3 ways to be tick safe during your outdoor adventures

#2 REMOVAL

If you find a tick attached to your body, remove it immediately (infection can often be prevented if it is removed within 24 to 36 hours). The removal process is fairly straightforward. Using clean, fine tweezers, grasp the tick’s head as close to your skin as possible and slowly pull it straight out. Try not to twist or crush the tick. If the mouthparts break off and remain in the skin, also remove them with tweezers. If you are unable to do this, leave the mouthparts in place and let the skin heal.

Do not dab ticks with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or try to burn them. Those remedies do not work, and they can make matters worse. Once the tick is removed, place it in a sealed container and send it to a public health lab to help assess the risk of infection.