Tick Bites and Tick Removal
Overview
- Adapted from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance
Tick removal
- Remove the tick as soon as possible
- Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface. Pull it up steadily with even pressure. Do NOT twist or jerk the tick. If the mouth parts break off, try to remove these with tweezers but if this is not possible, leave it alone and let the skin heal
- Australia is an exception. NaTHNaC advises (13 August 2026) that guidance on managing tick bites in Australia differs from the rest of the world because of the Australian paralysis tick and its association with allergic reactions and mammalian meat allergy: the tick should not be disturbed, and should be killed in situ using the method described in the Australian Government's own guidance, rather than pulled out. Travellers to Australia should be directed to NaTHNaC's country page
- After tick removal, clean the bite area and your hands well using alcohol (i.e. an alcohol sanitiser gel) or soap and water
- Avoid painting the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly or trying to use heat to remove it from the skin
- A live tick should be disposed of: down the toilet, putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container or by wrapping it in tape
Safety net – risk of Lyme disease
- If the person develops a rash or systemic symptoms (such as a fever, myalgia, neck stiffness, malaise), they should seek medical advice (and tell the doctor about the tick bite)
- NHS explains that most rashes appear within the first month of being bitten but it may take longer for symptoms to manifest