on hair on the other parts of the body as well like chest hair, beard etc. The life span of the female crabs would be shorter than the male and she lay eggs that hatche in 6-8 days. These eggs are at the base of the pubic hair.

The most obvious cause of catching crabs is while having sex with a person who is affected by the same. As this could spread with the contact of the affected part, this, sexual intercourse is not a criteria to judge that you are affected or not in case you had sex with a person having crabs. Crabs could be spread through using the towels, clothing or the bed sheet of the person affected by the same. The actual contact is required as these lice can’t fly or jump on a host. In no way can the pets be infected by the human lice and they don’t even play a role spreading the same.

In case, one fails to see crabs in the pubic area, the itching and burning sensation would let you know that you have crabs. The itching and the burning sensation would spread to the other parts of the body as these crabs duplicates, like in the armpit. Itching might not seem to be a big problem, but when it is due to crabs it could be the worst nightmare ever. Continuous itching and scratching would lead to skin to crack or to have injuries which can further lead to development of bacteria in the affected area, making the situation worse. As you realize that you are infected, you should not waste any more time but should go and see a doctor. Prolonging the misery would mean, further bacterial infection, hurting & injuring the skin more, pus filled bumps, burning sensation while urinating and fever.

The treatment of crabs is no rocket science. You can consult a doctor and get some prescribed medication or the same could be taken care of by using the counter medication as well. After the treatment, the person should be using the combs that are available in the market for lice, to get rid of the eggs that would be there at the root of the pubic hair. These are special combs, which could be ordered online or could be purchased from the local drug store. Trimming the pubic hair could be another way of taking care of the crabs’ eggs.