Don't Get Ticked Off
 Avoiding ticks is the best way to prevent Lyme disease. Here are some
tips to discourage them:
- Stay away from tick-infested areas such as woods and grasslands,
especially in warm months.
- If you are in the woods, walk in the center of the trail and wear
long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into your socks.
- Wear boots or closed shoes and a hat.
- Spray repellent containing permethrin on clothes and apply compounds
with DEET on exposed skin. Follow directions and take caution with
these products.
- After being outdoors, wash all clothing (ticks show up better on
light colors). Then inspect your body carefully, particularly hairy
areas.
If you spot a tick, here's what to do:
- Tug gently but firmly with blunt tweezers near the "head"
of the tick until it releases its hold on the skin.
- Do not crush the tick's body or handle it with your bare hands.
- Swab the bite area with an antiseptic.
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