If you find a tick on you, follow these steps to safely remove it and reduce the risk of infection:
How to Remove a Tick
- Use clean fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to your skin's surface as possible. Avoid squeezing the tick's body to prevent it from releasing infected fluids
- Pull the tick upward with steady, even pressure without twisting or jerking. Twisting can cause the tick's mouthparts to break off and remain embedded in the skin. If mouthparts remain, try to remove them with tweezers; if you cannot, leave them to be pushed out naturally by your skin
- Dispose of the tick by placing it in alcohol, sealing it in a container or bag, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Do not crush the tick with your fingers
- After removal, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer
What Not to Do
- Do not use petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish, or other substances to try to make the tick detach. These methods can agitate the tick and increase the risk of disease transmission
- Do not attempt to kill the tick by squeezing or crushing it while it is still attached
Aftercare and Monitoring
- Check your entire body carefully for other ticks, as there may be more attached
- Monitor the bite site for several weeks. Watch for signs of a rash (especially a circular or "bull’s-eye" rash) or flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, or tiredness, which can be early signs of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses
- Take a photo of the bite and note the date to help track any changes or rash development
- Inform your doctor if you develop any symptoms or if you are concerned about the bite. They may consider preventive antibiotic treatment depending on your risk and the tick exposure
Additional Notes
- If you are in areas where ticks are common, perform tick checks regularly on yourself, children, and pets after outdoor activities, especially in grassy or wooded areas
- In some regions, products like permethrin cream or ether-containing sprays are used to kill ticks before removal, but these are not universally recommended and should be used according to local medical advice
By promptly and properly removing the tick and monitoring for symptoms, you can significantly reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease
