Tick Prevention & Removal

Ticks can be found all year around, though they are most active in the warmer months.

The best prevention for a tick borne disease is to prevent a tick bite.

Tick repellant

Use insect repellents registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) labeled for use against ticks on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours. Always follow the product label. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding their hands, eyes and mouth.
Treat clothing and gear (boots, pants, socks, etc.) with products containing 0.5% permethrin*. It will remain protective through several washings. Always follow the product label. Pre-treated clothing is available and may provide longer lasting protection. *Not safe for application on skin
20% Picaridin is safe for application to the skin.

Cover up

Wear long pants, long sleeves and long socks.
Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and tuck shirts into pants to keep ticks on the outside of your clothing.
Light colored clothing will help you spot ticks more easily. (Mosquitoes are more attracted to dark clothing).

Checking for Ticks

Remove ticks from clothes, or remove clothing, before going indoors.
Examine any gear. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and then attach to a person later.
Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. If the clothes require a washing first, hot water is recommended.
Check your whole body for ticks.
Bath or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to more easily find and wash off any ticks that may be crawling on you.
Conduct a full-body tick check viewing all parts of your body upon return from the outdoors.
Check children for ticks under arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in the hair.

Removing a tick

Remove the tick as soon as you can using a removal method that is proven to work.
The best way to remove a tick is to use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. There are tick keys or tick removing devices you may purchase, but please do your research before buying a tick removing product.
Pull away from your skin with steady, even pressure.
Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth-parts easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
You may choose to send the tick off for testing. There are several options available that can be found online. Cost usually starts around $50.
Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Wash your hands and bite area with soap and water.
Do NOT use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish, or any other ‘folk’ remedies to remove a tick. These methods do not work.
The CDC has developed an interactive tool that will guide you through the process of removing attached ticks and seeking healthcare, if appropriate, after a tick bite. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/communication-resources/tick-bite-bot-1.html

Watch for symptoms

Many tickborne diseases can have similar signs and symptoms. The most common symptoms of tick-related illnesses are:

Some of the information above has been gathered from the Ohio Department of Health website.

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