How to Remove a Tick Without Touching It
If you find a tick on yourself, it’s perfectly normal to want to crawl out from under your skin, burn it off, and move on with your life, showing off your bones and muscles. Since I couldn’t do that last time, I’m happy to report that there is a safe, effective, and non-contact method for removing a tick from your skin. What’s more, such methods exist.
Put away the matches. So are the soap and alcohol. They can force the tick to release itself, but they can also cause the tick to vomit its stomach contents into your bloodstream. This is disgusting and increases the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. Instead, you’ll need specialized equipment. Get it now before you need it. You have several options, and they all cost less than $10 each.
I prefer a special tick removal tool . I actually used it in real life, and it was a bit scary (I respect arachnids and insects as important members of the ecosystem, but I really don’t like touching them), and it’s pretty simple. You slide the large end of the keyhole tool onto the tick, then simply slide it so the tick is stuck in the narrow end. That’s it. This action removes the tick.
If done correctly, applying pressure to the skin can remove the entire creature. If you’re a bit skittish, like me, you might leave the tick’s mouthparts deep in the skin. But at this point, they’re not attached to a living, breathing creature, so that’s not a problem. The mouthparts are very, very small, and they’ll come out on their own as the bite heals. Once the tick is removed from the skin, your job is done.
My vet prefers the Tick Twister device; it’s easier to use and doesn’t irritate the fur. You slide the forked end onto the tick and then twist it until it pops off.
There are other brands, such as Ticked Off , that work in a similar way. Also, if you’re not too squeamish, you can pick up a small piece of skin with fine tweezers (either specialized ones or regular, sharp ones).
If you find a tick, you can place it in a jar of rubbing alcohol to ensure it’s completely dead. I usually place it in a bag to prevent it from crawling away and throw it in the trash; another smart option is to secure it with tape.
Finally, try to prevent this in the future by checking yourself for ticks daily. Showering is great for washing away these tiny parasites before they have a chance to attach. If you’ve just finished a hike and are worried about ticks, lint-roll yourself a few times before you shower.