What you can do about crab lice
There is a choice of treatment. In the UK, you can buy 0.5% malathion lotion without prescription from the pharmacy (for example, Prioderm, Derbac-M or Quellada-M). Prioderm contains alcohol, which can irritate the skin of the scrotum and any scratched areas. Derbac-M or Quellada-M are preferable because they do not contain alcohol.
A single application of either lotion is probably enough, but some specialists advise another application after 7 days to eliminate any newly hatched lice. Apply the lotion to the whole body from the neck down, even if you think only the pubic area is affected. A paintbrush is the best method. To be on the safe side, change underclothes and bedlinen after treatment.
Do not treat yourself, but go to a doctor, if:
- you are pregnant
- you think you have crabs on your eyelashes or eyebrows; do not try and treat these yourself with lotion.
What your doctor can do
You can see your family doctor or go to a genitourinary medicine clinic. The advantage of the clinic is that the staff are expert crab spotters who will be able to confirm that your diagnosis is correct. Also, you can have tests to check you have not picked up any other infection at the same time, and the treatment will probably be free.
Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated:
Saturday, February 13th 2010
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What you can do about crab lice
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