crabs
what are crabs?
Crabs, also known as pubic lice, crab louse or fullers are little parasitic-sucking insects that infest the humans’ genitals causing itching and red spots. Crabs are the size of a pinhead and they can only live with another’s organism’s help, called the host. There are thousands of types of lice, some of which have developed an attraction to humans.The only other animal that can be affected by this insect is the gorilla. The term "crabs" comes from the microscopic appearance of the pubic louse. The pubic lice organisms are visible to the naked eye in affected areas and are about 2 mm long and gray-brown. Crabs can also affect other hair aeras on the body such as eyelashes, eyebrows, beards, moustaches as well as the hair on the back and abdomen. The female lifespan is shorter (three weeks), and she produces a few eggs per day. The eggs attach to the base of the pubic hair shaft for approximately six to eight days before hatching.
Life circle of crabs:
Crabs have 3 stages: egg, nymph and adult. One week after being laid, the egg hatches and a nymph gets out. Nymph have 3 stages of growth before reaching maturity and are very similar to adults in terms of look. For their part, adult requires human blood to survive and will die within 1 or 2 days if they don’t feed.
Life circle of crabs:
Crabs have 3 stages: egg, nymph and adult. One week after being laid, the egg hatches and a nymph gets out. Nymph have 3 stages of growth before reaching maturity and are very similar to adults in terms of look. For their part, adult requires human blood to survive and will die within 1 or 2 days if they don’t feed.
How are crabs transmitted?
Usually, crabs are transmitted through sexual contact, when the crabs move from one person’s pubic hair to the other. Even when there is no sexual penetration, crabs can be transmitted by hugging or kissing. Although it is rare, parents can sometimes transmit crabs to their children by the sharing of towels, clothing, bedding or closets. Another possible case of getting crabs is by sitting on an infested toilet seat.
what are the symptoms?
The first obvious symptoms of crabs is the itching that is caused by an allergic reaction to the bites that starts 5 days after the person gets crabs. Crabs can be seen on the touched area by looking closely. They are small white-gray parasites. Also, crab eggs or nits can be attached to the base of the hair. Moreover, dark spots, that are also result of the bites, can appear and stay in the infested area for many days.
If you are not sure of wither or not you have crabs, it is recommended to visit a health professional that will be in measure to examine you. The use of a microscope might be required.
If you are not sure of wither or not you have crabs, it is recommended to visit a health professional that will be in measure to examine you. The use of a microscope might be required.
is there a cure ?
They're are three kinds of treatment for crabs :
Even if treatments for crabs are efficient, the itching might still remain as a result of a skin irritation or allergic reaction. Use hydrocortisone cream to help stop the itching. Even after the treatment, it is possible that nits or eggs remain attached to the gair. They can be removed with fingernails or a fine-tooth comb. To prevent crabs to reappear, wear clean clothes and change the bed laundry after the treatments and decontaminate bed sheets and other laundry. Also, inform your sex partners that they can be treated. Although, for the treatment to be successful, you should not have sex until the treatment is over.
What should I do after the treatment?
First of all, it is important to know that even after the treatment, most of the eggs already laid in the pubic air will still be attached. Those nits can simply be removed with fingernails. The next step would be to sanitize your environment; in other words, wash everything at high temperature. Your sheets, clothes, bed linens and sleeping bags may still be infested, this is why it is very important to wash them in really hot water (above 55 Celsius degrees) and put them in the dryer for at least 20 minutes on a hot cycle. However, the furniture doesn’t requires any specific treatment. The last step, and surely the most difficult of them all is to call your sexual partners to warn them that they probably encountered crabs if you had a recent sexual encounter. Although it may not be an easy task, it is very important to warn them as soon as possible so they can be treated. Note that it is possible to pass crabs back and forth with a same sexual partner; this is why abstaining to have sexual encounters is strongly recommended during the time of the treatment.
- Permethrin cream: Apply cream and wash off after 10 minutes. This cream is available over any counter
- Lindane shampoo (Kwell®): This shampoo is applied and washed off after 4 minutes. It is available over prescription only but may cause central nervous system complications. This treatment should not be used on broken skin and on the following people: pregnant women, children under 2 years old and people with seizure disorders.
- Pyrethrins with piperonyl butoxide: Apply shampoo and wash off after 10 minutes. This shampoo is available over counter
Even if treatments for crabs are efficient, the itching might still remain as a result of a skin irritation or allergic reaction. Use hydrocortisone cream to help stop the itching. Even after the treatment, it is possible that nits or eggs remain attached to the gair. They can be removed with fingernails or a fine-tooth comb. To prevent crabs to reappear, wear clean clothes and change the bed laundry after the treatments and decontaminate bed sheets and other laundry. Also, inform your sex partners that they can be treated. Although, for the treatment to be successful, you should not have sex until the treatment is over.
What should I do after the treatment?
First of all, it is important to know that even after the treatment, most of the eggs already laid in the pubic air will still be attached. Those nits can simply be removed with fingernails. The next step would be to sanitize your environment; in other words, wash everything at high temperature. Your sheets, clothes, bed linens and sleeping bags may still be infested, this is why it is very important to wash them in really hot water (above 55 Celsius degrees) and put them in the dryer for at least 20 minutes on a hot cycle. However, the furniture doesn’t requires any specific treatment. The last step, and surely the most difficult of them all is to call your sexual partners to warn them that they probably encountered crabs if you had a recent sexual encounter. Although it may not be an easy task, it is very important to warn them as soon as possible so they can be treated. Note that it is possible to pass crabs back and forth with a same sexual partner; this is why abstaining to have sexual encounters is strongly recommended during the time of the treatment.
How to avoid having little friends down there?
Unlike
other STIs, crabs cannot be prevented by using latex condoms (this is not a
valuable reason to not use a latex condom for sexual encounters). Thus, the
best way to prevent crabs is abstinence… Since this is not a suitable
solutions for everyone, a good way to avoid crabs is by having sex only with
one clean and usual sexual partner that does the same as you.
Common questions asked about crabs?
Are
crabs dangerous for one’s life?
Crab are not known to be dangerous for the life of the individual contaminated. Their main problem is the discomfort that they cause, who wants to scratch their pubis all day? Although the crabs themselves aren’t dangerous, aggressive scratching may cause a secondary bacterial infection.
Crab are not known to be dangerous for the life of the individual contaminated. Their main problem is the discomfort that they cause, who wants to scratch their pubis all day? Although the crabs themselves aren’t dangerous, aggressive scratching may cause a secondary bacterial infection.
Did you know?
We estimate that there is approximately 3 million of crabs cases
declared every year in the US. In other timing period: 249 999 per month, 57 692
per week, 8 219 per day, 342 per hour, 5 per minute.