Ticks dislike this natural oil

In the summer months of June and July, we experience the greatest burden of ticks, and figures show that the number of tick bites in humans is increasing every year. Are you going for a walk in the woods soon? Then it is important to monitor your body for tick bites. Would you prefer to prevent it, rather than cure it? Then use this natural oil before entering the habitat of these nasty critters.

Tick ​​bites

The months of June and July are not the only times when ticks are common. Due to climate change, ticks remain active longer, and they can also be seen in the months before and after the summer. Therefore, always check your body carefully after a walk in a forest. If bitten by a tick, you may be carrying Lyme disease. Have you found a tick somewhere on your body? If so, make sure you remove it safely.

Essential oil to prevent ticks

However, prevention is often better than cure. Therefore, we should heed the advice of rangers, who have been using natural tea tree oil for years to prevent ticks. This essential oil can be added to your shower product, which you can then wash yourself with before going into a forest or wooded area. The oil is suitable for people, but can be toxic or even fatal to pets and animals. Eucalyptus and lemon oil are not dangerous for pets, and can be used as an alternative to tea tree oil.

Do not use alcohol

Some people immediately grab a bottle of alcohol as soon as they detect a tick. The idea behind it is not really surprising, because the alcohol numbs the animal. However, it is a bad idea to use alcohol when removing a tick. The tick then vomits its stomach contents on your skin. That is something you want to avoid.

Remove correctly

It is best to remove the tick with special tweezers. Grasp the bug with the tweezers as close to the skin as possible so that it is least likely to break off, with its head in the skin. First, twist the tweezers to the left or right to release the tick, then pull it out. If a piece of its head remains in the skin, don’t worry, it’s harmless. It comes out on its own, just like a splinter that cannot be grasped with tweezers.

Bron: Stichting Tekenbeetziekten, Libelle | Beeld: Pixabay