If you think you may have pubic lice, get checked by a healthcare professional as soon as possible. You can go to your GP or visit a sexual health clinic. Sexual health clinics are sometimes called genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics.
Your GP or the healthcare professional treating you will look for evidence of pubic lice, including:
- itchy red spots,
- dark brown or black powder or specks (louse droppings),
- blue spots on the skin, or
- nits (empty egg shells).
Your diagnosis can only be confirmed by finding a live louse or eggs capable of hatching.
Some people will not develop visible signs or symptoms straight away, and you may be asked to come back for another appointment later.
Infestations through sexual contact
As part of the diagnosis, your GP or healthcare professional will ask you whether the infestation has been transferred through close body contact or sexual contact. If the pubic lice were transferred through sexual contact, your GP will recommend that you are screened for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as a precaution.
Glossary
Sexual health clinics or GUM clinics
These are usually located at a hospital or as part of another health centre. They provide contraception advice, emergency contraception and testing and treatment for STIs.
Genito-urinary medicine (GUM)
GUM deals with the male and female sexual organs and the urinary system (which produces, stores and removes urine from your body).
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
STIs are diseases passed on through intimate sexual contact, such as vaginal, oral or anal sex.
Infestation
An infestation is when someone has a large amount of lice living on their body.
