What to Do About Tick Bites
en español: ¿Qué hacer ante las picaduras de garrapata?
Medically reviewed by: Yamini Durani, MD
Most tick bites are harmless and don't need medical treatment. But some ticks (like the deer tick, wood tick, and others) can carry harmful germs that cause diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. The deer tick is tiny, no larger than a pencil point. Other ticks are larger and easier to find on the skin.
How Do I Remove a Tick?
It's important to remove a tick as soon as possible. Follow these steps:
- Use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly at its head or mouth, next to the skin. Use a magnifying glass, if you have one, to see the tick clearly.