8 Fast Home Remedies to Get Rid of Pubic Lice

Pubic lice, also known as crabs, are tiny insects that are notorious for infesting the area around your genitals. There are typically three different types of lice that are known to feed on humans which include head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. Known as Phthirus pubis in scientific terms, public lice feed on human blood causing severe itching in the infected area. While crabs are not considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD), these insects are usually found in public hair and are often spread through sexual contact. In very rare cases, you may also find these lice in armpit hair, eyelashes, and facial hair. Public lice are much smaller in size as compared to the other two types. If you want to a fast pubic lice treatment, then our home remedies to get rid of pubic lice are a good place to start.

How do you get Pubic Lice?

People who are sexually active are more prone to getting infected by pubic lice. Similarly, those who have certain sexually transmitted diseases such as trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, chlamydia etc or infections are also more prone to attack.

The most common way in which public lice or crabs can be transferred from one person to another is through intimate contact which also includes sexual intercourse. [1] All laundry such as towels, blankets, clothing or sheets of the infected person can also be a source of transmitting pubic lice to other people who use them.

Adult lice are said to move close to the skin at the hair shaft in order to lay eggs. These eggs are also known as nits. Nits usually hatch 7 to 10 days later and nymphs are born. As soon as the nymphs come out of their shells, they immediately start sucking the blood out of your body. These little creatures can successfully manage to live inside your pubic hair without food for up to 2 days.

Unlike a popular belief, there is no probability of you acquiring a pubic lice infestation through furniture or a toilet seat. This is because these lice do not fall off the body of their host while they are still alive. They are also not capable of jumping from one person to another, unlike fleas.

Children must be taken special care of as they can get infested by these insects more easily. In children who typically don’t have pubic hair, pubic lice prefer living in the eyebrows or the eyelashes.

Pubic Lice Symptoms

People infected with pubic lice frequently experience itching in the area surrounding their genitals or even anus. The itching attack tends to start at least 5 days after the infestation. Itching becomes more intense during the night. Some of the other common signs of a pubic lice infestation include the following:

Irritability
Swollen genitals [2]
Lack of energy
Low-grade fever
Pale blue spots surrounding the bites

Sometimes, excessive itching leads to the formation of wounds. These wounds can even take up any infection. In children, pubic lice may even lead to conjunctivitis (pink eye). [3]

Do you consider yourself as a victim of these nasty pubic lice? We’ve got you covered. Keep reading to know about some amazing home remedies to get rid of pubic lice that will help say goodbye to lice for good.

Home Remedies to get rid of Pubic Lice

Peppermint Oil

The first place to start if you want to get rid of pubic lice is to try out peppermint oil. This miraculous essential oil is popular for its supportive effects on the process of digestion. However, it can turn out to be one of the best home remedies for pubic lice if used accordingly. [4]

According to a research study, peppermint oil is rich in certain substances including phenols, ketones, oxides and phenolic ethers. [5] The presence of these substances induces a toxic effect on pubic lice.

Using this oil will soothe your skin and can also alleviate dandruff and dryness in addition to pubic lice. Pubic lice do not seem to survive in the cooling effect provided by peppermint oil and are hence, killed.

So, you can always count on peppermint oil as one of the most effective home remedies for pubic lice. Add it to your bubble bath and enjoy its soothing effects that will alleviate itching in no time.

Tea Tree Oil

Use of tea tree oil as a pubic lice treatment is well documented by different researchers. [6] Derived from Melaleuca tree, tea tree oil is said to possess natural antifungal and antiseptic properties. While it is commonly used in face washes to fight back, chest and face acne and in ointments for nail fungus, its role in killing off pubic lice cannot be neglected.

A study suggests the high efficacy ratio of tea tree oil in getting rid of lice and preventing further infestations, ultimately rendering it as one of the best home remedies for pubic lice. [7] Tea tree oil can serve as an antiseptic to the affected area. It can also soothe insect bites present on the skin.

