Getting lice is one of those things that people freak out a lot about, despite the fact that lice are rather easily curable. But when you get that itchy, scratchy feeling not on your head but between your legs, you're dealing with a different kind of animal: crab lice. So how do you get rid of this uncomfortable and itchy condition? If you're worried about your pubic lice and have no idea where to start, then here's what you need to know.

Assess the Situation

If you've started to feel the telltale itching that comes with pubic lice, chances are good that those little critters have been there for somewhere around 5 days. This is because the itching doesn't come from the lice moving around, but rather from a reaction to their bites, which takes a little time for your body to do. You'll also need to take a step back and think about any sexual contact you may have had recently; not only can that give you the impetus for your crab problem, but it can also allow you to warn those you've slept with that they need to get checked for pubic lice.

Visit Your Doctor

No amount of old wives' tale recipes for a lice-killer are going to work like you need them to (seriously, mayo does nothing but moisturize your skin), so the next step you'll need to take is to visit your local doctor. Not only will your doctor be able to confirm that you have pubic lice, but they will also be able to prescribe you a surefire treatment for the nasty little buggers. Most often, this treatment comes in the form of a lotion, cream, or shampoo specifically designed to kill the critters living on your skin. These medications work fairly quickly, so you should start to see almost immediate improvement; if not, talk to your doctor again, as they can prescribe you a slightly different formula that should do the trick.

Use Hot Water

Once you get home from the doctor, the next step you need to take (after applying the treatment, of course) is to wash your bedding and any clothes and undergarments you've been wearing for the last week in a hot wash cycle in your washer. Lice can't survive on inanimate objects for long, since they need blood to survive, but washing things you've come into contact with since your lice exposure is still a good idea, if only to get rid of the germs the dead lice leave behind. Washing your bedding and clothes every day or two until your doctor says you're cured is a good way to prevent the lice from coming back and to kill any bacteria caused by the lice.

For more information, contact Advanced Urology Associates or a similar organization.