Pubic lice, also known as crabs, are tiny insects that attach to the skin and hair near the genitals. They are usually spread through sexual contact, but can also be spread through sharing clothing, bedsheets, or towels with an infected person. Pubic lice feed on blood and their bites can cause severe itching. Symptoms of pubic lice include intense itching in the genital region, and they can spread to other areas with coarse body hair, including the legs, chest, armpits, beard or mustache, and eyelashes or eyebrows. Treatment includes applying over-the-counter creams and lotions that kill the parasites and their eggs. To prevent the spread of pubic lice, it is important to avoid having sex or close physical contact with someone who has them, and to wash clothing, bedding, and towels in hot water.