How Do I Remove a Sunk-In Tick Head?

Ticks are often thought to be out in the woods, but can be as close as your own back yard.

Most people view ticks as pesty insects, similar to mosquitoes, fleas and flies. However, ticks are in the same family as spiders and scorpions, the arachnid family. Ticks crawl around on bushes and low-growing trees, and, when the opportunity presents itself, they crawl from the tree to a human or animal host. In order to get to their food source, which is human or animal blood, the tick attaches itself to the host by burrowing its head under the surface of the skin. Ticks should be removed as soon as possible since they can be carriers of diseases.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Bowl
• Liquid hand soap
• Clean cloth
• Clean towel
• Antiseptic ointment
• Cotton swab

Instructions

1. Grab the tick's head by grasping it firmly with the ends of the tweezers. Pull the tick straight out, moving in the direction in which the tick is sticking out. One firm pull is typically enough, but try again if the tick head remains under the skin.

2. Flush the tick head down the toilet, rather than placing it in the garbage. If the entire tick head and body is present, place it in a bowl of soapy water first to kill the tick before flushing. Two or three drops of liquid hand soap in a bowl of water is effective for killing the tick.

3. 

   Liquid soap removes secretions left by the tick.

   Wash the skin area where the tick was with liquid hand soap and a clean, damp cloth. This removes any disease-carrying secretions left on the skin by the tick. Wipe the skin with plain water on a towel, dry the skin; then wash your hands, as well.

4. Squirt a little antiseptic ointment onto the tip of a cotton swab. Swab the area where the tick was removed with the antiseptic.

Tips & Warnings

• Dress defensively in heavily wooded areas. Cover your skin with a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a hat and boots. Pull your socks over your pant legs.

• Apply an insecticide to your clothing and skin that contains 10 to 30 percent DEET.

• In wooded areas, stick to the trails, rather than cutting through heavy brush or trees where ticks are present.

• Continued, unexplained illness should be checked by a doctor to make sure you haven't been infected with any illnesses carried by ticks.

References

• Illinois Department of Public Health: Prevention and Control-Common Ticks
• Anapsid: How To Remove Ticks