What is the safest way to remove a tick that has already attached itself?

Answer 1

It is important to remove the tick as soon as possible. Use the following steps:

If possible, clean the area with an antiseptic solution or soap and water. Take care not to scrub the tick too hard. Just clean the skin around it.
Use blunt tweezers or gloved fingers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
Gently pull the tick straight away from the skin.
If the tick's head breaks off in the skin, use tweezers to remove it like you would a splinter.
If you live where tick diseases are common, save the tick in a small bottle of rubbing alcohol. Your doctor can check it to see what kind of tick it is and what kind of infection it might carry. Otherwise, flush it in the toilet. Wash your hands.
Wash the area around the bite with antibacterial soap.
Call your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
Take care not to do the following:

Do not use sharp tweezers.
Do not crush, puncture, or squeeze the tick's body.
Do not use a twisting or jerking motion to remove the tick.
Do not handle the tick with bare hands.
Do not try to make the tick let go by holding a hot match or cigarette close to it.
Do not try to smother the tick by covering it with petroleum jelly or nail polish.

You should see your doctor if you develop redness, swelling, pain, fever, or other symptoms after you are bitten by a tick.

Answer 2

I have always used vaseline or baby oil. It suffocates the tick. Then you need to remove the tick with tweevers, turning counterclockwise.

Recently I read that you could use dish soap and that it actually makes the tick back out.

Answer 3

I know they don't like finger nail polish remover. It you have some, put a little, enought to saturate a cotton ball and cover the tick with that. The important thing is that you get the head out as well. My dad would light a match, then blow it out and stick it to the tick. The heat would cause them to back out, head and all.

Answer 4

When my son had a tick embedded, we put a big glob of vaseline overtop of it. Ticks 'breathe' out of tiny holes on the sides of their bodies, so if you block their air supply that way, they can't breathe, and try to back out and get away.
It works really well, but you can feel the tick trying to get away, which can feel creepy and gross.
The tick may take 5-10 minutes before it will back out, but this way it comes out on its own and you don't have to worry about ripping the head off.

Answer 5

Tweezers. Gently pull until tick releases or body separates from head. Don't worry if head remains in skin - it does no harm and will eventually work loose. The harmfull part of the tick is in the body, so once it is removed, there should be no problem.

Answer 6

Pluck it! Dr. Oz, on Oprah, said that plucking is the best way to remove a tick.

Answer 7

Apply rubbing alcohol to the site and tweezer it off.

Answer 8

Well I've always been told to take a cigarette and put the fire to its back side and they will back out ? Tried it once and sure enough it worked.But please don't take up smoking to do this.

Answer 9

using tweezers

Answer 10

a hot neddle works great.