How To Safely Remove An Embedded Tick

If you discover a tick on yourself or a loved one, it's important to remain calm and properly remove it immediately. Ticks that are not attached can be removed by hand, but ticks that have embedded themselves into the skin to feed can be removed carefully using the techniques described here.

1. Grasp as near to the head as possible with sharp tweezers or a tick remover tool.
2. Pull straight out with a steady, even pressure. Do not squeeze or twist the body—this could cause the tick to expel its contents into your bloodstream. Do not cover the tick in soap, alcohol, or any other substance, as this may irritate the tick and provoke it to expel its contents.
3. Clean the area with an alcohol swab.
4. Save the tick for identification and testing if desired.
5. Watch the affected area for signs of infection. Initial redness and swelling is common and attributed to the body's reaction to enzymes in tick saliva. If a rash appears, or the area becomes tender or painful, this could be a sign of infection and medical attention should be sought.

What should I do after removing an embedded tick?

Do not burn the tick, cover it with Vaseline or nail polish remover, or squeeze its body. These actions could increase the chance of pathogen transmission from tick to host.

Once the tick has been removed, monitor the bitten area for several weeks for signs of infection, such as the "bull's-eye" rash signature of Lyme disease.

You can also send your tick to the TickCheck Laboratory, where we can determine if your tick carries common tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, Anaplasma, and Babesia within 2–5 business days, excluding weekends.

Click here to order a tick test