How to safely remove ticks

Despite your best efforts to keep ticks away, sometimes they manage to get past your barriers and attach themselves to your skin. It is crucial to perform a full-body check each night after being outside because you are more likely to find ticks there. If necessary, enlist the support of a spouse.

The true trick, according to Dr. Bazzoli, is to identify them as soon as possible, well before the 24-hour point at which a sickness is more prone to spread.

It is possible to get rid of a tick if you discover it adhering to you. You should only use caution.

First, use rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab to carefully wipe the area around the tick. Go as close to the tick's head's attachment to your skin as you can with fine-nosed tweezers, and then firmly but gently remove the tick.

Simply avoid squeezing the tick's body, advises Dr. Bazzoli: "If you do, the tick may re-gurgitate microorganisms into your body through the bite."

What about the conventional method of attempting to burn a tick off with a lit cigarette or match? That is simply not a good idea, according to Dr. Bazzoli (for what should be obvious reasons).

Also, if you're unsure of how or when the tick may have been picked up, you can always speak with your doctor. The likelihood is that you are safe if you catch it within a day. But, if it has been longer, your doctor might advise taking an antibiotic medication to avoid infection.

Treatment for tick bites

Are ticks dangerous | If you choose to remove the tick manually, make sure to carefully wash the bite site with warm water and soap. Dry the affected area, then swab it with alcohol or use an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment before wrapping it in a bandage. This aids in infection prevention.

Yet, it's also crucial to speak with your doctor. It's always possible that you didn't completely remove the tick and that a piece is still buried beneath your skin.