How to eradicate a subcutaneous tick on the face? - briefly
Grip the tick with fine‑point tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure; then disinfect the site and watch for signs of infection.
How to eradicate a subcutaneous tick on the face? - in detail
When a tick embeds beneath the skin of the facial region, immediate and precise action reduces the risk of infection and disease transmission.
First, confirm the presence of a live tick. The body appears as a small, rounded nodule, often slightly raised and sometimes surrounded by a thin ring of redness. Palpation may reveal a firm, movable mass beneath the epidermis.
Next, gather sterile equipment: fine‑point tweezers or forceps, a small scalpel or sterile needle, antiseptic solution (e.g., 70 % isopropyl alcohol or povidone‑iodine), sterile gauze, and a clean container for the specimen.
Proceed with extraction:
- Disinfect the area – apply antiseptic around the lesion, allow it to dry.
- Expose the tick – make a tiny incision directly over the nodule with a scalpel; the cut should be no larger than 2 mm to avoid unnecessary tissue damage.
- Grasp the tick – using fine tweezers, seize the tick as close to the skin surface as possible, avoiding compression of the body.
- Pull steadily – apply a slow, continuous force straight upward; abrupt jerks can cause mouthparts to remain embedded.
- Inspect the removed tick – ensure the entire organism, including the head, has been extracted. If fragments remain, repeat the incision and removal steps.
- Clean the wound – irrigate with antiseptic, then cover with sterile gauze.
- Preserve the specimen – place the tick in a sealed container with alcohol for identification and possible testing.
After removal, monitor the site for signs of infection: increasing redness, swelling, pus, or persistent pain. If any of these develop, seek medical attention promptly. Additionally, systemic symptoms such as fever, rash, or joint pain warrant immediate evaluation, as they may indicate vector‑borne illness.
Preventive measures include regular skin checks after outdoor activities, use of repellents containing DEET or picaridin, and wearing protective clothing that minimizes exposed facial skin. Routine grooming of pets and yard maintenance reduce the local tick population, further decreasing the likelihood of future incidents.