How To Prevent Tick Bites On Humans And Pets

Tick bites can be annoying, painful and dangerous. Here are my best ways to avoid them when you’re out in the wild, or just working on your yard.

Out of the hundreds of tick species in the world, there are only a few that are known to bite humans and that can potentially transmit diseases. However, even if not dangerous, tick bites are still uncomfortable. They can get you infected with something, even if no serious illness is transmitted. Frankly, ticks are just disgusting little creatures that none of us want crawling around on our skin.

There are some effective ways to prevent ticks from getting onto you in the first place, as well as some measures you can take to deal with them if your precautions fail.

Avoid Tick-Infested Areas

Ticks can live in most of the regions across the United States, but they do tend to thrive in areas with a higher humidity level. They like to live in the transition zone between the wooded forest and open clearings. The buildup of vegetation provides an ideal situation for them. Areas with a large leaf buildup, pine needles, and wood piles make excellent breeding grounds for ticks as well.

Especially deeper in the woods, or around areas with water, you will find ticks in the tall grass and vegetation. Contrary to widespread belief ticks do not jump or leap onto the host, they will actually lay in wait and simply grab ahold of the host as it moves past the tick’s location.

Whenever possible, it would be best to try and plan your routes around the tall thick vegetation, or avoid resting on the thick beds of leaves and or pine needles.

Wear the Right Clothing

It is always a clever idea to wear long sleeves and pants when venturing out in the wilderness. This will make it harder for the ticks to get directly onto your skin. Lighter colored clothing will help allow the tick to stand out as it will contrast better against the lighter clothing as opposed to darker shirts and pants.

Tucking your pants into your socks or boot tops will make it harder for ticks to crawl up your leg. Another option is to utilize a pair of gaiters. This will make it extremely hard for ticks to get up your pant leg or into your boot top.

Use Bug Spray

There are a lot of good repellants out there that I’m sure your favorite outdoors store carries. The general consensus is that a repellent containing at least 20% DEET is effective in helping to prevent ticks. I would always recommend not just spraying exposed skin but spraying your skin around the areas where the ticks may get onto you. For example, spray your calf/shin area where the top of your boot ends. Along with that same thought, you would want to spray around your waistline especially, if you do not tuck in your shirt.

Something I like to do is to also use Permethrin. Permethrin can be purchased in the same section as the regular inspect repellants. Permethrin is not designed for skin contact. Instead, it is meant to be used on clothing, boots and bags. Depending on the brand, its effectiveness can last a couple of weeks on the items it has been applied to.

Tick Check Routine

Check yourself and check each other before you drive back home. It can never hurt to step into some bathroom and check yourself for ticks that may have gotten under your clothes. Likewise, having a family member or a friend to inspect areas like your back is always recommended.

After I have checked myself out whenever possible, I like to change my clothes. This way any ticks that may be stuck to my pants or shirt have nowhere to go. I will put on some fresh clothes and put those clothes into a plastic bag until I can get home and get them into the washer. This would also be a suitable time to wash off some of that insect repellent you applied.

If you had your pets out there enjoying the great outdoors with you, this would be a suitable time to check them for any ticks before loading them up into your vehicle or letting them inside your residence.

It would also be recommended to check yourself again once you get home and have the time to be a bit more detailed. Ticks are tiny and they can be hard to see. So, a second more detailed look is always beneficial.

Tick Removal Methods

Now, in the event you have a tick on you, if it has not bitten or dug in, you can simply pinch it with your fingers and lift it off your skin. If the tick has bitten and taken a hold, you can use a pair of tweezers. Get ahold of the tick by the body and just pull it straight up and away from your skin.

There are also tick removal tools that can be purchased that are designed to slide underneath the skin, and as you pull up, it will pull the tick off of you. These tools can be a little easier than tweezers because you wouldn’t have to worry about squeezing too much or too little.

It is not recommended to try things like nail polish applied to the tick in an attempt to suffocate the little creature. Just pull it off. Do not twist or pry on it because you do not want to risk the mouth breaking off and staying stuck in your skin as this can increase the chance of an infection.

After you have removed the tick, wash the area and disinfect it. Some recommend putting the tick in a Ziplock bag and freezing it. This is done in case the tick bite becomes infected or any sickness seems to come on as a result of the tick. You can take the tick to the Doctor, and they may be able to evaluate and see if the tick has transmitted anything to you.

Final Takeaway

If you spend a fair amount of time outdoors, at some point, you will encounter ticks. It is just a fact. So taking some of these precautions can help lessen the amount of tick exposure and tick bites.