Myth: A tick head needs to be removed completely if broken off in or under the skin.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics 2020 and the Tick Bite, Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines 2020, it is recommended NOT to dig out the head of a tick if the tick breaks upon removal. It is felt that more trauma to the surrounding skin can lead to a higher risk of infection or cellulitis of the area. Leaving the tick head in does not increase the risk of contracting a tick borne illness. The body will shed skin layers and the tick debris as it heals
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) 2021, notes that if the tick were to break off leaving mouth parts in the skin, attempt to remove with tweezers if able. If unable to remove easily or it is under the skin, leave the area to heal on it’s own and the body will eventually expel the tick pieces. It is recommended to either cleanse the area with alcohol or soap and water.
Discussion-
Throughout my practice in mainstream medicine, it has been debated if a tick head should be removed completely or not, if the head broke off during removal. It has been my experience that there have been patients that insist a tick head need to be removed despite the depth of the head. There have been times that colleagues I have worked with have gone above and beyond to attempt to “dig out” the head or even as far as removing it with a scalpel. This leaving the area sore and inflamed in turn having higher risk for infection.
Tick Removal-
Ticks can be removed in several ways. Most easily tick twisters have become in favor as very easy to utilize and the tick comes off in entirety each time. Other methods include using light pressure with tweezers to pull off the tick. The National Center for Emerging Zoonic Infectious Disease, 2022 does not recommended to use Vaseline, ointment or nail polish to smother the tick, trying to burn the tick or scraping the area with a credit card.
About Heather Haslun, DNP, FNP-CRelated Blog Posts
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