How to Remove a Tick: An Illustrated Guide

Ticks are the most dangerous creatures in North America, but with a few handy tools and knowledge of how these bugs work, you can remove an itchy tick from your skin without fear.

The “removing tick from dog” is a process that should be done with care. The best way to remove the tick is to use tweezers and pull it straight out of the skin.

The approach of summer — and all of the outdoor activities that come with it — also heralds the invasion of ticks. What to do if you locate a tick that has already bitten you and lodged itself in your skin is covered in this tutorial. However, the best thing you can do is take a few steps to enhance your chances of avoiding needing to remove a tick in the first place:

Wear long-sleeved clothes, particularly jeans, since our legs are generally the most exposed to the grass and plants we come into contact with while we’re outside.
Ticks like wet and humid environments, so be extra cautious in such environments.
Use a DEET-based repellent.
Check your clothes for ticks after you’ve returned inside after spending time outside.
After you’ve examined your clothes, take a shower and inspect yourself for the bugs (even those hard-to-reach locations).

While ticks have a fearsome reputation, Lyme Disease is carried by just one type of tick, and only a small subset of that species (there are other diseases, but this is the most feared). Furthermore, if a tick is bitten and removed within 24 hours, your chances of contracting a disease are reduced much more. While you should always be cautious, following the guidelines outlined above will guarantee that you are always safe rather than sorry.

If you detect a tick implanted in your flesh, remove it using tweezers, gloves, or tissue paper rather than your bare hands.
Grab the tick as near to its head/mouth as you can, which means as close to your skin as possible. Don’t try to pull it out by the main body.
Pull the tick straight out, gently and carefully. The head may break off and stay in your skin if you twist or wriggle it out.
The CDC suggests putting the tick in a bag/jar and freezing it in case a medical expert has to identify it later.
Clean the bite well with rubbing alcohol, then wash with warm, soapy water (along with your hands).
Do not attempt the traditional wives’ tale cures of burning the tick or burying it in nail paint while it is still attached to your flesh. This might cause the tick’s toxic secretions to enter your system.

Do you like the illustrations in this guide? Then our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness is for you! Get a copy from Amazon.

Ted Slampyak created the illustration.

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The “how to reduce tick population” is a guide that will teach you how to remove ticks from your body. This is an illustrated guide with photos and instructions on how to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you remove a tick that is embedded?

A: To remove a tick that is embedded, use your finger to tear it out.

What will make a tick back out?

A: If a tick is out for 15 minutes, it will be marked as Gone off the grid. This does not mean that the player has died and cannot come back.

What do you do if you pull a tick out and the head stays in?

A: The best solution is to place a band aid over the head and try again. If that doesnt work, you can remove the tick with tweezers or by smashing it off against your thumb nail.