Check for ticks after outdoor activity, remove with tweezers

Steps

1. After spending time in wooded, brushy, or tall-grass areas, do a full-body tick check within 2 hours — check scalp, behind ears, armpits, waistband, groin, and behind knees
2. Shower within 2 hours of coming indoors — this washes off unattached ticks and provides an opportunity to find attached ones
3. If you find an attached tick, grasp it with fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady, even pressure
4. Clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water

Why It Works

Most tick-borne diseases (Lyme, anaplasmosis, babesiosis) require 24-48 hours of attachment before transmission. Prompt removal within hours virtually eliminates infection risk.

Tips

• Do not use petroleum jelly, nail polish, heat, or "tick twisters" — fine-tipped tweezers with steady pull is the CDC-recommended method
• Save the tick in a sealed bag with the date for identification if symptoms develop
• Tumble dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks on fabric