These are the consequences of sleeping with a…

Chapter 1: What Are Pubic Lice, and How Do They Spread?

The image accompanying this topic depicts insects attached to body hair. It is important to distinguish the visual from a confirmed diagnosis: a photograph alone cannot establish whether a person has pubic lice or another skin condition. However, the subject provides an opportunity to understand a real and treatable parasitic infestation.

Pubic lice, sometimes called crab lice, are tiny insects that live on coarse human body hair and feed on small amounts of blood. They most commonly affect hair around the genital area, but they can sometimes be found in other coarse-haired regions, including the armpits, chest, beard, eyebrows, or eyelashes.

Unlike head lice, pubic lice are usually associated with close physical contact. They can spread during sexual contact, when lice move from one person's body hair to another person's hair. Their presence does not indicate that someone is unclean, and anyone can become infested after exposure.

Intimate contact is a common route of transmission, but it is not the only consideration. In some circumstances, lice may spread through recently used clothing, towels, or bedding. This is considered less common than direct contact because pubic lice do not survive for long away from the human body.