Pubic lice (Crabs) treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

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Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
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• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

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Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

Yes. Especially if you’re unsure of whether you have pubic lice, a Maple doctor can help you identify them, and prescribe proper treatment.

Pubic lice (commonly called crabs) are insects that live in pubic hair, though they may also live in chest hair, underarm hair, eyelashes and eyebrows, facial hair, and leg hair. These tiny bugs resemble crabs under a microscope, which is why people often call them crabs.

Symptoms of pubic lice (crabs) most commonly include itching in the genital area. Some people may have small brown spots on the skin, which are the eggs of a pubic louse (nits). Pubic lice also bite, causing swollen skin and bluish spotting. 

Crabs can lead to disease if bites become itchy and are scratched too much, because the open skin increases susceptibility to infection.

Pubic lice (crabs) transmission usually happens during sex, though they can also crawl onto a person’s skin from shared towels, bedsheets, and clothes. It is a common misconception that pubic lice jump or fly, or that a person can get crabs from a toilet seat. 

Pubic lice (crabs) prevention is possible through washing sheets or clothes that have likely been in contact with them in hot water. Telling your sexual partners if you have crabs will also prevent the spread, as it is very likely they will also need to be treated. 

Pubic lice treatment is simple, but important, because they won’t go away without treatment. There are anti-lice shampoos, gels and foams that can be used to treat most of the body except the lashes and eyebrows. For the best removal advice, speak with a doctor about your particular case.

Yes, you can use head lice treatment for pubic lice with the exception of treatment in the areas around your eyes. 

Shaving doesn’t get rid of pubic lice completely, because pubic lice eggs can still be stuck to the skin, or pubic lice can crawl to other hair on the body.