Tick Bite Prevention in Staten Island: Repellent, Checks and Safe Removal

Before a trail walk or yard work

Tick precautions are relevant close to home, not just on camping trips. NYC Health’s tick guidance identifies several tick species on Staten Island. Ticks can wait in shaded brush, leaf litter and tall grass, then attach when a person or animal passes.

Use this pre-outing checklist:

• Walk in the center of trails and avoid brushing against tall grass and vegetation.
• Wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt; light colors can make ticks easier to spot. Tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants.
• Choose an EPA-registered insect repellent and follow its label, including age restrictions and reapplication instructions.
• If using both products, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
• Use permethrin products only as directed on clothing and gear, not on skin.

CDC prevention guidance lists repellent ingredients including DEET and picaridin. Products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD should not be used on children under 3 years old. Do not treat every product marketed as “natural” as interchangeable with an EPA-registered repellent.

Make checking part of coming indoors

Shower within two hours of returning from a potentially tick-infested area. This can help wash off unattached ticks and creates a useful opportunity for a full-body check, but showering does not replace inspecting the skin.

Use a mirror and help children check areas they cannot see. Look under arms, around ears, in hair, inside the belly button, behind knees, between legs and around the waist. Check clothing, bags and pets so ticks are not carried farther into the home.

CDC advises tumble-drying dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks. Damp clothes need additional time; if washing first, hot water is recommended. Do not assume a cold wash removes the risk.

Remove an attached tick without waiting

CDC’s tick-removal instructions recommend prompt removal rather than waiting for a healthcare appointment.

1. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Avoid squeezing its body.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk.
3. If mouthparts remain and cannot be removed easily with tweezers, leave them alone rather than digging into the skin.
4. Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water.
5. Dispose of the tick in a sealed container or tightly wrapped tape; do not crush it with your fingers. Check for other ticks.

Do not apply heat, petroleum jelly or nail polish to make a tick detach. These methods can increase risk and delay removal.

When a clinician should assess the bite

After removing an attached tick, consider contacting a healthcare provider promptly to ask whether any preventive treatment is appropriate. That is an individual clinical decision, not an OTC treatment choice.

If a rash, fever or flu-like symptoms develop within the following weeks, seek medical care. Tell the clinician when and where the bite likely occurred. Do not wait for a particular rash shape or commercial tick-test results: CDC does not recommend using tick testing to make treatment decisions.

For local OTC information, see OTC medicines in Eltingville. A repellent question is different from diagnosing illness after a bite; symptoms need a healthcare provider.

Sources

• NYC Health: Ticks
• CDC: Preventing Tick Bites
• CDC: What to Do After a Tick Bite