Lice. Pubic lice, also known as “crabs,” are tiny bugs that infect the pubic hair and sometimes the hair under the armpits and the eyelashes. They can but do not always cause itching. A person with lice may also notice tiny blood spots on their underwear, resulting from the openings in the skin where the lice have bitten.
Scabies. Scabies causes itchy bumps and small lines (which are the burrows of the mites that cause the infection) on the body in a characteristic pattern. Most often, these are seen in the genital area, around the beltline, in the armpits, and in the webs between the fingers. The itching is usually worse at night and after a shower.
Trichomoniasis. The itching resulting from a trichomonas infection can range from mild to severe. The discharge is usually thin and yellow-green in color. There may also be a strong, fishy odor.
Warts. Warts are usually small, hard, flesh-colored bumps that can occur anywhere in the genital or anal area. They may also be cauliflower-like in appearance. Although warts usually don’t produce any accompanying symptoms, about 20 percent of people with warts experience itching, which is usually mild.
Yeast. Yeast infections—usually caused by the fungus Candida albicans—can occur at any time of the year, but they occur more often in the warmer months. Often there is itching, which can range from mild to severe, as well as a thick, white, clumpy discharge. If the inflammation is severe or if a woman scratches in the genital area, there may be breaks in the skin as well. A woman who has recently taken an antibiotic is more likely to develop a yeast infection, since the antibiotics temporarily diminish the quantity of the normal vaginal bacteria and allow yeast to overgrow.
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