A vector illustration of tweezers grasping a tick by the head to remove
A vector illustration of tweezers grasping a tick by the head to remove

How Tick Experts Protect Themselves Against Ticks

Growing up in the rural Midwest, I had a tick routine after walking in the woods: Shower, scrub my scalp, and feel for ticks. Pluck any I found — a regular occurrence — with tweezers. No problem and no symptoms.

But how do tick experts — people who know where ticks are and how they spread, and employ the latest strategies — handle this growing scourge?

After all, ticks are everywhere. In certain regions, if you’re bitten by a tick, there’s a good chance it’s carrying Lyme. A Dartmouth study found that half of black-legged ticks and a quarter of nymphal black-legged ticks in the Northeast tested positive for the disease over three decades of data.

Continue reading to learn more aout preventing tick bites, written by Kristin Canning.

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Freelance Writer
Kristin Canning

Kristin Canning is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience, serving as the former features director at Women's Health Magazine, and holding prior editor positions at Health, SELF, and Men's Health. She's traveled around the globe to review the best destinations for wellness and test the latest fitness apparel and gadgets. Kristin is particularly interested in emerging health research and technology, mental health, reproductive justice, outdoor athletes and gear, and the intersection of wellness, feminism, and culture. She spends her free time running, reading, hiking, listening to podcasts, and hanging out with her cats. She is currently based outside Denver.

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