PUBIC LICE

Symptoms | When to call | Homecare Advice

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR PUBIC LICE (pending talking with your doctor)

NIX: Buy Nix anti-lice creme rinse (permethrin).
- Pour about 2 ounces of the creme into previously washed and towel-dried pubic hair. Add a little warm water to work up a lather. Be sure to work the creme into all the hair down to the roots.
- Leave the Nix on for a full 20 minutes or it won't kill all the lice (10 minutes is not enough).
- Then rinse the hair thoroughly and dry it with a towel. Repeat the Nix treatment in 1 week to kill any nits that were missed.
Dead Nits: Wait 3 or more hours after Nix treatment is completed before removing the dead nits. (Reason: let Nix permeate the nits) The nits can be loosened using a mixture of half vinegar and half warm water. After wetting the hair with this solution, cover the hair with a towel for 30 minutes. Then remove the dead nits by backcombing with a fine-tooth comb or pull them out individually.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Women who are pregnant or who are breastfeeding can be treated with products containing permethrin (e.g. NIX) according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Contagiousness: Pubic lice are very contagious. Pubic lice are transmitted by skin to skin contact during sexual intercourse (they cannot jump). You should have no sexual intercourse until 2 weeks after successful treatment.
Sexual Contacts: Any sexual partners that you have had during the last month will also need treatment, even if they don't see any obvious lice.
Expected Course: With 2 treatments, all lice and nits should be killed. A recurrence usually means that there has been another contact with an infected person; the shampoo wasn't left on for 20 minutes; or the treatment wasn't repeated in 7 days. There are no lasting problems from having lice and they do not carry other diseases. Even after successful treatment, itching of the pubic area may persist for 1-2 weeks.
Other Shampoos: If any of the pyrethrin anti-lice shampoos (A-200 Clear, R & C, Pronto or RID) are used, they must be applied to dry hair. Reapplication in 7 days to prevent re-infection is also required. Do not use these products if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Call Your Doctor If:
- You become worse or develop any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Reviewed 8/2004

Revised 7/2002

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