Pubic lice

• Pubic lice (Phthirus pubis) are small parasites found in the pubic hair
• Some people have mild or no symptoms
• It can be treated with topical insecticide shampoos.

Pubic lice are usually spread by direct skin-to-skin contact (through sexual activity) and through contact with an infected person’s towels, bed linen and underwear.

While condoms are essential for safe sex they will not protect you from getting pubic lice.

If you get pubic lice, it’s a good idea for you and your most recent sexual partners to be tested for other sexually transmissible infections (STIs).

Some people have mild or no symptoms and may be unaware they have pubic lice.

Symptoms of pubic lice are:

• itching in your pubic area
• visible lice or eggs clinging to body hair
• a fine gritty debris from the lice is sometimes seen on the underwear.

Pubic lice are diagnosed by careful inspection of the affected area.

Your doctor can check for pubic lice and any other sexually transmitted infection (STI), provide a diagnosis and treatment.

Your doctor or pharmacist will prescribe topical insecticide lotions or shampoos. You will not need to shave your pubic hair.

The treatment should be reapplied again in a week to kill any newly hatched lice.

Your bed linen, towels and clothing must be thoroughly machine-washed and sterilised with detergent and hot water to ensure infestation does not spread.

Don’t have sex until the pubic lice have been treated.

• Avoid sharing bedding, towels or clothing with others
• Machine wash bedding, towels and clothes in a hot water cycle
• Talk with your sexual partners about what you can do together to have safe, pleasurable sex. Find out tips for talking about sexual health and safer sex (external site).