April 30, 2012 Here are some highlights of some interesting tips Gerald T. Simons, PA-C shared about dealing with tick bites.
Buy, in advance, a professional tick removal tool, found in drug stores, in case a member of the family comes home with a tick. Remove it quickly, without squeezing the body, and treat the wound with Bacitracin. Bring the tick to your family doctor for their inspection. Take a photo of the rash, if there is one. Put wax paper over any rash and trace it, and bring it to your doctor so it can be determined if the rash is getting larger.
The best way to get rid of ticks so small you can't even see is to throw your clothes in the dryer so the heat can kill them. Also, you can spray permethrin on clothing to repel ticks. L.L. Bean sells clothing impregnated with the chemical.
Simons does not use DEET to prevent bug bites. He recommeded Buzz Away Extreme. He also says ticks hate the smell of lavender, so consider lavender shampoo, soap, laundry soap, etc.
Source: littlesilverpatch.com
