Tick Check & Removal FAQs - Humans
Regular tick checks and correct removal techniques protect your health and the health of your pets. Prevention is the best defense against tick-borne diseases.
Ticks can carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause serious diseases like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Early detection and removal significantly reduce the risk of transmission.
Check yourself immediately after coming indoors from grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. It’s also recommended to perform another check a few hours later, as ticks may crawl on the body before attaching.
- Use a mirror or ask someone to help.
- Look carefully in warm, moist, and hidden areas of the body, including:
- Scalp and hairline
- Behind the ears
- Underarms
- Waist and belly button
- Groin area
- Back of the knees
- Between fingers and toes
For a deeper understanding of where ticks most commonly attach on the human body—and how this varies by tick species and life stage—we encourage you to read our peer-reviewed publication:
"Human attachment site preferences of ticks parasitizing in New York"
Published in Nature Scientific Reports, this article assesses which human body region the ticks are likely to be found.
Yes. Ticks can cling to clothing and gear. Inspect and remove ticks before going indoors. Tumble-drying clothes on high heat for 10–15 minutes can kill unattached ticks.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers.
- Grasp the tick close to the skin’s surface.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure—do not twist or jerk.
- Clean the area with soap and water, or an antiseptic like rubbing alcohol.
- Save the tick in a sealed container for possible identification or testing.
No. These methods can irritate the tick, causing it to release more saliva and potentially increase disease transmission.
Monitor your health for 30 days. Seek medical attention if you experience:
- Fever or chills
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Muscle or joint aches
Disclaimer:
The Upstate Tick Testing Program is intended solely to provide information on tick species and the potential presence of tick-borne pathogens for research and educational purposes. This testing is not a clinical diagnostic service and should not be interpreted or used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Testing involves the detection of pathogen-specific nucleic acids in ticks using real-time PCR. A positive result indicates that a pathogen was detected in the tick specimen but does not confirm that the person or animal potentially bitten has been exposed to or infected by that pathogen.
By submitting a tick to this program, you acknowledge and consent that the data collected—including test results and associated metadata—may be used for research, academic, educational, and publication purposes. All data will be managed in accordance with applicable ethical standards, privacy protections, and institutional policies.
If you have concerns about a tick bite or symptoms of illness, please consult a licensed medical professional for appropriate evaluation and care.
Want to Learn More About Where Ticks Attach?
For a deeper understanding of where ticks most commonly attach on the human body—and how this varies by tick species and life stage—we encourage you to read our peer-reviewed publication:
"Human attachment site preferences of ticks parasitizing in New York"
Published in Nature Scientific Reports, this article assesses which human body region the ticks are likely to be found.
Understanding tick attachment preferences can improve tick check practices and help reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases.