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Pubic lice: what they are, how you get them and how to treat them

Pubic lice are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. 

Cahoot Care Marketing

Niched in the care sector, Cahoot Care Marketing offers a full range of marketing services for care businesses including: SEO, social media, websites and video marketing, specialising in copywriting and content marketing.

 

Over the last five years Cahoot Care Marketing has built an experienced team of writers and editors, with broad and deep expertise on a range of care topics. They provide a responsive, efficient and comprehensive service, ensuring content is on brand and in line with relevant medical guidelines.

 

Their writers and editors include care sector workers, healthcare copywriting specialists and NHS trainers, who thoroughly research all topics using reputable sources including the NHS, NICE, relevant Royal Colleges and medical associations.

 

The Spire Content Hub project was managed by:

 

Lux Fatimathas, Editor and Project Manager

Lux has a BSc(Hons) in Neuroscience from UCL, a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and experience as a postdoctoral researcher in developmental biology. She has a clear and extensive understanding of the biological and medical sciences. Having worked in scientific publishing for BioMed Central and as a writer for the UK’s Medical Research Council and the National University of Singapore, she is able to clearly communicate complex concepts.

 

Catriona Shaw, Lead Editor

Catriona has an English degree from the University of Southampton and more than 12 years’ experience copy editing across a range of complex topics. She works with a diverse team of writers to create clear and compelling copy to educate and inform.

 

Alfie Jones, Director — Cahoot Care Marketing

Alfie has a creative writing degree from UCF and initially worked as a carer before supporting his family’s care training business with copywriting and general marketing. He has worked in content marketing and the care sector for over 10 years and overseen a diverse range of care content projects, building a strong team of specialist writers and marketing creatives after founding Cahoot in 2016.

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26 August 2026

Pubic lice are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK. 

Unlike other STIs like gonorrhea and chlamydia, they do not pose a risk to your fertility. They are not a disease; instead, they’re an infection of tiny insects. While they don’t carry diseases, they can cause significant discomfort due to itchy skin and increase your risk of a bacterial infection from scratching.

Here, we’ll explore the symptoms of pubic lice, as well as how to treat and prevent pubic lice infections.

What are pubic lice?

Pubic lice are parasitic insects. They grow to about the size of a pinhead and infect coarse hair, for example, hair around the penis and vagina. They can also infect chest, armpit and facial hair, as well as the eyelashes and eyebrows. 

They are commonly known as crabs because they look like tiny crabs when looked at under a microscope.

Are pubic lice the same as head lice?

Pubic lice are not the same as head lice. Both head lice and pubic lice are parasitic insects, but they belong to different families. Pubic lice do not infect the hair on your head, while head lice do not infect your pubic hair. 

How do you get pubic lice?

Pubic lice cannot fly or jump. They can only be spread through very close contact, such as during sexual intercourse or other intimate activity. 

They feed off blood and only leave the body to infect another person by crawling from one hair to another. Less commonly, they can be spread through sharing bedding, linen, towels, clothing and hygiene products (eg razors). 

As pubic lice live on pubic hair, condoms and other forms of contraception do not prevent infection.

Pubic lice symptoms

The main symptom of pubic lice is itchiness that’s worse at night. Once you’ve become infected, it usually takes around 1–3 weeks for symptoms to appear. If you break your skin when scratching, it’s also possible to get a bacterial infection through the broken skin.

Another common symptom of pubic lice is small, round red or blue spots on the skin. These are lice bites. 

You may also notice small, oval dots near the base of your pubic hairs. These are pubic lice eggs, also called nits, and are usually white, yellow or pearl-coloured. Eggs take 6–10 days to hatch.

Finally, you may notice small brown or red specks in your underwear. These are lice droppings (faeces). 

Getting a diagnosis of pubic lice

If you notice any of the above symptoms, see your GP or visit your local sexual health clinic for sexual health testing. 

There’s no test for pubic lice. Instead, a nurse or doctor will closely examine the affected area to look for pubic lice. They may use a lice comb and a magnifying glass to help find the lice and nits. 

If pubic lice are detected, they’ll recommend that you’re also tested for other STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

How to treat pubic lice

Pubic lice are treated with creams or lotions such as malathion lotion or permethrin cream. These can be bought over-the-counter from your local pharmacy, which means you don’t need a confirmed diagnosis to start treatment. 

The cream or lotion needs to be applied to the whole body, excluding areas near the eyes, and paying particular attention to areas with coarse hair. The cream or lotion should be left on for around 12 hours to dry. Then, it can be washed off. This treatment should be repeated 7 days later. 

If your GP or sexual health clinic prescribes one of these treatments, they may ask you to return for an examination after you have completed treatment to make sure it worked. If not, you should check your body yourself for signs of any lice. 

Some pubic lice are resistant to standard treatments. This means the lice don’t die when the treatment is applied. In these cases, you’ll be given another cream or lotion to try. 

If pubic lice have infected your eyelashes or eyebrows, you won’t be able to use the same creams or lotions that are used for the rest of your body. Instead, you’ll be prescribed an eye ointment to apply twice a day for 8–10 days. 

Your sexual partners should also be treated, and you shouldn’t have sex or any intimate contact until you have completed your treatment. 

Preventing pubic lice and their spread

The most effective way to reduce your risk of becoming infected with pubic lice is to reduce the number of sexual partners you have. 

If you become infected, you should avoid sex and any intimate contact until you’ve finished your treatment. It’s also important to avoid sharing bedding, linen, towels, clothing and hygiene products (eg razors). 

Wash any clothing, bedding or linen at least 50℃ and place them in a sealed bag for 2 weeks to ensure any surviving pubic lice die. Alternatively, after washing them at 50℃, get these items dry cleaned.

You can also vacuum your mattress to remove any remaining pubic lice. 

Related symptoms and conditions

Chlamydia

Itchy skin

Related treatments

Sexual health testing