Sunday, January 3, 2010

Pubic Lice: Eight Steps For Proper Treatment

By Tamali E. Burns

People get infected by public lice through physical intimacy between partners as the infection is liable to be transmitted. The infection is obtained via contact when the garment or similar articles of the infected persons are used by others.

This infection, of crabs as they are known for their appearance under the microscope, can be treated with either over the counter drugs or the prescription medicines. The treatment of this transmitted disease is altogether different from the treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases.

Prediculicide, which is a mixture of one percent permethrin or pyrethrin lice shampoo is prescribed very often for the management of crabs, i.e., public lice infection. They are easily available at the medical store locally and without any need of a doctor's prescription. The use has to be done as per the direction of the manufacturer to get the optimum efficacy of the product. Lindane is a brand name of a product for the treatment of public lice, which can be obtained with a valid prescription of a doctor. This is prohibited for the use by pregnant mothers and children below two years of age.

You must be careful so that no medicine reaches your eyes whenever you use the medicine for the treatment of public lice:

1. The affected part should be meticulously washed and dried with the help of a towel.

2. Apply the solution on the pubic hair area properly. Keep the over the counter medicines to remain on the affected part of the body for a minimum of 10 minutes and for prescription drugs for 4 minutes. Use plain water to wash out the area of any medicine and get it dried properly with a towel.

3. Use your fingernails or some comb soaked in medicine for taking out the dead nits from the hair of the affected part.

4. After the removal of the dead nits, fresh garments have to be put on.

5. Next, you should finish the remaining lice left on your bed, linen, sofas or on garments that you have been using. Use machine was for the garments that you wore three days prior to this medication and use the high temperature of 130F. The drying should also be at the hottest level for 20 minutes. Dry clean the articles which cannot be machine washed.

6. Sexual partners must be informed about the situation for their concern to take necessary measure by undergoing treatment.

7. Avoid any sexual contact for at least two weeks while you examine and see if the efforts you have taken have been successful.

8. If after 10 days crabs are still present, retreat and re-do the steps outlined above.

You may be lucky and find only a few nits on infected eyebrows and eyelashes that can be easily removed with your fingernails or a nit comb. However, if these areas are heavily infected, you'll need to acquire a prescription issued ophthalmic-grade petroleum to treat the eyelids twice a day for two weeks. Do not use any over-the-counter petroleum jelly because this will likely irritate your eyes.

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