What is it?
You might remember head lice from elementary school. Well, crabs are body lice that live mostly in the pubic hair and occasionally in the hair of the armpits, eyelashes and eyebrows. You can catch them by physical contact with someone who has them or from bedding or clothes that an infected person used.
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Symptoms & Effects
The main symptom of crabs is an intense itching. You might also notice small black spots or bloodstains on your underwear. Although tiny, you can see crabs without a microscope. You can also feel eggs, like little lumps, at the base of hairs.
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Treatment
To cure crabs, get a prescription lotion or shampoo from your health care provider. You can also get lotions without a prescription at the drugstore called RID, R & C shampoo, A200 or NIX. Just follow the instructions exactly.
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Protection
Tell your partner to get treatment also, and don't have sex until both of you are cured. You should also tell anyone you've had close contact with or exchanged clothes to look for signs of crabs.

After treatment, use clean clothes and clean bedding. Crabs will die within 24 hours after leaving the human body, but the eggs can live 6 days. You can put all infested towels, bedding, and clothes in large plastic trash bags and store them for a week. Or you can wash things in hot water and they will be OK to use right away.
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