Skip Navigation Bar

Ticks and Diseases

How to Remove a Tick

a tick being removed

Illustration: CDC

  1. Use tweezers with a good grasping end to remove the tick as close to the skin as possible. Do not use your bare hands. Wear gloves or use a tissue to protect your hands from the tick.
  2. Grabbing the tick near the skin, pull upward with a slow, steady motion. Avoid sudden jerking or twisting motions.
  3. Place the tick in a sealable plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Do not crush or destroy the tick, and avoid touching the tick or any fluid that comes from it, including blood. You want to keep it for identification in case the bitten person becomes sick. Make a note of the date you removed the tick.
  4. Thoroughly disinfect the site of the tick bite, and wash your hands thoroughly.
  5. If the bitten person shows signs of having the flu or a rash in the area around the bite, contact your healthcare provider.
Read More "Ticks and Diseases" Articles


Spring / Summer 2010 Issue: Volume 5 Number 2 Page 25