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Conditions

Phthirus Pubis

A tasty specimen of a pubic louse (Photo courtesy of CDC)

You can catch pubic lice through close body contact, such as during sex, because condoms – whilst offering effective protection from most STIs – cannot prevent infestations of lice (or ‘crabs’ as they’re otherwise known). Thankfully, the crabs we’re talking about aren’t sizeable crustaceans with nipping claws, but tiny grey-brown insects, about 2mm long, that live by sucking blood from the skin. You’ll find them living mainly in the places you’d expect, such as in the coarse hair of your pubes or around your anus, but they can also live on the abdomen and the back, in the armpits, on the head, and on eyelashes and eyebrows. If you now feel like hitting the shower and scrubbing yourself vigorously, I’m afraid it won’t wash the lice away. But if you suspect you’ve got a circus of lice in your underwear, then you should consult your GP, who may prescribe you an insecticidal lotion or cream to treat yourself with.

If you’re suffering from any of the conditions featured on this site and want to apply for an onscreen consultation with one of the EB team then you can find more details here >>

Remember that you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.

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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

Help!I am 13 and do not know if i have genital lice or possibly herpes. Although being young I am mid way through puberty and I have tiny red dots that are under my pubic hair.Is this normal?





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hi yh ive got somthing like that aswell but i have them around the crown of my penis and my testicals are realy itchy im also 13 is this just part of puberty or should i see my local gp

can u catch crabs off a bed





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if you discover you have crabs, & shave your pubes etc, will that get rid of them? because i had crabs a few months ago after losing my virginity, i panicked & whilst having a shower i shaved my pubes, and i haven't had them since? :)





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so ive just moved back from uni, sorting out all my clothes and come across a pair of knickers i havent worn in at least 5 months then i see what im guessing is a crab, but i dont get how that is possible? i researched and crabs die after 2 days of not being attached to a human, i then looked at other pairs of knickers and found 2 in another pair i havent worn in months. They were a light browny whitey kinda colour very small with, i think 6 legs, but as far as i can see i dont have any down there :/ any ideas if it was crabs or not?





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You might have them and what your seeing might be older bodies that have since died, did anyone at uni borrow any of your clothing/Underwear? You should go to a chemist and ask for Derbac M, its fairly simple to treat yourself and better to be safe than sorry. Even if you do smell a bit like baby powder for a day

Hi I recently discovered I had crabs, I used a lotion and the itching stopped and when I checked I couldnt see anymore 'crabs' down there. That was just over 2 weeks ago and i havent had sexual contact with anyonce since I used the lotion but I noticed today that there are a few back again is this normal? It says on the lotion you may need to treat again after 7 days to kill any eggs from the first time round, but its been over 2 weeks since i done that and have had no problems since.





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Can you just have pubic lice or do you HAVE to have sex to get them?





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I get really itchy when i trim my pubic hair (im male) is this normal? :) x





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im a 16 year old girl and itchy down below but i havent had sexual intercourse im still a virgin and keep that area clean and shaved why does it itch





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it maybe a shaveing rash am 24 and every time i shave i get a rash and itch like made i even get ingrowing hairs which are hairs that grow under the skin and look like spots. or if your have cream discharge it could be thursh which can be cause thew tight pants or wearing pads this can be treated with cream from your gp or by over the counter if your to emarred to go buy it your self you can get it online from boots and have it delved x

Can crabs be caught by anything other than sexual contact? I hadnt had sex in 4 months and when I was on holiday, they just appeared out of nowhere!???





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ive had this same problem. and all i could think of is clothing contamination. where some of your cloths has come incontact with anothers who has crabs.

recently my vagina has been very itchy, i think it could possibly be crabs and i have been keeping it clean but lately it has become very itchy, sore, red and irratating, i am too embarrassed to go see a doctor and to tell anyone, i have read facts all about it and its making me panic, it seems like not only is my vagina itching but other areas around it and my hair, i read that they could get into your head hair aswell, i feel really dirty and despearately want HELP!!!





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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