Removal · field guidance

Blasting the tick with a hairdryer

Hairdryer heat does not make ticks detach and risks burning your skin while giving the tick more time to feed.

Steps

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01
DO NOT aim a hairdryer at an attached tick to try to drive it out with heat.
02
Ticks tolerate brief warm air without releasing. Sustained heat hot enough to bother the tick will burn your skin first.
03
While you experiment, the tick continues feeding and potentially transmitting pathogens.
04
Instead, use fine-tipped tweezers immediately. Grasp the tick close to the skin and pull straight up with steady pressure.
05
Clean the bite area afterward with soap and water.

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