How to Remove a Tick
Found a tick? Removing it properly and quickly is important. Avoid folklore remedies like petroleum jelly, nail polish, heat, or twisting the tick. Improper removal may increase irritation and make removal more difficult.
Watch the CDC video below for step-by-step instructions on proper tick removal.
Quick Tick Removal Tips
✔ Use fine-tipped tweezers
✔ Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
✔ Pull upward with steady, even pressure
✔ Do not squeeze, twist, burn, or smother the tick
✔ Clean the area afterward
✔ Save the tick if possible and send in for testing
After a Tick Bite
Watch for symptoms such as rash, fever, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, neurological symptoms, or flu-like illness.
Not everyone develops a bull’s-eye rash.
Lyme disease and tick-borne infections are often called “The Great Imitator” because symptoms can appear differently from person to person.