To use tea tree oil, take an appropriate amount of this oil and dilute it. The diluted form can then be massaged into the skin.

Petroleum Jelly

Another addition to the most effective home remedies for pubic lice is petroleum jelly. It is completely safe to use and has a natural composition so, it does not leave chemical traces. You can easily use petroleum jelly on eyelashes, eyebrows and even on the head. Petroleum jelly works as a pubic lice treatment as it suffocates the lice and nymphs. Pubic lice and other insects don’t have lungs and instead, they breathe through a network of tiny tubes called tracheae. Air enters the tubes in their abdomen and this is what the petroleum jelly blocks, killing the lice.

The use of petroleum jelly for pubic lice has been justified by several types of research. A study indicates it among the most effective home remedies for pubic lice that do not involve any chemicals. [8]

In order to use petroleum jelly for pubic lice, you must scoop out a generous amount and apply it directly to the pubic area. Let it stay for a few hours. Make sure that you cover the base of your pubic hair in order to remove nits along with the nymphs. It can then be washed using any shampoo, preferably the one with tea tree oil in it.

Vinegar

Vinegar is often mentioned as a part of the best home remedies for pubic lice. It has been scientifically proven that vinegar possesses certain properties that render it toxic and an effective pubic lice treatment. [9]

In order to use vinegar for killing pubic lice, it is important to mix it with water in equal parts. Take a large cotton ball and dip it in the solution. You can then place it on the infected area and keep holding the ball against it for at least half an hour.

In case you suspect that the infestation has spread to other body parts, try mixing a whole bottle of vinegar in bath water and submerge your body in it for 30 minutes. If used properly, vinegar can successfully prove itself to be among the best home remedies for pubic lice. [10]

Margosa Leaves

Margosa leaves, also known as neem, are known for their strong anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties. [11] Owing to these properties, Neem leaves are considered among the top home remedies for pubic lice. Even shampoos consisting of neem extracts are very effective in killing off pubic lice. [12]

The best thing about this home remedy is that it is really easy to use and does not require much effort. All you got to do is fetch some neem leaves, add them to a pan filled with water and let it boil. The infusion formed during this process can be directly added to your bath water. Soak in this water for 30 minutes to get a relief from pubic lice and all the itching they cause.

Additionally, you can also grind these leaves with a little water to form a paste. The paste can be applied to the affected area to remove pubic lice along with nits. If you don’t want to grind the leaves, you can also use neem oil directly applied to the genital area. The essential oil carries all the insecticide properties of the ground leaf.

Astringent Therapy

Astringent therapy is considered among the best home remedies for pubic lice mainly because it uses the acidic base to smother the lice. While there are a lot of astringents available in the market, you can manufacture your own right at your home. For preparing a perfect astringent, vinegar is considered to be the ideal base. [13] One-fourth glass of vinegar can be mixed with an equal amount of water. You can add sugar, salt, and honey to the solution and mix it properly.

Make sure to keep the blend rough and thick in consistency. Keep including these components until you get a thick paste. Apply this mixture on pubic hair with the help of cotton and let it stay for half an hour. Wash your pubic area as soon as the paste dries out. For more effective results, you are required to get soaked in a bath with margosa leaves added to it.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is acidic in nature and can help in killing off pubic lice in a rapid and effective manner. [14] Considered as one of the best home remedies for pubic lice, lemon juice can be used by mixing a few tablespoons with sugar, salt and honey. The thick paste that forms can be applied directly to the affected area to get results.

Combing

This is considered as one of the simplest and fastest home remedies to get rid of pubic lice. [15] All you need to do is to get a fine nit comb and use it to comb your pubic hair. The process of combing can be repeated several times. Don’t forget to sterilize the comb later to kill the pubic lice stuck into it.

Do’s

Always wash your bed sheets, undergarments, and other clothes in warm water and use disinfectant to clean them properly.
Wash the affected area with warm water regularly.
Pubic hair should be trimmed before using any home remedies for pubic lice.