What to know about ticks before spending your vacation in the great outdoors

Insects – Are you about to sleep under the stars to enjoy the shooting stars. In addition, or to go for a walk in the forest during your vacation? In addition, Attentions to ticks. Consequently, These mites. Nevertheless, which can live as well in wooded areas as in the green spaces of cities, feed on animal or human blood. Nevertheless, They do not bite, they bite, and remain fixed on the skin for hours to what know about ticks before eat.

As Christopher Bazzoli. Therefore, emergency doctor, points out to the HuffPost American, “The ticks themselves are not particularly dangerous for humans, but unfortunately, they can transmit certain diseases to humans [et] end up causing him wrong. Therefore, ” Lyme disease, encephalitis …

[Note : Cet article est une traduction réalisée par la rédaction du HuffPost France. However, à partir d’un article paru en juillet 2025 sur le HuffPost américain. Similarly, L’article original est à lire ici. Consequently, Il a été traduit, raccourci et édité dans un souci de compréhension pour un lectorat francophone.]

What are the good practices not to have too much to worry about hiking? Nevertheless, Rather than spending the summer locked up to avoid ticks, our colleagues from HuffPost US asked several doctors the question. In addition, Here’s what they are paying attention to.

Avoid walking in high herbs. – What know about ticks before

Ticks like tall what know about ticks before herbs, wooded areas, in particular the edge between wooded areas and more open areas. Similarly, According to Eugène Shapiro. In addition, pediatrician and professor, they tend to arise to “The end of the strands of grass, where they have sensory organs under their legs, and from where they cling to animals with hot blood that pass nearby”. Furthermore, They also live in dead leaves and bushes. In addition, “It turns out that most people are infected in their own garden when they do gardening. Meanwhile, similar activity,” Add the pediatrician.

Cover yourself. but don’t wear dark clothes – What know about ticks before

Daniel Solomon, doctor specializing in infectious diseases first recommends covering himself when you are in wooded or grassy areas – even when it is hot. You can also enter the bottom of your pants in your socks. which will make contact with your skin more difficult for ticks.

For more efficiency. avoid dark clothes: ticks are generally dark brown or black color, they are more easily found on clear clothes. “So. if you see a dark spot crawling on your clothes, it will be much easier to spot on white or khaki”he explains.

Can we use insecticide?

There are a number of repulsive products for ticks – to be used while respecting the precautions for use. as recalled by the health insurance site. The Deet, for example, is contraindicated in pregnant women and children under the age of two. IR3535 can be used in children from 6 months and pregnant women, but at much lower concentrations.

According to Ameli.fr. “These products being potentially toxic, respect the use precautions mentioned on their instructions and in particular the frequency of the application on the skin. You can punctually apply the skin repellent to what know about ticks before clothing at the entry point of ticks (bottom of clothes. handle cuffs, etc.) ”. As for impregnating his clothes by a repellent containing permethrin (and Pyrethrinoids) it is “More recommended due to the. risk of health”underlines the institution.

Identify ticks quickly

“When you go home. remove your clothes and put them in the high temperature dryer for 10 minutes to kill the ticks that could be there”advises Doctor Solomon. As ticks do not hang immediately. you can also take a shower to eliminate those that could crawl on your body, he adds.

Then you have to go to check. First of all, not all ticks are infected with dangerous diseases for humans. When they are. the transmission is not immediate: as Eugène Shapiro says, a tick must remain hung on his “foster host” for 24 to 36 hours to transmit certain infections. “If you what know about ticks before identify the tick. you manage to remove it in less than 36 hours, it is unlikely that it will transmit Lyme disease”he underlines.

There are other infections that can spread more quickly. but it is generally the ticks you do not see and that you do not get out that are the most dangerous, adds the doctor.

After spending time in the great outdoors is the time to check that no one has a tick on him. on her. “In general. ticks like dark and humid places, such as the back of the knees, groin, navel, armpits or neck”explains Doctor Solomon.

“They can fix anywhere, but these are the places they prefer, and these are also the difficult places to see. So you really have to. with a member of your family, make sure you check the dark areas that you do not see what know about ticks before in the context of your daily activities ”said Solomon.

Buy tick pliers

If you find a tick hanging on your body. you must use a tick pliers (if you don’t have it, acquire), enter it as close as possible to the skin and remove it, advise Mr. Shapiro. The health insurance site makes a more detailed description of the suitable movement:

“Slide the hook of the tick under the tick without crushing it. as close as possible to the skin and pull them gently but firmly. In order not to break the oral device (the rostrum), make a circular movement. This traction-rotation movement (such as a screw-up-out movement). carried out perpendicular to the skin, makes it possible to remove the tick (s) without tearing their heads. If you have not managed to remove the whole head. the rostrum from the tick at the first what know about ticks before stroke, do not start again and do not try to complete the extraction. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice. »»

Monitor the possible bite

Did you find, then remove a tick on you or from a member of your family? We must now monitor the bitten skin area. Also according to health insurance, within 24 hours, “A small red plate or a papule, often responsible for itching, may appear ». It is a normal reaction, which is not worrying.

However. if you notice the arrival of an “inflammatory red plate”, which extends, you must go to consult a doctor: this can be a migrant erythema, symptom of Lyme disease. You will be able to prescribe an antibiotic treatment. Same thing if you notice abnormal symptoms: pain, fever, neurological disorders …