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What are
crabs, or pubic lice?
Crabs
are tiny
little blood-sucking
bugs (lice)
that live
in pubic
hair and
cause a lot
of itching.
Lice that
live in the
hair are
not pubic
(pubic hair
is the hair
on the front
of your genital
area or the
crotch) lice
they are
head lice.
Crabs have
three stages
of life:
egg, nit
and louse
(just one).
The nits
hatch within
five to 10
days after
they are
laid.
How
do I get
crabs?
- You
get
crabs
by
touching
or
just
being
close
to
someone
who
already
has
them.
- Even if you don't have sex, you
can get crabs or give them to someone else.
- These little bugs can literally
jump from one person's pubic hair to another's when they
are having sex.
- You can get them by sleeping in
a bed, wearing clothes or even from sitting on a toilet
seat that the crabs live on.
- Usually, crabs live in the pubic
hair, but lice can also be in armpits, or mustaches.
- Little kids usually get them on
the eye brows or eye lashes.
What do crabs
do to my body?
- Usually
a lot
of
itching
because
of
the
lice
bites.
- Dark or bluish spots appear where
you were bitten and last for several days.
Is there a
cure for crabs?
- You
can
treat
crabs
by
putting
a liquid
medicine
directly
on
your
pubic
hair.
- You can get a prescription from
your doctor.
- You can buy treatments in the
store too.
- After the treatment, use a small
comb to take out the lice and the eggs.
- Make sure you wash and dry your
clothes, bedding, towels, etc. with hot water to kill
crabs and their eggs.
How
do I find out if I have crabs?
You
can go
to your
doctor's
office
and let
him or
her check
you to
see if
you have
crabs.
How
can I reduce
my risk
of getting
crabs?
-
Talk
to Your Partner
Ask
the person
you are having
sex with
if he or
she has crabs
or if they
had sex with
someone who
had crabs.
If they have
had sex with
someone who
had crabs,
they will
need to be
treated.
Also, tell
your partner
if you have
crabs.
- Limit the Number of Partners You Have
If
you are
going
to have
sex,
have
it with
just
one person
and ask
about
his or
her sexual
history.
The fewer
people
you have
sex with
the safer
you will
be.
- Don't Have Sex
Do
not have
sex with
someone
who has
crabs,
by doing
so you
can protect
yourself
from
getting
crabs.
If they
will
not tell
you they
have
crabs,
look
and see
for yourself.
- Protect Yourself
Using
latex
condoms
does
not provide
effective
protection
against
crabs,
but condom
use is
effective
in preventing
other
STIs.
Where can I learn more about crabs?
To learn more about crabs and other STIs call:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
800-232-4636
Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Information is available in Spanish as well
For Information for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing call
1-888-232-6348
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