Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Tick Removal

A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!


I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.


Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.

Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"

4 comments:

Kelly L said...

I remember vising the East Coast and told to watch out for ticks.. had no idea what they were. saw one on their dog.. ugly little thing.. the rest of the trip, I stayed away from the garden, rocks and high grass.. I came home tick free!
This ideas sounds much better than a hot needle in that ticks butt - at least that is what I heard works..

Nancy said...

Thanks, Linda! I can't wait to tell DH of this method of tick removal. We have them here. He'll pass it on to his siblings, too. Much easier than the hot needle which is what we used in the past.
Love,
Nancy

Linda said...

I'm not afraid of much, but Ticks give me the willies!
I HATE Ticks!
We've had a really wet spring...which brings them out all the more!
YUCK!

Renie Burghardt said...

Hi Linda,
Oh, am I glad I found this tip! We've had a wet spring as well, and there are lots of ticks! And I hate them as well! I us Frontline Plus on the cats and dogs, and it works well on them, but I can't put Frontline on me, can I? Haha.

Hugs,

Renie