It’s peak tick season in most parts of the country. And that means it’s time to pack my tick removal kit whenever I go for a hike or a bike ride on a trail. That includes a tick-remover that you can buy in a camping supply store (or a pair of fine-tipped tweezers), a few packets of rubbing alcohol, and written instructions on how to remove the tick.
Here are the recommended instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for removing a tick when it is attached to your skin:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, which can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouthparts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
Learn more about tick safety at www.cdc.gov/ticks.