What does a tick's head look like under the skin? - briefly
When embedded, the tick’s mouthparts appear as a small, dark, bulbous structure protruding from the skin, resembling a tiny black knot. The rest of the body remains beneath the epidermis, leaving only the feeding apparatus visible.
What does a tick's head look like under the skin? - in detail
A tick’s mouthparts stay embedded after the body is removed. The capitulum, which includes the hypostome, chelicerae, and palps, is the only portion that remains in the host’s dermis. The hypostome is a barbed tube that anchors the parasite; it appears as a tiny, dark, slightly raised point that may be visible through the skin or as a faint discoloration. The chelicerae are microscopic cutting structures located at the tip of the hypostome; they are not visible to the naked eye. Palps, the sensory appendages flanking the hypostome, form a small, often pale, raised ridge adjacent to the central point. Together these elements create a puncture that resembles a pin‑prick or a minute black dot, sometimes surrounded by a faint erythema.
Key visual clues:
- Central dark spot (hypostome tip) ≤ 1 mm in diameter
- Slight elevation of the surrounding skin where palps sit
- Absence of the tick’s body, which detaches cleanly from the attachment site
- Possible residual blood or serous fluid around the puncture
The embedded mouthparts do not move after the tick is detached, and they gradually dissolve as the host’s tissue repairs the wound. Identification relies on close inspection of the puncture site; magnification may reveal the barbed hypostome and the paired palps. Removal of the remnants is unnecessary; the host’s immune response will eliminate them within days.