How to Remove a Tick’s Head: Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment

If you need to know how to remove a tick’s head from yourself or a loved one, the first and most crucial step is not to panic. And, unfortunately, you really should understand what has happened — so brace yourself. When the tick bit, it inserted its barbed mouthparts, enabling it to hold on to its host as it drank blood. Once the tick is satiated, it drops off. However, if someone tries to remove a tick improperly, its head can pop off the tick’s body and remain embedded in your flesh. Eww!

Yes, it’s gross to think about having a tick head embedded in your skin. But that’s why it’s critical to remain calm and learn how to remove a tick from a human so you can prevent infection.

Symptoms of a Tick Head Left in Human Skin

Recognizing the symptoms of a tick head left in human skin is essential. The tick head looks like a small dark spot, possibly with the mouthparts visibly protruding from the skin. (Sorry!) You can also feel a tiny hard bump. As your immune system responds, you will see redness and localized swelling around the tick head, and the area may feel warm to the touch. The area may also be itchy and tender. Don’t scratch! You risk infection and driving the tick head deeper under the skin.

How to Remove a Tick’s Head

Before removing an embedded tick or a tick head, gather your supplies:

• Fine-tipped tweezers
• Needle
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swabs

Sterilize the tweezers and needle. Remember to never squeeze a tick’s body, as this can accelerate the transmission of disease and germs. After the body is broken off, the tick head itself cannot transmit disease and can usually be removed easily.

Start by washing your hands and cleaning the area around the tick bite with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. After you’ve cleaned your skin, here’s how to remove a tick head:

• Grasp the tick head with sterile, fine-tipped tweezers.
• Firmly pull the tick head straight out, not at an angle.
• If you can’t remove it with tweezers, you’ll need the sterilized needle.
• Use the needle to gently widen the hole where the head is embedded.
• Use the tweezers again to pull the head out.
• After removing the tick head, wash the area with soap and water
• Apply antiseptic to help prevent infection
• Monitor for signs of infection

You don’t need to save the tick head for disease testing, as the tick’s body is all that’s necessary for a thorough test. However, if the tick’s body was attached to you for more than 24 hours, you should monitor for symptoms of Lyme disease for about a month.

So now you know how to remove a tick head in most cases, but how do you handle a fully embedded tick head?

What to Do If the Tick’s Head Is Fully Embedded

Removing a tick head is a lot like removing a splinter. Usually, part of the splinter (the tick head or the mouthparts) extends from under the skin, providing a “handle” to grasp with the tweezers so you can smoothly pull it out. But sometimes, the splinter or tick head is fully embedded, requiring a bit more effort and pain to remove:

• Using the sterilized needle, open a small hole in your skin next to the embedded tick head.
• Gently widen the hole to access the tick head.
• Grasp the tick head with sterile, fine-tipped tweezers.
• Firmly pull the tick head out.
• Wash with soap and water.
• Apply antiseptic to help prevent infection.
• Monitor for signs of infection.
• If your efforts to remove the tick head repeatedly fail or you see signs of infection, seek medical attention.

What Happens If a Tick Head Stays in Your Skin?

If a tick head is stuck in human or animal skin for a prolonged period, the risk of tick-borne disease isn’t increased, but the risk of infection is. If an embedded tick or a tick head remains in your skin, your body’s immune system leaps into action, trying to expel the foreign invader, taking the following actions:

• Inflammation: First, the body responds with increased heat and blood flow to the area, bringing white blood cells to fight off possible infection.
• Immune Response: As the immune system attacks the foreign material, the area becomes tender and sore. Histamine release can lead to itching and further swelling.
• Granuloma Formation: If the body cannot expel the tick head quickly, it may form a granuloma, a small nodule of inflamed tissue around the object to isolate it.
• Abscess Formation: In some cases, the body may form an abscess, a pocket of pus, as it tries to fight off bacteria introduced by the tick’s mouthparts.

Monitor the site and seek medical attention if any of these symptoms persist:

• Pain
• Excessive swelling
• Significant warmth
• Pus
• Severe itching
• Rash
• Hives

Related Topic: What Percentage of Ticks Carry Lyme Disease?

Preventing Tick Bites and Fully Embedded Ticks

Because ticks can carry numerous diseases, including Lyme disease, most people want to stay as far away from them as possible. But their populations are high and growing, they’re resistant to cold, and they’re very good at finding a host.

These are the best ways to protect your yard from ticks and prevent tick bites at home and beyond:

• Wear protective clothing when you’re outside. This includes long sleeves, pants, and closed-toe shoes.
• Use tick repellants when visiting “tick country,” such as wooded areas, mountains, meadows, grasslands, and brush.
• Keep landscaping well maintained (weeds pulled, shrubs trimmed, and grass mowed).
• Keep fences in good repair.
• Keep spilled birdseed and dropped fruits and vegetables promptly cleaned up.
• Lay down gravel or wood chips to form a barrier between any nearby woods and your yard or garden.
• Check for ticks after being outdoors (especially when in high grass or wooded areas).
• Schedule professional tick control services.

Request a Quote for Tick Control Services

Now you know how to remove a tick’s head when it’s embedded in your skin, but wouldn’t it be better to prevent tick bites in the first place? Mosquito Joe^® to the rescue! Our comprehensive pest control services include our proven barrier spray treatments and natural tick treatments, which help minimize the risk of exposure to ticks around the perimeter of your home.

You can count on reliable tick control services that will leave you pleased to do business with Mosquito Joe. The Neighborly Done Right Promise^® and the Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee back everything we do. Let’s make the outdoors fun again!^®

Ready to rid your yard of ticks? Contact your local Mosquito Joe or request a free quote today. We’ll handle the rest.