About Crabs — SH.UK

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What are crabs?

Crabs are also called pubic lice. They are tiny insects that live in pubic hair (the hair around the genitals) and other body hair.
Crabs can cause itching and irritation.
They are most usually passed on through sexual activity.
You can get crabs even if you don’t have pubic hair, as they can live in other body hair too.
Anyone can get crabs – they are nothing to do with not washing enough.
Crabs are easy to cure with treatment from a pharmacy, GP or sexual health clinic.

What do crabs look like?

They look a bit like tiny crabs, with 6 legs. They are usually a yellowish or brownish-grey colour.

They can be hard to see, as they are only 1-2 millimetres long.

They usually keep still in light, but some people with crabs may be able to see them moving. Most of the time they hang on to the pubic hairs at skin level so they might just look like a small freckle or spot.

They are different from head lice and don’t live in the hair on your scalp.

What are the symptoms of crabs?

Some people have crabs without noticing anything wrong.

One of the most common symptoms is itching in the affected area. This is usually worse at night.

Some people may be able to see the crabs or their eggs. They can be found in pubic hair and may also be in hair on the body or face, including the eyelashes.

Other symptoms or signs you may notice include:

Red or blue spots on your skin (lice bites).
Tiny spots of blood on your skin or in underwear (from bites).
White or yellow/brown dots attached to your hairs (lice eggs).
Dark red or brown spots or black powder in your underwear (lice poo).

Crabs in women

In women or anyone with a vagina, crabs can live in the pubic hair around the vulva and anus as well as any hair on the body or face.

Crabs in men

In men or anyone with a penis, crabs can live in the pubic hair around the penis and anus as well as any hair on the body or face.

Crabs tests and check-ups

There is no test for crabs. If you’re sure you have them, you can buy treatment from a pharmacy without seeing a doctor or nurse.

If you think you may have crabs but you’re not sure, you can get a check-up at a sexual health clinic or GP surgery.

A doctor or nurse will check for lice and eggs in your pubic hair and other body hair. They may use a magnifying glass or pick up lice or eggs with a comb or tweezers.

They will be able to tell you straight away if you have crabs.

If you’ve had sex without a condom, it’s a good idea to test for other STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhoea at the same time as getting checked for crabs.

You can also get tested for common STIs with a home self-sampling kit from SH.UK.

When to test for STIs.

Test for other sexual health related conditions at home with SH.UK's self-sample test kit

Get a free self-sample test kit delivered to your door. Take a self sample and return via freepost. Access your results online within a week. Check to see if SH.UK offers NHS funded home test kits in your area.

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Will recommend to everyone who needs a Sexual Health Test and treatment. "Derek"

Crabs Treatment

Crabs are easy to get rid of.

Crabs treatment is free from a sexual health clinic.

If you’re sure you have crabs, you can buy over-the-counter treatment from a pharmacy without going to a clinic or surgery.

A doctor, nurse or pharmacist can talk to you about the different treatments and which ones are safe if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

You’ll get a special lotion, cream or shampoo that kills the crabs and eggs. You may need to apply this to hairy areas of the body or to your whole body. You leave it on for a few hours and then wash it off. You usually repeat the treatment between 3 and 7 days later.

You don’t need to remove any pubic or body hair.

You can use a special comb to get rid of any crabs or eggs left in your hair after treatment.

Your sexual partners should get treated, even if they don’t have symptoms.

Wash clothes, bedding and towels on a hot wash (60°C or higher). This kills the lice and eggs to stop you getting crabs again.

Don’t have any sex or close body contact with anyone until you and any partners have finished the treatment and symptoms have gone. This helps stop you getting crabs again or passing it on to anyone else.

How long do crabs last for?

Treatment is very effective at getting rid of the crabs. If you use the treatment according to instructions and wash your clothes, towels and bedding on a hot wash, the crabs should be gone after you finish the treatment.

You might still itch for a day or two after finishing treatment, but this is not usually anything to worry about.

You don’t usually need a check to make sure the crabs have gone, but if you’re itchy for more than a few days, or you have any further symptoms, you may need more treatment.

Do I have to tell anyone if I have crabs?

It’s important for current and recent sexual partners to know, so that they can get treated if they have crabs. Telling your partners is called partner notification. A sexual health clinic, GP surgery or pharmacist can talk to you about this. If it would be difficult to tell a partner, a clinic or surgery can usually contact them for you without mentioning your name.

How do you get crabs?

Anyone can get crabs and pass them on.

The lice crawl from one hair to another, so they can be passed on from close body or sexual contact with someone who has them.

Crabs feed on human blood and can’t live away from the body for very long, but they may occasionally be passed on from clothes, towels or bedding used by someone with crabs.

How can I avoid getting crabs?

There is no guaranteed way to make sure you don’t get crabs, but there are a few things you can do to reduce your chance of getting them.

If you know a sexual partner has crabs, then don’t have sex, close body contact or share their bed, towels or clothes until they’ve been treated and washed everything.

Condoms don’t stop crabs being passed on but are the best way to help protect yourself from other STIs.

Other information about crabs

Reviewed by Dr John White on 15th Sept 2026.