How to Remove Seed Ticks

It's a hiker's worst nightmare: after a few hours on the trail you find yourself crawling with hundreds (or thousands!) of tiny seed ticks. Though removing them all may seem like an astronomical challenge, the truth is that it is easier than you might think.

Seed ticks (the larval stage of ticks) generally crawl around for quite a while before beginning to feed. If you check yourself for ticks often, you can detect and remove seed ticks before they bite. Not only are seed ticks easier to remove at this stage, but you'll also be spared the itchy evidence of their appearance.

How to Remove Seed Ticks that Have Not Attached

If there are dozens (or hundreds, or thousands) of seed ticks crawling around on your skin and clothing, the easiest way to remove large numbers of them at one time is to press the adhesive side of a piece of masking or duct tape onto them and lift off. This will take care of most of the unattached ticks. You can also soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and rub the affected area in a circular motion.

How to Remove Seed Ticks that Have Attached

The easiest way to remove seed ticks that have bitten and attached to the skin is to just gently scrape them with your thumbnail.

If any remain, take a hot, soapy shower, making sure to scrub well. Luckily seed ticks do not embed as deeply as adults, and do not require tweezers to remove.

How NOT to Remove Seed Ticks

There are many old wives' tales out there regarding tick removal, and most of them only serve to make the process more difficult.

You should never cover attached seed ticks with petroleum jelly in an attempt to smother them. This won't work and will only make removing them a more slippery process for you.

You should also never cover them in nail polish (again, that will only be a nightmare to remove) or attempt to burn them. The latter could result in much more severe damage than a seed tick could ever do.

Sources:
Oklahoma Poison Control: First Aid for Tick Bites
Missouri Department of Conservation: Ticks!!
University of Missouri Extension: Ticks
Personal Experience