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Health and Medicine - How Can A Tick Be Removed?

How can a tick be removed?

Ticks are flat, brown, speckled insects, just 0.25 inches (12 millimeters) across, that can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. Ticks are common in woods and forests throughout the United States and can become embedded in the skin of hikers and campers. A tick fastens itself to a host with its teeth, then secretes a cementlike material to reinforce its hold.

It is important to remove a tick carefully, in order to get the whole insect. Complications could arise if the tick's mouthparts or pincers remain under the skin. The first step in tick removal is to cover the tick with mineral, salad, or machine oil to block its breathing pores. If the tick does not disengage after about 30 minutes, use tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull it away with a steady pressure, or lift the tick slightly upward and pull it parallel to the skin until...

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