Here’s how to prevent tick bites and safely remove them

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Most of us get squeamish at the idea of any creepy crawler on our body, but bugs like ticks are more than just an outdoor nuisance. They also carry serious diseases and other pathogens that can transfer to their unlucky prey., is contracted from the blacklegged tick. These annoying arachnids can be difficult to detect — a full-grown adult is about half a centimetre long, approximately the size of a sesame seed, whereas a nymph can be as small as a poppy seed.

Bug sprays that contain ingredients like icaridin, also known as picaridin, work really well so it’s generally recommended people use those as well on any exposed skin, he said. “Some people will use permethrin-soaked or permethrin-sprayed clothes which is a repellent that you don’t put on your skin but tends to repel ticks,” said Wood.

When you come back from the outdoors, Wood recommends putting your clothes in the dryer for 15 to 20 minutes on high, which will kill ticks. Then be sure to do a very thorough tick check in a full body mirror to ensure ticks aren’t embedded or crawling anywhere. It can be helpful to have a loved one help look in areas not easily visible such as the scalp, back, armpits and groin area.“The first thing to do is to not panic.

Once the tick is removed, you can place it in a sealable plastic bag or container. You may consider consulting a physician, who can administer medical treatment such as antibiotics, or you can have the tick tested for pathogens to determine if treatment is necessary. Wood said that turnaround for testing ticks at Geneticks is typically 24 to 48 hours.DEET is an effective chemical ingredient used in traditional bug sprays.

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