What to Do Immediately If You Find a Tick on Your Skin

 

If you find a tick attached to your skin, you should remove it as soon as possible using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to your skin as you can, pull upward steadily without twisting, and then clean the bite area and your hands thoroughly. After removal, save the tick if you can for future identification, watch for symptoms of illness, and contact a healthcare professional if necessary. Do not use home remedies like burning or smothering to remove the tick; these can increase the risk of diseases it may carry.

 

Step-by-Step Tick Removal

 

• Use Fine-Tipped Tweezers: Find a clean, fine-tipped pair of tweezers, if possible. These let you grab the tick’s mouthparts (the part closest to your skin) without crushing the tick’s body.
• Grasp Close to Your Skin: Get the tweezers as close as possible to your skin’s surface, where the tick is attached. Avoid squeezing the tick’s swollen body, because this can push germs into your body.
• Pull Upward in a Steady Motion: Pull the tick upward steadily, with slow and even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, as this can break off the mouthparts, leaving them in your skin. If mouthparts do break off, remove them with tweezers if you can. If not, leave them alone and let your body heal naturally.

 

After Tick Removal: Cleaning and Care

 

• Clean the Area: Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water. You can also use rubbing alcohol or an iodine scrub, if you have it.
• Dispose or Save the Tick: If you live in an area with tick-borne diseases (like Lyme disease), save the tick in a sealed bag or container with a bit of damp paper towel. Note the date and location of the bite. This may help healthcare providers if you develop symptoms later.
• Dispose Properly: If not saving, flush the tick down the toilet or wrap tightly and discard in the garbage. Don’t squish it with your fingers.

 

What NOT to Do When Removing a Tick

 

• Do not cover the tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or other substances.
• Do not use a hot match, heat, or any burning method.
• Do not squish or crush the tick with your fingers.
• Do not handle the tick with bare hands, as it could transmit infections through small breaks in your skin.

 

When to Seek Medical Advice

 

• If you can’t remove the whole tick or mouthparts
• If you develop symptoms such as fever, rash, headache, fatigue, body aches, or a “bullseye” red rash around the bite within several days or weeks
• If you live in or have visited an area known for serious tick-borne illnesses
• If you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or are unsure what kind of tick it was

 

Tips to Prevent Tick Bites in the Future

 

• Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks in grassy or wooded areas.
• Use insect repellents with DEET or permethrin-treat your clothing and gear.
• After being outdoors, do thorough tick checks on your whole body, especially behind the knees, underarms, scalp, and groin areas.
• Shower and change clothes after being outdoors in tick-prone areas.