How to remove ticks?

[ivanputski]

I have never had to remove a tick from myself. What is the recommend way to do so?

[kyhipo]

I have never had to remove a tick from myself. What is the recommend way to do so?

put a match to its body it normally comes out of your skin,try not to break the head in your skin ky

[neo]

i pull them off,i make sure thead comes out,them clean area real good neo

[nattyd123]

WebMD has all the answers: http://www.webmd.com/hw/skin_wounds/hw88008.asp

[Footslogger]

I've had to remove plenty of them ...from me and from others. The technique is essentially the same regardless but you need to be a little more careful (thorough) if the tick has had a chance to burrow well below the skin surface.

Use a small blunt edge tweezer. Spread the skin around the tick apart a bit to allow the edge of the tweezer to grasp as much of the tick as possible. Then pull back gently. If you're lucky you'll get the entire animal, head and all. As an extra precaution I generally apply some hydrogen peroxide to the entry site with a clean Q-tip.

If you are concerned that part of the tick is still under the skin surface you might want to consult with your physician when you get home. Any part of the tick remaining under the skin will begin to decompose and likely become infected.

'Slogger

[Toolshed]

having become an expert now at removing constant and cintunally numerous deer and brown dog ticks from our brittanys, I have found that the old myth of putting a hot match against them or smearing vaseline on them does NOT work, or does NOT work RELIABLY. Though, I am open to any other suggestions that others fine are RELIABLE,

What I have found that DOES work RELIABLY is to go to a drugstore and get a pair of precision tipped or medical pointed tip tweezers- not just the regular old tweezers that cost $.99. These are $5-$6. If you put them under a magnifying glass, you will see why they are more expensive. They grip at the very end and are narrow enough to allow you to get to the head in the event the body tears off. Most cheap tweezers do not have the precision ends and if you have to dig the head out with them, it is like tryin to pick up a marble with 2 twigs - It doesn't work.

Anyways, try to grasp the tick (much easier to have someone else do this) as close to the head as possible and not the body. Once you have a firm grip, you need to apply slow steady light pullback pressure. Don't tug, pull hard or yank. You'll only separate the head and then have to dig it out, along with all the mouthparts. (if you have someone do it that has access to a magnifying glass the job becomes much easier- I have one on my pocketknife that is really helpful).
It normally takes at least a minute or 2 for the critter to release it's grip, and you might be tempted within 30-45 seconds to yank it out, but just keep applying light, but steady backpressure and it eventually releases itself.

I always have a sterilized needle ready in the event it breaks apart (I usually take a sewing needle and even sand or grind it a little finer) to get those almost microscopic mouth parts that are left behind.

[Newb]

You should burn them off with an acetylene torch. Make sure to grind the limb down to a nub and then cauterize it with a hot skillet.

Either that, or just pull it straight out...no twisting!

[D'Artagnan]

Knock on wood, but I've always been able to feel the little buggers crawling on my skin and catch them before they attach. I LOATHE ticks and absolutely hate pulling them off my Great Dane. For that, I use flat tweezers and rubbing alcohol.

[RockyTrail]

You should burn them off with an acetylene torch. Make sure to grind the limb down to a nub and then cauterize it with a hot skillet.

i am ROFL!

[Fiddler]

To remove ticks easily (though this is one more thing to carry) get a very small bottle and fill it with turpentine. A small dab placed on the rear of the tick with a Q-tip, cloth, or the finger causes the tick to back out in just a few seconds. Reading this thread reminded me of this, I also put it in the forum about Trail Tricks.

[Blissful]

I got one to back out by putting toothpaste on it (blocks the air pores, I think). If you can get it to back out rather than yank on it, less chance of it breaking apart. And make sure you monitor the bite for the next few days (for lyme disease).

[Fiddler]

The tick that causes Lyme disease (the Deer Tick) is a very small critter. Very easy to miss on a casual inspection. Here's how small they are:
http://www.town.oxford.ma.us/Boh/LymeDisease.htm
They look more like a speck of dirt than anything else.

[SnakebiteSurvivor]

Rather than tweezers (tricky), turpentine and matches (often ineffective), acetylene torches (effective, but.....) you can use a specialized tick-removing device, typically a small piece of metal with a slot in it to catch the tick and gently ease it off. Your local outdoor store probably has these, or you can get them from REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/729.htm

I have one of these and it does the job nicely (have removed at least a dozen ticks over the years. So far, no Lyme disease, knock on wood!)

[greentick]

And make sure you monitor the bite for the next few days (for lyme disease).

The "target" lesion can develop anywhere from 3-32 days post bite and occurs in about 75% of infected patients. Just keep in mind that it usually keeps expanding up to 50cm (about 20 inches). Just something to keep in mind...

If in doubt get checked out.

The blowtorch technique reminds me of a story I heard from a navy corpman about how they treated marines with crabs. Dab turpentine on the affected patch of hair, light it on fire, and stab the bleepers with an icepick as they run for their lives...

[Turtle2]

If one has the patience (I don't), place an alcohol soaked something over the tick and it will back out in just a couple of minutes. I have seen a completely embedded tick back out using this method. The small alcohol pads from a first aid kit work well.

[carolinahiker]

hmmmmm turprntine ill get some for my first aid kit.By the way how much first aid stuff do you folks carry email me at [email protected] and let me know.

[strnorm]

cover the tick with vaseline,it will back out,if you leave the head in you can still get sick

[sliderule]

Rather than tweezers (tricky), turpentine and matches (often ineffective), acetylene torches (effective, but.....) you can use a specialized tick-removing device, typically a small piece of metal with a slot in it to catch the tick and gently ease it off. Your local outdoor store probably has these, or you can get them from REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/729.htm

I have one of these and it does the job nicely (have removed at least a dozen ticks over the years. So far, no Lyme disease, knock on wood!)

You can easily make a similar device from a flat piece of aluminum can material. Just cut a piece about 1/2" X 1", then cut a long "V" in the narrow end. Round the corners. Weighs nothing, costs nothing, works great.

[neighbor dave]

big ones? yank 'em off and laugh. the little ones? yank'em off with tweezers and run, and run, and run, really fast!!

[SGTdirtman]

anyone do anything to avoid being bitten? last year I started taking garlic pills about a week before I would hike, the day before I left I doubled the dose... (old army trick my dad taught me) you litterally sweat garlic and the ticks cant stand the smell and dont find you "appetizing"

seemed to work very well, ticks everywhere but none bit me.