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I saw someone ask a question about an itchy pubic area and someone answered with it could be `crabs`. Im scared i might have it!! what is it and how do you know if you have it?? what happens if you DO have it? Please help!! Where does it come from and stuff?

Pubic lice (PHTHIRUS PUBIS) are six-legged creatures that infest the hair in the pubic area. They can also infest other body hair, but they prefer the pubic region. Pubic lice infestation, called pediculosis, is considered a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but it can be contracted in other ways. It's possible to be infested with pubic lice and have no symptoms, but itching is usually present. This can worsen at night when the louse becomes active and buries its head inside a pubic hair follicle to feed on human blood. It excretes a substance that causes the itching. Sometimes the bite can cause the area to become inflamed and turn bluish gray. Although lice themselves do not cause a rash, the constant itching and scratching can cause the area to become raw, resulting in a secondary bacterial infection. Scratching also can aid the spread of lice.

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