Dear NIA47,

Yes. Pubic lice, also known as crabs, can be spread by sex play and other intimate or close contact. They're also spread by contact with infected bedding, clothing, upholstered furniture, and toilet seats.

Pubic lice are very contagious. Having pubic lice can be very uncomfortable and itchy because they bite and suck the blood of the person who has them. But the good news is that pubic lice can be treated with relative ease.

Under the microscope, pubic lice look like tiny crabs. With the naked eye, they appear to be pale gray but get darker when swollen with blood. They attach themselves and their eggs to pubic hair, underarm hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows. Their eggs are white and are deposited in small clumps near the hair roots.

Every year, millions of people treat themselves for pubic lice.
Common symptoms of crabs include

• intense itching in the genitals or anus
• mild fever
• feeling run down
• irritability

Itching usually begins five days after people get pubic lice. Some people don't itch and don't know they have them. It's important to get treatment. So if you think you may have pubic lice, but aren't sure, you may need to go to a clinician.

The best way to treat pubic lice is to follow the directions on the package insert of an over-the-counter medication like A-200, RID, and InnoGel. Pregnant and breastfeeding women and infants, however, can't use these medications. They must use products designed especially for them, such as Eurax.

Whatever treatment is chosen, it may be necessary to repeat the treatment from head-to-toe. Everyone who may have been exposed to pubic lice should be treated at the same time.

It's also important to do a major washing — with really hot water — of all bedding, towels, and clothing that may have been exposed and get out the vacuum for some serious cleaning.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.