Finding one of these little buggers

On your skin doesn’t mean you’re destined for Lyme disease, according to “how to correctly remove a tick“.

In fact, if the tick is small like a poppy seed, then it probably has been on your body for less than 48 hours and has not had the time to transmit Lyme disease.

Whatever the size, there is the right way to remove it and that doesn’t include petroleum jelly or nail polish remover. Here are some suggestions from Woman’s Day:

1. Use pointed tweezers to grasp the tick by its head or mouthparts right where they enter the skin. (View them through a magnifying glass if necessary.)

2. Swiftly and firmly pull the tick out (don’t twist). Clean the area with rubbing alcohol.

3. Place the tick in a jar or sealed bag with rubbing alcohol. Call your doctor and ask if you should save it (some doctors may want to examine it to figure out how long it’s been on your skin, says Durland Fish, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at Yale University School of Public Health).

4. If you develop a rash near the bite (it could take up to 30 days), see your doctor. You may have Lyme disease and need an antibiotic (doxycycline).

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