Tick Bite Treatment & Prevention: A Comprehensive Guide

Ticks bite into the skin and feed on the blood of their host. While most ticks do not carry diseases, some do. That is why you should remove the tick immediately when you see it. According to WebMD tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever, Colorado tick fever and babesiosis. For protection use a repellent with DEET and check daily for ticks. Wear light-colored clothing and avoid areas infested with ticks.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Soap
• Clean dry towel
• Antibiotic cream
• Bug repellent with DEET

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Instructions

• 1

  Remove tick immediately with tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Pull straight out. Do not twist or turn tick as you can then just dislodge the body and leave the head imbedded.

• 2

  Cleanse the bite area with soap and water, and then dry with a clean cloth.

• 3

  Apply antibiotic cream.

• 4

  Wash hands and tweezers thoroughly after handling a tick.