Pubic lice are highly contagious, so individuals showing signs of infestation should avoid close contact with partners during treatment or use condoms during sexual activity.
What Are Pubic Lice?
Pubic lice, also known as crab lice or pubic crabs, are a species of wingless blood-sucking insects that live and reproduce in the human pubic hair region, specifically in the pubic area. These lice are very small, measuring about 0.8-1.2 mm. They can be found in the genital area of both males and females, but they can also spread to other coarse-haired areas of the body, including the legs, chest, armpits, beard or mustache, eyelashes, or eyebrows (more commonly seen in children) and are rarely found in scalp hair.
While pubic lice do not cause serious health issues, they can significantly affect the quality of life. About 5-6 days after infestation, individuals begin to experience itching and discomfort in the genital area. The itching often becomes more severe at night, impacting the patient’s sleep quality. Additionally, patients may experience mild fever and fatigue. In some cases, bluish spots have been observed on the pubic skin, which are the sites where the lice bite and feed on the host’s blood.
Detecting Pubic Lice on the Human Body
Mr. Tran Dinh H. (male, 19 years old, from Tay Ho District, Hanoi) is one of the victims of these lice. For three consecutive weeks, he experienced itching in the “private area” and even brought two small lice in a glass jar to his doctor’s appointment. After examination, doctors from the Institute of Malariology, Parasitology, and Entomology confirmed that the two insects were indeed pubic lice.
In another case, Mr. Nguyen Van T. (45 years old, from Ha Dong District, Hanoi) sought treatment after shaving all his pubic hair but still suffered from persistent itching and scratching at night. He even transmitted the infestation to his wife. Mr. T. also caught two lice and brought them to the doctor.
Pubic lice are not only parasites in adults; they can also infest children. This was the case of a child, T.V.A (5 years old, from Chuong My, Hanoi), who was admitted to the hospital with one eyelid infested by lice, causing pain and discomfort. The lice were tightly attached to the eyelashes, making the edge of the child’s eyelid swollen. “On just one eyelid, the child’s mother caught nearly 20 pubic lice!”
Pubic lice typically live in hidden, dark, and moist areas, such as in pubic hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and even scalp hair. (Illustrative image)
Blood-Sucking Insects
According to Dr. Dang Van Nguyen from the Center for Health Education and Communication, pubic lice, scientifically named Pthirus pubis, are a type of insect that primarily parasitizes and causes disease in humans. They usually inhabit hidden, dark, and moist areas, such as pubic hair, eyelashes, eyebrows, and even scalp hair. This species of insect has a rapid egg-laying rate after infesting a host. They lack wings, have a crab-like shape with a pale body that resembles human skin color, and these lice can change color. These insects typically parasitize and feed on human blood multiple times a day, often leaving dark bruises and hardened marks behind.
Individuals bitten by these insects often experience constant itching or severe itching episodes, leading to the appearance of small gray or black spots in hairy areas, especially in the pubic region, scalp hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Pubic lice embed deeply in hair follicles, making it difficult for individuals to detect them when itching, as they may attribute it to other skin conditions.
Severe itching can lead individuals to scratch forcefully, causing abrasions and skin damage, which may result in skin inflammation, folliculitis, pimples, pus, and dermatitis. In more severe cases, individuals may experience fever and general weakness, resulting in frequent fatigue. If not treated promptly, pubic lice can spread to many other areas of the body and can be transmitted from person to person through sexual contact. This condition not only causes inconvenience and affects daily activities but also increases the risk of other related diseases, such as skin infections and genital diseases, leading to serious consequences for the body and threatening reproductive health.
An image of a pubic louse. (Illustrative image)
Prevention Through Healthy Living
According to Dr. Nguyen, pubic lice spread from person to person, often through intermediary objects such as clothing, bedding, and even bed sheets in dormitories and hotels, where pubic lice can hide. If an individual infested with these parasites sleeps or engages in sexual contact with others, there is a high risk of spreading the lice.
If infested with pubic lice, you need to treat it with DEP to eliminate the lice. This can be done by soaking cotton in kerosene (also known as lamp oil) and applying it to the entire area with pubic lice, leaving it for 30 minutes. This will kill the lice and their eggs, and then rinse with clean water.
It is particularly important not to share clothing, especially underwear, with individuals who are infested.
Maintain personal hygiene, especially in areas where pubic lice typically reside in the “private area.”
It is advisable to spray and disinfect bedding, blankets, and mattresses with Pyrethrin to keep the living environment clean.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), topical medications containing 1% permethrin or pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide can be used. Avoid using lindane-based shampoos at the outset, as they are toxic to the brain and other parts of the central nervous system. This should only be used if other treatments fail, but be cautious with children. Interestingly, in Western countries, pubic lice are facing extinction due to the trend of pubic hair removal.
Therefore, if you experience itching or dermatitis in hairy areas of your body, it is advisable to seek medical attention to determine whether the cause is pubic lice.
