Prevention is your best friend. Wear light-colored clothes so you can spot a dark tick crawling on you. Tuck your pants into your socks—yes, you’ll look a little dorky, but dorky is better than a tick bite.
Use a good tick repellent on both you and your dog. There are sprays that smell like lemons and eucalyptus that ticks hate. Your dog won’t mind the scent, and you’ll smell like a pleasant forest.
Tick Infestation Before And After
After your walk, do a “tick check.” Make it a game with your kids or partner. “I’ll check your hair if you check my back.” It’s silly, but it works. That quick moment of silliness can save you weeks of antibiotics.
What to Do If You Find One on You
Don’t freak out. Easier said than done, I know. But panicking makes you fumble. Grab a pair of fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible.
Pull straight up with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk. You don’t want to leave its head buried in you like a tiny, gross souvenir. Clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
Mark the date on your calendar. If you get a fever or a strange rash in the next few weeks, tell your doctor. “I had a tick bite” is a sentence that gets their attention fast.
