Ticks are parasitic arachnids that attach themselves to your skin and suck your blood. They are known to spread dangerous infections, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. When you see a tick on yourself or someone else, it's important that you remove it as quickly as possible. It's equally important that you not panic and that you not resort to folk remedies. An improper removal technique can actually make the situation worse. The goal is to remove the whole tick, all at once.
Step 1
Put on plastic or rubber gloves, if you have some available. If you don't have gloves, use tissues or paper towels to protect your fingertips. You don't want to touch the tick with your bare hands.
Step 2
Get the tips of your tweezers as close to the skin as possible at the point where the tick's mouthparts enter the skin.
Step 3
Grasp the tick at the bite point with the tips of the tweezers.
Step 4
Pull the tick straight out. Pull gently but with steady and even pressure. Do not twist, jerk or yank the tick. These methods may leave pieces of the tick--even the whole head--stuck in the skin.
Step 5
Wash the area of the bite with soap and water and apply an anesthetic ointment. Wash your hands thoroughly.
Step 6
Put the tick in a plastic bag or vial. Label it with the date of the bite, seal it and place it in the freezer. If you get sick, having the dead tick may help doctors make a diagnosis.
Tips and Warnings
- If the tick on a child, call the child's pediatrician. The doctor may want you to bring the child in for an examination or may want to see the tick after you remove it. If the tick's mouthparts remain in the skin, call your doctor. She may advise you to try to remove them like a splinter or to allow them to work themselves out on their own.
- Do not use a hot match head to try to "burn" a tick off. Doing so may only encourage the tick to burrow deeper into the skin and produce more saliva, which is how it spreads disease. Do not try to smother the tick with petroleum jelly or nail polish. This method won't work because the tick already has all the oxygen it needs, and it might encourage the tick to stay attached even after it has finished feeding.
Things You'll Need
- Plastic gloves or paper towels
- Tweezers
- Anesthetic ointment
- Plastic bag or vial
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