Pubic Lice

Learn about pubic lice and find information on symptoms, testing, and more.

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Public lice, sometimes called crab lice or "crabs” are parasitic insects found in the pubic or genital area. You can cure pubic lice by completing treatment as prescribed.

Contact the Mayor’s Health Line for free, confidential, multilingual health information and referral services at 617-534-5050. The Mayor’s Health Line helps all residents regardless of immigration status or gender identity.

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How to Prevent Pubic Lice

Pubic lice usually spread through sexual contact and are most common in adults. Pubic lice may also spread from close personal contact or contact with an affected persons clothing, bed linens, or towels. Pubic lice cannot live away from a warm human body for long. Pubic lice cannot spread by sitting on a toilet seat. To help prevent pubic lice:

Use a new barrier method every time (like a condom or dental dam) for each sexual act, partner, and when switching between oral, anal, or vaginal sex.
- Condoms made from “natural” materials (such as lambskin) can help prevent pregnancy, but they do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For STI protection, use latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene condoms. Check the product label to confirm what type of condom you’re using.
Talk with your partner(s) about your and their STI status and about getting tested.
Get tested regularly: Getting tested and knowing your status is important to stop the spread and get treatment if needed.
Practice good hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, follow cleaning instructions for toys and check for damage, and use condoms on toys.
Understand that having sex while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol can increase the likelihood of unprotected sex.

Testing

Testing for pubic lice usually involves a simple visual examination by a healthcare provider to look for lice or eggs in the hair. Adult or nymph pubic lice are visible and often attach themselves to more than one hair. They generally do not crawl as quickly as head and body lice. Pubic lice nits or eggs found in the pubic area suggest that treatment is needed. Pubic lice and nits are large enough to see with the naked eye, a magnifying lens may be necessary to find lice or eggs.

If trying to get pregnant or are currently pregnant, talk to a healthcare provider about getting tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Free or low cost and confidential testing is available in clinics throughout Boston.

Learn More

If you don't have health insurance or don't want to use your health insurance, you can still get tested. Call your healthcare provider to confirm the schedule. Find additional information and locations.
If you are a Boston Public High School student, your school may have a School-Based Health Center or Health Resource Center. According to Massachusetts State Law, if you are 13 or older you can get a confidential STI test without your parents' permission.

Treatment

You can treat pubic lice using special shampoos and creams which may be available at your local drugstore. Talk with a healthcare provider for treatment options and to discuss which products are best for you. Make sure your partner also gets treated at the same time to prevent getting scabies or pubic lice again.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of pubic lice include:

Itching in the genital area
Visible nits (lice eggs) or crawling lice

Frequently Asked Questions

What do pubic lice look like?

Pubic lice have three forms: the egg (also called a nit), the nymph, and the adult.

Nit: Nits are pubic lice eggs. They can be hard to see and attach firmly to body hair such as pubic hairs. They are oval and usually yellow to white. Pubic lice nits take about 6-10 days to hatch.
Nymph: Nymphs are immature pubic lice that hatch from the nits (eggs). Nymphs look like an adult pubic lice but they are smaller in size. Pubic lice nymphs take about 2-3 weeks after hatching to mature into adults capable of reproducing. Nymphs survive on blood by biting.
Adult: Adult pubic lice are tan to grayish-white in color and look like miniature crabs. Pubic lice have six legs; the two front legs are very large and look like the pincher claws of a crab. Females lay nits and are usually larger than males. Pubic lice must feed on blood to survive. If pubic lice fall off a person, it dies within 1-2 days.