How Can I Get a Tick to Turn Loose?

Remove ticks with tweezers.

Ticks are small blood-sucking arachnids related to spiders, mites and scorpions. Ticks sometimes carry diseases, especially Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. You're most likely to get ticks in wooded or brushy areas. If you find a tick on your skin, don't panic. Promptly removing the tick reduces your risk of getting a disease. However, remove the tick properly -- slathering the tick with petroleum jelly or pouring lighter fluid on it isn't effective.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Jar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Marker
• Soap
• Antiseptic cream

Instructions

1. Grip the tick as close to your skin as possible, using the tweezers.

2. Pull the tick upward in a slow, steady motion. Do not squeeze the tick, because this may expel the tick's guts into your skin, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Squeezing the tick also may break off the rear of the tick, leaving its mouth in your skin.

3. Place the tick in a jar with some rubbing alcohol. Seal the jar and label it with the date and location. If you develop symptoms of a disease, identifying the tick will help your doctor.

4. Wash the area with soap and water and then apply an antiseptic cream.

5. Watch for signs of Lyme disease, such as rash, fever and aches, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which causes a rash, headache and chills. Contact your doctor if you develop symptoms and mention that a tick bit you.

References

• American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc.: How To Remove a Tick
• Carnegie Mellon: Lyme Disease - General Information and FAQ