As beautiful as nature is, it can have a lot of troublesome creatures, especially ticks. So, if you’re prone to spending time outdoors or enjoying your backyard, you should know how to avoid them.
This article will cover 6 ways to save yourself from tick bites.
Make Your Home Less Appealing To Ticks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you have a lush background and you want to get rid of ticks, you should whack away at tall grasses and bushy spots around the outskirts of your property.
Treat Your Gear With Permethrin, A Powerful Insecticide
To make your clothing and camping equipment more tick-repellant, treat them with EPA-approved products that contain 0.5% permethrin. However, this insecticide should not be sprayed on the skin and shouldn’t be applied while you’re wearing the items you want to treat.
Try To Cover Up When You’re Spending Lots of Time Outdoors
Paul Gisbert Auwaerter, MD, professor of medicine and clinical director of the infectious diseases division at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said you should always wear long sleeves, pants, shoes that hit the ankles, and long socks if you’re heading into tick-infested areas.
He also said you should tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
When Choosing A Repellent, Go With DEET First
DEET is an active ingredient in multiple repellents that can be applied directly to your skin. Interestingly, experts still need to completely understand why this chemical works well for repelling ticks and other pests, such as mosquitoes. That said, DEET makes it difficult for ticks to smell humans.
Try Picaridin If Your Skin Can’t Stand DEET
Picaridin is a solid ingredient that can help ward off ticks. Dr. Linda Yancey, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann, said it’s often recommended as a good alternative as it performs just as well against mosquitoes and other insects.
Carefully Check Yourself For Ticks When You Get Home
When you get home, scan your clothing and check any gear you brought in. The CDC also recommends throwing your clothes in the washer on high heat, which will help kill any ticks you don’t find.
Conclusion
In general, tick bites are usually harmless and just leave marks on your skin. However, it’s worth taking a few steps to avoid developing infections. Using the tips we’ve discussed, you can go a long way toward protecting your health.
