Journal Replace Tick For Free

If you attempt to remove a tick but its head or mouthparts are left behind in your pet, don't panic. You've killed the tick and removed its body, preventing any serious risk of disease transmission. The residual parts, however, could still lead to an infection at the attachment site.

If you aren't able to completely remove a tick's head, you should see a medical professional. A tick's head left under skin doesn't increase your risk of Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses, but it does increase your risk of some bacterial infections.

The CDC discourages "folklore remedies" like nail polish, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), and heat that lift the tick away from the skin, since they rely on waiting for a tick to detach, which takes longer.

Touching it with a hot match is a common one. Others include covering it with petroleum jelly or nail polish (in theory to suffocate it), or freezing it off. These are all supposed to make the tick back out of the skin on its own.

After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. 4. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. If you would like to bring the tick to your healthcare provider for identification, put it in rubbing alcohol or place it in a sealed bag/ container.

What to avoid. Do not try to: Smother a tick that is stuck to your skin with petroleum jelly, nail polish, gasoline, or rubbing alcohol.

If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Flushing it down the toilet.