What does an engorged tick look like on a person? - briefly
An engorged tick presents as a swollen, oval‑to‑spherical bump that is gray‑brown to reddish in color and protrudes from the skin. Its size can expand from a few millimeters to roughly the size of a pea as it fills with blood.
What does an engorged tick look like on a person? - in detail
An engorged tick attached to human skin presents a markedly altered morphology compared with an unfed specimen. The body expands to a rounded, balloon‑like shape, often reaching 5–10 mm in length and 3–8 mm in width, depending on species and feeding duration. The dorsal surface becomes a glossy, gray‑brown or black hue, while the ventral side may appear pale or pinkish due to the blood meal.
Key visual indicators include:
- Size increase – the tick’s body length can triple or more relative to its flat, 2–3 mm unfed state.
- Abdominal distension – the posterior segment swells, giving a “filled‑balloon” appearance; the anterior capitulum (mouthparts) remains visible as a small, dark projection.
- Color shift – darkening of the cuticle accompanies the stretch of the cuticle over the blood‑filled interior.
- Surface texture – the cuticle may appear smoother and more taut; leg joints are still discernible but may be partially obscured by the enlarged abdomen.
- Attachment point – the tick embeds its hypostome into the epidermis, often leaving a tiny puncture or a small hemorrhagic halo around the mouthparts.
Additional observations:
- The tick may be partially or fully concealed by hair or clothing, requiring careful inspection of typical attachment sites such as the scalp, neck, armpits, groin, and behind the knees.
- After removal, the engorged tick often retains a blood‑filled abdomen that may leak when handled, producing a dark, viscous fluid.
- The surrounding skin can exhibit mild erythema, a raised bump, or a central dark scab if the tick’s mouthparts have been damaged during extraction.
Recognizing these characteristics enables prompt identification and appropriate removal, reducing the risk of pathogen transmission.