Crabs Disease

Crabs disease is caused by pin-head sized insects named for their crab-like appearance. The medical term for crabs is pubic lice. However, crabs are not the same lice as the head lice that kids sometimes get in school.

Crabs disease is usually contracted during intimate contact, such as a sexual encounter. Crabs can also infect someone who comes in contact with the crabs in clothing, sheets or towels.

Most find out they have crabs because of the discomfort of intense itching in the pubic area. Crabs can also be found in the body hair of underarms or beards. The crabs deposit eggs that stay in the affected area before they hatch in about a week.

Crabs disease can be treated with an over the counter medication. Combing the hair will help to rid it of the eggs of the crabs. Lice combs are sold in drug stores. Also recommended is shaving the public hair from the genital area to reduce the places for the crabs and their eggs to hide.

You should see a doctor if you are pregnant or can’t get rid of the crabs with over the counter medication. One of the dangers of crabs is that you can get a skin infection from scratching which opens the skin tissue to bacteria. If you have redness, pus, or a fever, then you may have an infection that needs medical treatment.

Crabs is easy to spread to others, so sexual contact should be avoided until the pubic lice is eliminated. It is also important to share your crabs disease diagnosis with anyone with whom you have had intimate contact in recent weeks.