Wondering how to safely remove a tick? Don't panic, here are two simple steps to safely remove ticks from your skin.
Ticks are parasites that belong to the group of arthropods from the order Acari and are most active in May and June. If they are not removed from the individual's skin in time, they can cause serious diseases such as encephalitis or Lyme disease. So how? protect from negative consequences and how to safely remove a tick?
With the arrival of warmer weather, we spend more and more time outdoors, in forests, meadows and other grassy areas. Being in nature is a great way to relax from everyday stress, but it hides traps that can be harmful to our health. They prefer benches damp places, so after spending time in nature pay special attention to those parts of the body that retain moisture, such as armpits, groin, abdominal skin and behind the ear. However, do not forget that the tick can "walk" on the body for up to six hours before burrowing into the skin.
Self-examination is most important
Specialized tick repellants should be used before going out into nature, and it is recommended after being outdoors a shower and a detailed examination of the hair and skin of the entire body. As already mentioned, pay special attention to places that retain moisture (armpits, groin, stomach skin and behind the ear). If you find a tick in your skin or in the skin of your children, do not panic, but use the tick removal procedure described below.
Photo: Kamaji Ogino/Pexels
How to Remove Ticks Safely: Two Easy Steps to Remove Ticks
1. Take the tweezers, which you have disinfected with an antiseptic, and use them as close to the skin as possible (horizontally, not vertically!) to grab the tick by its "head".
Although you can also use classic tweezers, you will find special tweezers in the pharmacy that make it easier to remove the tick from the skin.
2. Turn the tweezers counterclockwise until the entire tick is removed.
Please be patient as the whole process can take up to 10 minutes.
After removing the tick, disinfect the bite site, put a patch on it and check if you notice any changes in the skin. If a tick remains in the skin, in most cases it will come out on its own. In the case of extremely rare local infections at the site of the bite or the appearance of early symptoms of borreliosis, help should be sought primarily from your doctor, who will decide on further referral to an infectious disease specialist.
You can find NIJZ guidelines here to protect against ticks.
