Grab Your Tweezers: Here’s How to Safely Remove a Tick

Summary: Summer means tick season, which can be scary for parents. If you find a tick attached to your child, don't panic, and definitely do not try to burn it off with a lighter or cover it in petroleum jelly. Instead, grab a pair of blunt-tipped tweezers. Grab the tick close to the skin and gently pull it straight up. Once it is off, put the tick in a plastic bag so your doctor can identify it.

The good news is that if a tick has been attached for less than 36 hours, the chance of it passing on Lyme disease is very low—less than 3%. To keep ticks away from your family, use bug spray with DEET or permethrin, check your pets after they play outside, and keep your lawn grass cut short. Always keep an eye out for a red "bullseye" rash or flu-like aches in the days following a bite, and call your doctor if they appear.

For more details, see rssapp-health-clevelandclinic-org at health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-remove-a-tick (opens in new tab)