Common Tick Removal Mistakes Experts Say Could Cause You Big Problems

Living in the Northland presents a lot of great opportunities to enjoy time outdoors, surrounded by some pretty phenomenal scenery, great fishing opportunities, and other reasons you might want to get outside.

One of the risks of enjoying these outdoor adventures is picking up some ticks. Not all that long ago, most folks used to shrug that off as an annoyance. Maybe something kind of gross if you're especially bothered by the little pests.

With the growing risks of diseases like Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and a number of other nasty illnesses found in Minnesota and Wisconsin, it's more than just a nuisance to have a tick bite you.

As those risks have grown, the correct way to remove ticks and what to do with them after has changed from what you probably learned from your parents years ago, too.

A social media post I've been seeing a lot of people sharing around recently reminds us how important the correct removal technique is, and what you do after is so crucial.

Those removal tricks your parents/grandparents showed you are a BAD idea!

Aside from the social media post I mentioned, I also compared the recommendations to what the CDC says, and they agree. You should NOT use Vaseline, nail polish, soap, heat, or any other substance to try to force the tick to detach itself.

READ MORE: How Common Are Ticks That Carry Meat Allergy-Causing Illness In Minnesota?

The working theory behind those hacks was to avoid detaching the tick's head in your skin when removing the tick. On the surface, that makes sense. The problem is that those methods tend to stress the tick, which can make the creepy-crawly bug force potentially infected fluid into the skin.

That means it increases your chances of getting whatever nasty bacteria or virus they may be carrying!

The correct way, according to the CDC, to remove a tick that's attached to you is to use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. If you don't have fine-tipped tweezers, regular ones can be used. The goal is to avoid squeezing the tick's body. In addition, avoid twisting the tick when removing.

If you have no tweezers at all and you're going to use your fingers, avoid squeezing the body of the tick for the above-mentioned reason of forcing the tick to give you more of whatever it may be carrying.

READ MORE: Do Ticks Jump Or Fall Out Of Trees & Land On People Or Pets?

If you end up with the tick's head broken off and left behind in your skin, the CDC says your body will naturally force the mouthparts out of your skin over time as you heal if you are not able to remove it easily with the tweezers.

Afterward, you should wash your hands and the bite area with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer.

Don't flush, burn, or squish that tick!

I can't even count the number of times I've seen or heard about people flushing, squishing, or burning a tick after removing it. Maybe it's a little bit of revenge mixed with making sure the tick doesn't do it again.

The problem with this is that some experts will tell you keeping the tick can be helpful if you end up starting to feel sick, to determine what you're coming down with.

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Some of the recommended options include taping it to an index card with clear tape and putting the date and the bite location written on the card. Another suggestion is putting it in a sealed container with the same information on it.

Not all experts agree about this part.

While some health experts make the above recommendations to make it possible to either test the tick (or at least properly identify it to help in tracking down potential diseases), the CDC's formal recommendation is more focused on proper disposal (like not squishing it in your fingers) after making sure you make notes about what kind of tick it was and when/where you got bitten if you start developing symptoms of some kind, so you can tell your doctor.

Symptoms can sometimes take several weeks to develop, so those notes you make can be important to help you remember details. If you do develop a rash, fever, or other symptoms, bring those notes with you to your doctor.

The key things they'll want to know include when the bite occurred, where on your body it happened, and where you were when you got the tick.