Tick Removal With a Match

Ticks and their ensuing bites can cause all types of problems, including diseases. However, the bites are almost painless, so you may not notice if you get one. The risk of disease increases 24 hours after the bite and attachment and increases again after 48 hours. Therefore, you need to effectively remove the tick as soon as possible.

Reasoning

• Some people think you can remove ticks by lighting a match, blowing it out and touching the hot tip of the match to the tick. People reasoned that the match's heat would hurt the tick, compelling it to back out of the skin. However, medical personnel warn against tick removal with matches.

Dangers

• In theory, removal of a tick with a match sounds good. However, it does not work and may even aggravate the problem. This method can cause the tick to dig more deeply into the skin. The irritation of the match can cause the bug to regurgitate or release saliva, which can increase the risk of infection or disease. In addition, the match can burn the skin.

Proper Removal

• To properly remove a tick, clean the skin around the infected area if possible. Use fine tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can. Don't touch the tick with your hands. Take care to avoid squeezing its body. Gently remove the tick from the skin. If the tick's head remains burrowed in the skin, treat it like you would a splinter and remove it in the same manner. Wash the area. If you suspect disease, keep the pest in a small container of rubbing alcohol and take it to a medical professional for testing. Medical personnel can assist you with any questions about the tick or if you have further concerns.

Other Warnings

• Avoid using other substances such as nail polish remover, alcohol, petroleum jelly or gasoline to the tick. Again, these can irritate the pest. Take care not to poke the tick with a sharp object. Be gentle during the removal process without jerking or twisting the tick.