Patient's question:
Over the past two weeks, I've noticed patches of reddish or yellowish hemp spots sticking to my underwear. Accompanied by itching at the base of my pubic hair, I later found things that looked like round scabs that could move when scraped off, as well as lice eggs. Is this scabies? Both my girlfriend and I are cleanliness-conscious people, and we shower every day. I also have no history of unclean sexual activity, so I don't know how these things got here?What methods can be used to cure this? Can the method of burning vinegar eliminate these things hidden in other corners of the house!!!
Doctor's answer:
Hello:You have crabs. Crab lice is a contagious parasitic disease caused by the bites of pubic lice, which primarily infest human pubic hair and surrounding body hair, leading to itching. Pubic lice are a type of louse that lays eggs at the base of pubic hair. Adult lice are sesame-sized. When they pierce the skin with their beak to suck blood, they not only bite the skin but also inject toxic saliva into the body. They also excrete feces while sucking blood, which causes itching and inflammatory reactions in the pubic area. Like other louse diseases, pubic lice can also spread diseases such as relapsing fever and typhus.
Crab lice are more common in people with poor hygiene and crowded living conditions. They are typically spread through sexual contact, often affecting both partners, so crab lice are also considered a sexually transmitted disease. Additionally, they can be transmitted indirectly through underwear, mattresses, or sit-down toilets. In recent years, cases of infection through riding horses while wearing shorts have also been reported. However, in general, humans are the primary hosts of pubic lice, not animals.
Although pubic lice primarily infest the pubic area and surrounding body hair, they occasionally infest armpit hair, eyebrows, or eyelashes. They often cling to the skin surface and may firmly grip pubic hair with their crab-like claws, while their eggs are securely attached to the hair. After being bitten by pubic lice, red papules may appear above the skin, causing itching. Scratching can lead to secondary conditions such as eczema or folliculitis. Some patients may also notice bluish or pale bluish spots on the inner thighs or torso, ranging in size from peas to fingernails, which are painless and do not fade when pressed. This is due to the minor bleeding on the skin caused by the lice while sucking blood.