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How to Safely Remove a Tick

How to Safely Remove a Tick

April 13, 20162073Views1Comment

Getting out into the woods for a camp out or taking a stroll down the hiking trail can often mean having to check yourself for ticks. Tick season is coming, and no one wants to bring these unwanted hitchhikers home. How to safely remove a tick is an often hotly debated subject. Rule one: Keep away from open flame.

You probably have heard of, or may have even tried, burning a tick out of the skin. This is not really necessary or advisable. Not only could you burn yourself, but you could do more than harm that good as far as the tick bite is concerned. In this video, a tick expert explains why you should never use fire, and offers a safe and effective alternative that everyone can perform.

Video by Youtube/University of Manitoba

If the video was a little too quick, we’ll also lay out the steps to safely remove a tick, below:

  1. Avoid burning or scaring the tick, as its saliva may contain pathogens
  2. Using your tweezers, find a good grip on the tick
  3. Carefully pull the tick in the opposite direction of your arm
  4. Examine the tick and make sure the teeth have been removed from your arm

That wraps up our guide on How to Safely Remove a Tick. There are a few different methods that will result in a tick free body, so make sure to check those out!

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Featured Image from Erik Karits/Unsplash