What do crabs feel like? Your pubic lice questions answered

Whatever symptoms you may be experiencing, it can be super stressful when something doesn’t feel quite right in our genital area. 

If you think it could be public lice (also known as crabs), know that you should be able to treat them quickly and that they’re nothing to be embarrassed about. 

Understanding what pubic lice look and feel like is the first step to resolving the issue, so let’s find out more from a Flo expert.

Key takeaways

• Pubic lice (aka crabs) are tiny insects that live in areas where you have coarse body hair, including your genitals, armpits, face, chest, eyelashes, or eyebrows.
• Public lice can feel like severe itching and irritated skin. You may also spot the lice, which look like tiny crabs, or their white eggs.
• You can get treatment for crabs from a pharmacy, but it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor first so they can confirm you have pubic lice. 

What are crabs?

Crabs are tiny insects that usually live in the hair around your pubic area (they’re a whole different species of louse than the kind you can get on your head). 

This can sound alarming, but pubic lice are actually very common — impacting 3 million people in the United States every year. They are often lumped together with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but crabs won’t make you sick and are not actually an infection or a disease.

What do crabs feel like?

The symptoms of pubic lice can be very annoying and unpleasant, so if you have any of the below, make sure you go easy on yourself (and book a checkup with your doctor or at your nearest sexual health clinic): 

• Severe itching in areas with pubic hair or other areas of the body where the hair is coarse, like the armpits, face, chest, eyelashes, or eyebrows, which can often be worse at night 
• Irritated skin from bites

What is the most common symptom of crabs?

“The most common symptom is extreme itching of the genitals,” says Dr. Sara Twogood, obstetrician and gynecologist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group, California, US. 

“The crabs are so small that you don’t feel like something is ‘crawling,’ but you can tell they are there,” says Dr. Twogood. “The itching is usually from a reaction to their saliva and not the crabs moving themselves.”

What do pubic crabs look like?

Pubic lice often look like tiny crabs (hence the nickname). [2] They start out as yellow, white, or pearly-colored eggs (called nits) that attach to the roots of pubic hair. After hatching, they become adolescent nymphs before maturing into fully grown lice over a period of two to three weeks. To help you spot them, an adult louse: 

• Measures up to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.) 
• Has six legs, with the front two resembling a crab’s pincers 
• Will be a tan or grayish-white color 

“You can often visually see pubic lice,” says Dr. Twogood. “They can look like tiny little bugs in the pubic hair area, although sometimes they can be so small they can only be seen with a microscope. The nits look like tiny white balls.”  

As well as the lice and eggs, you may also spot black lice droppings in your underwear. And if your eyelashes are affected by pubic lice, they might be crusty or sticky. It can be horrible to experience symptoms like these. Try to remember that crabs are very common, and catching them is nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, they’re easily treatable with lotions available over the counter.

What do crab bites look like?

Much like other common insects like mosquitoes or certain flies, pubic lice feed on blood by making tiny bites on your skin. Signs of their bites include: 

• Skin that’s bloody or red 
• Pale blue spots on your thighs, bottom, and lower belly

How do people get crabs?

The main way people get crabs is through sex, which is why the condition is often considered an STI. The lice can’t jump or fly, but they can climb from one person to another during close body contact. It’s also possible to get crabs from sharing clothes, bedding, or towels with someone who has crabs, although it’s rare. Pubic lice will live for just 72 hours when away from the body. 

There are things you can do to help prevent catching or spreading pubic lice, such as:  

• Not having sex or close body contact with someone who has crabs 
• Getting treatment if either you or any sexual partners have pubic lice, and then not having sex until the treatment is finished and the crabs are gone 
• Avoiding sharing clothes or towels 
• Washing clothing, bedding, and towels in hot water
• Avoiding trying on bathing suits when you’re shopping or keeping your underwear on if you do 

More generally, it’s good to keep in mind that practicing safe sex by using a condom and getting regular sexual health checkups will help protect you from catching other types of STIs.

Can you have crabs if you shave?

This is a good question, as no pubic hair equals no pubic lice, right? The reality is it depends on your method of hair removal if you use one. 

So, do crabs go away if you wax? “Pubic lice eggs are laid at the base of the hair,” says Dr. Twogood. “So a person with a ‘Hollywood’ wax (no pubic hair at all remaining) is less likely to get crabs because the eggs have nowhere to thrive.”  

However, shaving does not have the same effect. While you may be less likely to get crabs if you shave, you can still catch them, as shaving doesn’t completely remove the hair from the root.

Can you get crabs from a toilet seat?

That’s another great question, and rest assured, you can’t get pubic lice from a toilet seat, according to Dr. Twogood. “It is possible to catch them by sharing a towel or linens with someone who has them,” she adds. “However, sexual activity and direct contact with the pubic area of a person who has crabs is by far the most common way they are spread.”

How do you get rid of crabs?

“Crabs are treated with topical medications that are available over the counter,” says Dr. Twogood. “You do not need a doctor’s prescription to treat them. However, if someone has one STI, it is a good idea to be screened for all STIs — that is a reason for a doctor visit.”  

These over-the-counter medicines include lice-killing lotions or mousses, which you need to apply generously to any areas where you’ve spotted the crabs. Whichever treatment you go for, as always, make sure you read the instructions carefully before getting started. 

After removing the treatment, most of the lice eggs will still be attached to the roots of your pubic hair. You can try pulling them out with your fingernails or a comb. Make sure you wear clean underwear afterward and machine wash any dirty clothes, towels, and bedding at a temperature of at least 55°C (130°F). 

You may need to repeat the treatment in nine to 10 days to get rid of the lice completely. Hopefully, that’ll do the trick, but in some cases, over-the-counter treatments might not work. In other cases, you may not be able to use the medicines for a medical reason (for example, if you’re pregnant). Don’t worry if either of these scenarios is the case, as your health care provider will be able to prescribe you an alternative medicine. 

Once again, it’s important to avoid having sex until you and any sexual partners have gotten rid of all the pubic lice. You should also tell anyone else you’ve slept with in the previous months that there’s a chance they could have crabs, too. It can take a lot of courage to talk about STIs, but remember they are extremely common and nothing to feel embarrassed about. It can help to approach these conversations without judgment or blame (either toward your partner or yourself). We’ve rounded up some tips to help you have the conversation right here.

Can you check yourself for crabs?

Yes, you can check yourself for pubic lice, although they may be hard to spot by using a mirror or taking a picture with your phone. If you think you have crabs, you should visit your health care provider, even if you can’t see the lice yourself. At your appointment, a nurse or doctor may use a comb or magnifying glass to help spot the lice more easily. 

Do crabs go away on their own?

Unfortunately, pubic lice won’t go away without treatment, so it’s a good idea to start taking action ASAP. “The female crabs usually just continue to lay eggs, causing more crabs to hatch, until the infection is treated,” explains Dr. Twogood.

Next steps if you’re worried about crabs

If you’ve spotted any of the telltale signs of pubic lice, from itching to tiny red or blue bites on your skin, try not to panic. As upsetting as the symptoms can be, it’s possible to get rid of them and feel better quickly. While you can get treatments over the counter, it’s often worth having a chat with your doctor anyway in case you’re in any doubt about what’s causing your symptoms. They’ll also be able to talk to you about getting tested for other types of STIs, just in case. 

And finally, we’ll say it one more time as it’s so important: There is nothing to be ashamed of about having crabs or any STI. More than half of Americans will catch an STI during their lifetimes, so you’re not alone. Try not to think that you’ve done something “wrong.” Instead, make sure you get the support you deserve and be kind to yourself as you recover.