How to Remove a Tick in Two Easy Steps

Tick season is in full swing around here. Actually, I've been pulling ticks off my kids since January. I wish that were some kind of sick joke, but it's not. Last summer we pulled teeny tiny seed ticks off them all year long, not one or two but twenty or thirty at a time. Ticks so small you thought they were dirt until you saw them walking on your kids legs.

I haven't seen any of those mini pests yet this year, instead, we have been pulling off big, fat ticks with really strong jaw muscles. I hate them. 

I can't tell you how many times I have googled "tick removal" or "how to get rid of ticks" or "what to do when the tick head doesn't come off with the body" and how many times google hasn't been helpful. Whatever you do, never google one of those phrases and then look at the images. It will give you nightmares for weeks. Also never google "red spots on the roof of your mouth" and then click the images tab. Or do it. I dare you. I just had shivers thinking about it. 

Anyway, all of that to say, I have finally figured out how to remove a tick safely and effectively- head and all. And how to treat the bite afterwards. 

It's those crazy essential oils again, doing crazy things. I just can't get over it. 

I remembered reading somewhere that peppermint is considered a "hot" oil meaning it can feel hot on sensitive skin. So, the next time a we found a tick on Jacob I dripped one drop of it on the tick. In about 3 seconds he started wiggling his legs - the tick, not Jacob-  and shortly thereafter I gently pulled him off with almost no resistance from his powerful little jaws. Even after I had him firmly in the grasp of my tweezers and dropped him in the toilet, he continued to kick his nasty tick legs. It was that easy and the best part was, I didn't have to worry if I'd accidentally left tick body parts behind exposing Jacob to extra itchy skin and possible infection. 

I followed the tick removal with a drop of an oil called Purification. Not only does it do an amazing job of stopping the itch, it also acts as a disinfectant for the area that was bitten. And, bonus, it smells good too.

Tick removal in two steps. Who knew it could be so easy?