Growing up in the rural Midwest, I developed a routine after walking through the woods: shower, check my scalp, and feel for ticks. Finding one was a regular occurrence, and I'd pluck it off with tweezers. There were never any problems, no symptoms, and it was just part of life. But how do tick experts—people who understand exactly where ticks are found, how they spread, and who employ the latest strategies—protect themselves from these tiny, yet dangerous creatures?
Ticks are everywhere, and in some regions, getting bitten by one often means it's carrying Lyme disease. A Dartmouth study found that half of black-legged ticks and a quarter of nymphal black-legged ticks in the Northeast have tested positive for Lyme disease over the past 30 years. Other tick-borne illnesses such as anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are also a growing concern. While vaccines to prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are on the horizon, they're not available yet, so preventing bites is key.
Interestingly, much of the advice on preventing tick bites today mirrors what I was taught in the '90s, but technology has made significant improvements. So, how do tick experts protect themselves?
One of the most effective ways to prevent tick bites is by wearing clothing treated with permethrin, an insecticide that repels both ticks and mosquitoes. Studies have shown that permethrin-treated clothes can reduce tick bites by up to 65%. Outdoor brands such as L.L. Bean, Shoo For Good, and Insect Shield offer a variety of permethrin-treated clothing, including pants, shirts, and accessories like gaiters. According to Thomas Mather, PhD, Director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease, treated clothes are perfect for everyday activities like dog walking—not just hiking trips. Many people reserve them for special occasions, but in reality, they’re best used regularly.
Another important piece of advice is to re-treat your clothing annually. Mather found that in his study, participants experienced 50% fewer tick bites in the second year, which is why re-treatment is necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the permethrin treatment. You can either treat your clothes yourself using at-home sprays like Sawyer Permethrin Fabric Treatment, or you can have a company like Insect Shield professionally treat them for you.
When it comes to repelling ticks from your skin, experts often use sprays with proven active ingredients. The EPA's online tool allows you to search for repellents based on active ingredients, protection time, and the specific pests you're trying to keep away. Tick experts recommend sprays that contain at least 30% DEET, 20% picaridin, or 20% IR3535. You can also use oil of lemon eucalyptus (30%), which is effective but needs to be reapplied more frequently. However, it's toxic to cats and not recommended for children under three years old. If you’re sweating a lot, you’ll need to reapply more often than the label suggests.
In tick-prone areas, some simple tricks can provide additional protection. Sonja Swiger, PhD, an entomologist at Texas A&M University, advises tucking long socks over your pants and wrapping tape around the tops of your socks. This will help catch any ticks that try to crawl up your legs. Light-colored clothing is also recommended as it makes it easier to spot ticks before they reach your skin. And don’t wait until you're home to do a tick check—check before getting back into the car if you've been out in a tick-heavy area.
Technology is also being used to track and identify ticks. While AI-powered apps for tick identification are still unreliable, one valuable tool is TickSpotters, a crowdsourced platform managed by Mather. This service allows people to submit photos of ticks they find on themselves or after removal, and experts will identify them and send an email with information about the type of tick and its stage of life, which can help assess the risk of disease transmission.
While many doctors aren’t trained to identify all species of ticks or their life stages, consulting with a tick expert can be crucial. By identifying the type of tick and understanding whether it’s carrying Lyme disease or other illnesses, experts can adjust treatment plans accordingly. For example, if the tick that bit you isn’t a Lyme carrier, you may not need antibiotics like doxycycline.
Tick experts also take measures to reduce ticks on their properties. Mather recommends spraying the edges of wooded areas with synthetic pyrethroids once a year. Additionally, tick tubes, which Mather invented, are a popular choice for controlling tick populations. These biodegradable tubes filled with permethrin-treated cotton are used by mice for nesting, reducing the chance that ticks will be carried into the home. Keeping your lawn trimmed and raking up leaves (especially oak leaves) also helps to eliminate tick habitats. Adding a wood chip or gravel border between your yard and wooded areas and installing deer fences can further reduce the risk of ticks entering your property.
When it comes to removing ticks, experts use a specialized tick remover tool, which makes the process easier and safer than using standard tweezers. It’s important to remove the tick straight out from the skin, without twisting, to avoid leaving its mouthparts behind. If a small part of the tick’s mouth is left in the skin, it’s usually not a cause for concern, as the body will naturally expel it. However, experts recommend wiping the area with an alcohol pad after removal and storing the tick in a freezer bag for possible identification and disease testing later.
Tick experts’ strategies are practical and based on years of research and experience. By adopting similar methods, we can all better protect ourselves from the growing risks of tick-borne diseases. Whether through wearing treated clothing, using proper repellents, or staying informed with technology, we have a variety of tools at our disposal to help reduce our risk of tick bites and stay safe in the great outdoors.