Tick under the skin in a person: what should I do? - briefly
Remove the embedded tick promptly with fine‑point tweezers, grasping it as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight upward; then clean the site with antiseptic and monitor for rash or fever, seeking medical care if symptoms develop.
Tick under the skin in a person: what should I do? - in detail
A tick that has penetrated the epidermis requires prompt removal to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission. The following protocol outlines each stage of handling the situation.
- Use fine‑point tweezers or a specialized tick‑removal tool; avoid blunt instruments that may crush the mouthparts.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible, holding the body, not the legs.
- Apply steady, downward pressure until the entire organism separates from the host. Do not twist or jerk, which can leave parts embedded.
- After extraction, cleanse the bite area with antiseptic (e.g., povidone‑iodine or alcohol) and wash hands thoroughly.
- Preserve the removed tick in a sealed container with a damp paper towel if laboratory identification is needed; otherwise, discard it safely.
Monitor the site for the next 2–4 weeks. Seek medical evaluation if any of the following appear:
- Redness expanding beyond a few millimeters, or a rash resembling a target pattern.
- Fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, or joint pain.
- Swelling or ulceration at the bite location.
Patients with known allergies to tick‑borne diseases, immunocompromised status, or a history of severe reactions should contact a healthcare professional immediately after removal, even if symptoms are absent. Prophylactic antibiotics may be prescribed based on regional disease prevalence and the duration of attachment (generally >24 hours).