How to Perform an Effective Tick Check After Outdoor Activities

Visit the Equip-4-Ticks Resource Center

Ticks are common in many outdoor environments, and knowing how to properly perform a tick check is crucial in preventing tick-borne diseases. Dr. Brian Leydet, an associate professor of disease ecology and epidemiology, offers practical tips on conducting effective tick checks for yourself and your family after spending time outdoors.

Immediate Tick Checks Are Essential

Performing a tick check as soon as you return indoors significantly reduces the risk of tick-borne diseases. According to Dr. Leydet, the quicker a tick is removed after attaching, the lower the likelihood of disease transmission. Here are the steps to effectively perform a tick check:

Immediate Inspection:

Conduct a thorough visual check right after coming indoors. Early detection helps remove unattached ticks and quickly address any that have attached.

Inspect All Body Areas:

Check all areas of the body, paying close attention to hard-to-see places such as behind the knees, under the arms, around the waist, hairline, and behind the ears.
Use mirrors or ask for assistance to examine difficult-to-see areas thoroughly.

Know Your Skin:

Familiarize yourself with your and your family's freckles and marks. Any new or unusual "freckle" could be a tick.

Handling Clothing After Outdoor Activities

Ticks often hitch rides on clothing. Dr. Leydet recommends these methods to handle potentially tick-infested clothing:

Use a Dryer: Place clothing in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes. The heat will effectively kill ticks, as they cannot tolerate high temperatures.
Alternative Drying Methods: If you do not have access to a dryer, hang your clothing outdoors in direct sunlight. Exposure to the sun and heat helps dry out and kill ticks.

Regular Tick Checks for Children

Dr. Leydet emphasizes teaching children the importance of tick checks and establishing it as a regular routine. Since children tend to explore more than adults do, they can be prime targets for getting a tick on them after playing outside.

Why Consistency Matters

Consistently performing tick checks after every outdoor activity, no matter how brief, is a fundamental strategy for preventing tick bites and the diseases they carry. If you aren’t consistent, then it will be easy to forget when it actually matters. Staying consistent with tick checks pays off in the long run, even if it seems slightly tedious at the time.

Enhance Your Protection with Tick-Repellent Gear

Permethrin-treated clothing can offer a great line of defense against ticks. Although this doesn’t eliminate the need to do a tick check, permethrin spray and permethrin-treated clothing have been proven to reduce tick attachment. Ticks often attach at the ground level, so a great place to start is by spraying your shoes once a month with permethrin spray. Beyond that, you can also wear Insect Shield permethrin-treated socks and pants to have a no-fuss way to get the benefits of permethrin repellent built directly into your clothes.