Women's Health Mag: 10 Best Tick Repellents To Avoid Tick Bites Altogether, According To Experts

Your bottle better have one of these four ingredients.

Spring has sprung, which means just as you’re gearing up to hit the trails, go camping, or just laze around in your backyard, ticks are coming out, too.

Tick season is worth preparing for: These little critters have expanded their territory across the U.S., and rates of tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease have gone up twofold in the past 13 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “With the exception of some parts of northern Alaska and the tops of some of the taller mountains, you will probably find ticks in most places if you know where to look. They are remarkably tough animals,” says David Claborn, DrPH, an entomologist and the director of the master of public health program at Missouri State University in Springfield.

But before you seal yourself up in a bubble, keep in mind that most tick bites are no big deal (not *every* tick is carrying an illness)—especially if you remove the blood-suckers within 24 hours. Still, you’re better off preventing tick bites than having a freakout if and when you find one latched onto you (better safe than sorry!).

So, how do you keep these teensy bugs far away from you? Here, your guide to how to prevent tick bites, plus a handy list of the best tick repellents on the market, with insight from tick pros.

See the full guide from Lauren Krouse on Women's Health Magazine's website here.