Ticks tend to be a summertime nuisance, making their presence known during warmer weather. They attach themselves to the skin of warm blooded mammals such as humans, dogs and cattle, feeding off of their blood. Ticks can also spread Lyme disease to their unsuspecting victims unless they are removed as soon as detected. Removing ticks at home should be done with care to ensure that the tick is removed properly in order to reduce risk of illness.
Step 1
Grasp the tick's head or mouth parts with tweezers. Make sure that you have the tick firmly held in the tweezers by one of these two parts. Never grasp the tick by the body when removing.
Step 2
Pull the tick out of the skin steadily away from the skin. Avoid rapid pulling or jerking of the tick, as this could cause the head of the tick to separate from the body, leaving the head and mouth intact with the skin.
Step 3
Place the tick in a container of alcohol. The alcohol will kill the tick. You may also flush the tick down the toilet; however, this may not kill the tick.
Step 4
Clean the bite with disinfectant soap thoroughly. Apply alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to the bite after cleansing, and blot dry with a clean towel.
Tips and Warnings
- Removing ticks within the first 48 hours reduces risk of contracting lime disease.
- Never use a match, lighter, petroleum jelly or alcohol in attempt to cause the tick to loosen its hold. This does not work effectively and could cause damage to the skin. If you burst the tick's body, immediately cleanse the area with disinfectant soap and dry well.
Things You'll Need
- Fine-nosed tweezers
- Disinfectant soap
- Towel
