Penis & Testicle Concerns / Question
Published: September 26, 2002
Dear TeenHealthFX,
My balls itch. What Can I do to make it stop? Also, there are little bugs crawling around them.
Signed: Bugs And Itchy Testicles
Dear Bugs And Itchy Testicles,
Crabs, or pubic lice, sound like the culprit here. Just like head lice, these are small bugs that infest the hair (in this case, pubic hair, chest hair, armpit hair, and even eyelashes and eyebrows) and cause severe itching. Crabs may be transmitted through sexual contact, sleeping in infected bedding, sharing infected clothing and possibly through sitting on an infested toilet seat. However, lice cannot survive away from the human body for longer than 24 hours. So contracting pubic lice from a toilet seat is possible, but it's unlikely. If you can help, try not to itch, as the itching can transfer the lice to other parts of your body.
Treatment involves prescription pesticide lotions you can get from your doctor or some nonprescription drugs you can ask your pharmacist about. Once you're treated, you'll need to wash all your clothing, bedding, and towels in hot water, or dry-clean them. The reason for this is because the eggs can live up to six days, and you can re-infest yourself or someone else. You should also inform your sexual partner if you are sexually active.
TeenHealthFX recommends that you get checked out by a doctor. You can be seen at a local teen clinic or Planned Parenthood without parental permission for little or no cost. If you live in Northern New Jersey, you can Adolescent/Young Adult Center For Health in Morristown, New Jersey, at 973.971.6475 for an appointment.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use, and male high school students are more likely than female students to rarely or never wear seat belts.
