Tick removal

A tick bite is painless and is usually not felt, which enables the tick to stay attached to the skin for several days. Ticks are often carriers of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, an infectious disease that most commonly affects the skin, nervous system, joints and heart, but can also affect all other organs.

If you notice the presence of a tick on your child's skin, the tick should be removed professionally and as soon as possible (within the first 24 hours of the sting) to reduce the chance of infection. No chemicals (alcohol, gasoline, acetone, etc.) should be applied on the tick that has not been removed. The tick is only removed mechanically, with clean tweezers, which have been previously disinfected with alcohol, as follows:

  1. Grasp the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible, without tearing or squeezing its body.
  2. First gently pull the tweezers upwards, so that the tick is lifted from the skin, and then slowly pull the tick out of the skin.
  3. Disinfect the sting site after removing the tick.

It is recommended to have ticks removed in health facilities (clinic, health center, etc.), where you will get other necessary advice as well.

If you have tried to remove the tick yourself (whether you have removed it completely or only partially), be sure to consult a doctor.