Removal · field guidance

Smothering a tick with petroleum jelly

Vaseline does not make ticks back out; ticks breathe slowly enough to survive a coating, and the delay increases infection risk.

Steps

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01
DO NOT slather petroleum jelly or any other goop over an attached tick to suffocate it.
02
Ticks respire only a few times per hour. They can remain attached and viable under a layer of jelly for many hours, all while transmitting pathogens.
03
The stress of slow suffocation also increases the chance the tick regurgitates pathogen-laden saliva and gut contents into your bloodstream.
04
Instead, remove the tick promptly with fine-tipped tweezers. The faster a tick is removed, the lower the risk of disease transmission.
05
Wash the bite area with soap and water afterward.

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