What does a tick look like on a person's head? - briefly
A tick on the scalp appears as a small, round, dark‑colored bump, often about the size of a pinhead when unfed and enlarges to a visible, engorged, reddish or brownish oval after feeding. It may be embedded in hair and can be mistaken for a tiny mole or scab.
What does a tick look like on a person's head? - in detail
A tick attached to a person’s scalp presents as a small, rounded to oval body that becomes engorged with blood. In the unfed stage the insect measures 2–5 mm in length, appears brown to reddish‑brown, and has a smooth, leathery surface. Once it begins feeding, the abdomen expands dramatically, reaching 8–12 mm or more, and the coloration shifts to a darker, gray‑ish hue. The mouthparts, visible as a tiny protrusion at the front, are adapted for piercing skin and remain anchored to the host.
Key visual characteristics:
- Size progression: 2–5 mm (unfed) → 8–12 mm or larger (engorged).
- Shape: Oval, slightly flattened dorsally; the ventral side appears more convex after blood intake.
- Color: Light brown to reddish when unfed; dark gray or black when engorged.
- Surface texture: Smooth, without legs or wings visible; legs are short and tucked under the body.
- Mouthparts: Small, pointed, often hidden but may be seen as a tiny black tip at the attachment point.
The tick’s position on the scalp is commonly near hairline, behind ears, or in the nape, where hair provides concealment. The surrounding skin may show a small, pale ring (the “halo”) caused by the tick’s salivary secretions, and slight erythema may develop around the attachment site. Unlike a lice egg (nits), which is firmly glued to a single hair strand and appears as a tiny, elongated, white dot, a tick is a three‑dimensional organism that can be lifted from the hair with tweezers.
Identifying a feeding tick requires careful inspection:
- Part hair aside to expose the scalp surface.
- Look for a raised, rounded mass that is not easily moved.
- Observe the color change from light to dark as feeding progresses.
- Note the presence of a small, dark point at the front, indicating the feeding apparatus.
Prompt removal with fine‑point tweezers, grasping the tick close to the skin and pulling upward with steady pressure, reduces the risk of disease transmission. After extraction, cleanse the area with antiseptic and monitor for signs of infection or rash.