What does a tick look like when it has just pierced the skin? - briefly
A newly attached tick looks like a tiny, rounded gray‑brown bump, about the size of a pinhead, with its mouthparts sunk into the skin and the body slightly raised. The immediate area may display a small, faint reddish halo around the insertion point.
What does a tick look like when it has just pierced the skin? - in detail
When a tick first anchors to the skin, the visible portion is the dorsal shield (scutum) and the surrounding body. The scutum is a hard, oval plate covering the back of the adult female or a smaller plate in males and nymphs. Its color ranges from reddish‑brown to dark brown, often appearing as a smooth, glossy patch against the host’s skin.
The tick’s legs, eight in total, extend outward from the underside. They are thin, pale‑colored, and visibly move when the parasite searches for a stable attachment point. The mouthparts, known as the hypostome, are not usually seen because they are inserted into the epidermis, but a tiny puncture hole may be observed at the center of the attachment site.
At this early stage, the body remains flat and unengorged. The overall size is typically 2–5 mm for nymphs and 3–6 mm for adult males; females are slightly larger. The abdomen is narrow, lacking the swollen appearance that develops after several hours of feeding.
Key visual cues include:
- A dark, oval-shaped patch matching the tick’s scutum.
- Small, pale legs radiating from the body.
- A pinpoint puncture at the center of the patch.
- No visible blood meal; the tick’s body retains its original shape and size.
If the attachment is recent, the skin around the puncture may appear slightly reddened but not inflamed. The tick’s grip is secured by the barbs on the hypostome, which embed into the dermal layer, making removal difficult without proper technique.