Nits are very hard to see, but you can find them attached to your body hair. They take 6-10 days to hatch. Nymphs take 2-3 weeks to fully mature into adults and reproduce. Both nymphs and adult lice need blood in order to survive. Nymphs and adult lice may feed up to 5 times a day. If they fall off you, nymphs and adult lice will die in 1-2 days.
Once people’s pubic regions are close to each other, lice can easily move from one person’s hairs to another individual’s hairs. Other forms of close contact can spread pubic lice. For example, if someone kisses you, pubic lice on their eyelashes can move onto the hair on your face. Quick forms of contact, like a handshake, won’t spread pubic lice because they aren’t close and prolonged enough to expose anyone to crabs.
This way of spreading pubic lice is less common than sexual activity. Pubic lice are highly unlikely to survive on smooth surfaces, like toilet seats. They usually slip off because they can’t hang onto them. [4] X Research source
Sometimes, you’ll have skin lesions that fill with pus from a bacterial infection. They do not, however, transmit any diseases. In some rare cases, you may find pubic lice in your eyebrows and eyelashes. This can cause itching, red eyes, and inflamed eyelids. While it’s not common, pubic lice may also infect your armpit region, so you may experience itchiness and inflammation there, too.
1% permethrin prevents lice from absorbing the sodium in blood, which they need to survive. If they can’t access it, then they’ll become paralyzed and die. [6] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source When lice absorb pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, their nervous systems are destroyed, leading to death. [7] X Trustworthy Source National Pesticide Information Center Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides Go to source
It will be easier to thoroughly apply the treatment over the infested region when the skin is cool, clean and dry. Do not shave during this step, as live lice can just crawl to another area with body hair. Once you’ve dried off, immediately throw the towel into the washing machine. Use hot 140 °F (60 °C) water to kill off any nits or lice. [9] X Research source
When you follow the package instructions carefully, you’ll get the most benefits out of the lice-killing product.
Be sure to separate the towels you used from your other clothes and linens. Wash the towels separately to avoid cross-contamination. If you find nits at the base of the hair, you can just remove them using your fingernails or a fine toothed comb.
When you’re done, sterilize the comb by washing it with hot, soapy water. Rinse the pubic area to remove dead lice or nits. You can also use clean tweezers to carefully pluck away the nits. This will prevent them from hatching, causing another outbreak of pubic lice a few weeks later. After you’ve completed all nit-removing steps, you can shave in order to get rid of any remaining nits. [14] X Research source
Don’t use the regular lice shampoos near your eyes. Instead, use any medication your doctor prescribes or you pluck the lice using tweezers.
After you’ve washed them, put them in the dryer and select the high heat drying cycle. This cautionary measure will prevent any nits or lice from surviving.
Keep the bag on an empty shelf, in a storage shed, or in your garage. 14 days is enough time for nits to hatch into nymphs—when you wait 2 weeks, both recently hatched nymphs and adult lice will die in the storage bag since they didn’t have access to blood.
As an extra precaution, test for all the STIs you can, including syphilis and HIV. After you get tested, follow up with a medical professional after 3 months to check in about your sexual health status. They can also examine you to see if you’re still infested with pubic lice.
Remember that it’s responsible to share your sexual health status and is a normal part of being sexually active.
A second treatment after 9-10 days allows you to kill any live lice that just hatched before they can lay eggs. Some products only kill live lice, not the nits, which means you’ll need to retreat the area once the nits hatch.
Severe redness due to itching Pus formation from a secondary bacterial infection Red and itchy eyes
