Last Updated on 01/2025 by Mom Goes Camping
To properly remove a tick that has bitten you, it is really important that you grasp it by the head and pull straight out with a steady motion. Otherwise, you risk the tick head getting left in your skin.
Even when you do follow proper tick removal methods, the head can still sometimes get stuck in your skin. This is what happened to me after a recent camping trip. The little bugger had bit deep into the soft tissue in my armpit. When my husband went to pull him out, the tick head broke off and was left in my skin.
Here’s how I got the tick head out of my skin (as well as what didn’t work to remove it).
*Pointy tweezers work best for removing ticks. I’ve even started carrying a mini pair of tweezers in my wallet so I can remove ticks immediately. Read about tick removal tools here.
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How Do You Know the Tick Head Is Stuck or Out?
Tick heads are tiny. If the tick head is left in your skin, you will see a little black dot.
You might also have some inflammation around the tick head. In my case, I was surprised how irritated my skin got. A stuck tick head can also cause a lot of itching (though it’s also normal for tick bites to itch — here’s why)
The photos below show tick heads stuck in the skin (the first photo is the one stuck in me). See how tiny the little black dots are.
How to Remove a Tick Head Stuck in Your Skin
Method 1: Removing Tick Head Like a Splinter
On many websites, they recommend removing a tick head like you would a splinter: Using a clean needle to poke/dig it out.
This will probably not work.
I’m very good at getting splinters out, yet I couldn’t dig the tick head out of my skin. Trust me, I really dug in there! Later, when the tick head finally came out, I looked at it under a microscope (yes, I’m that nerdy) and realized why.
The part of a tick that goes into your skin is called the hypostome. It has sharp barbs on it. These barbs grab on to your skin and won’t slide out like a splinter.
You can see the barbs on the picture below. It’s magnified to 450x.
If you still want to try this method, only try it a few times! If it doesn’t come out right away, give up.
I’m sure some people might have luck with this method, but you’ll really have to dig a trench into your skin. I turned my tick bite site into chop suey and still it didn’t come out. All I really did was set myself up for a potential secondary infection. So, seriously, if the head doesn’t come out right away, give up before you make a nasty wound in your skin!
Method 2: Cut the Tick Head Out
Because of those nasty barbs on the tick’s mouth, you probably won’t be able to just slide it out like a splinter. Instead, you’ll have to remove all of the skin that the tick’s mouth is embedded into. Yes, that means cutting a chunk of your skin out.
I don’t recommend this method. You could get an infection. The area might get inflamed and irritated. And it hurts to cut your skin.
If you do want to cut the tick head out, then use some very sharp, pointy, CLEAN scissors. The video below shows how it is done. He’s using pliers in the video. I’d recommend using nail cuticle scissors instead as they are pointier and probably sharper than anything in your tool box.
Method 3: Using an Extractor Pump
Extrator tools are made to suck venom out of bites. They theoretically can reduce the likelihood of Lyme disease if used on tick bite sites after the tick has been removed: the idea is that they suck the tick’s salivia out of the wound so you don’t get Lyme’s or other disases (but it’s debatable whether this is true).
These types of extractor tools might also be able to suck out a tick head which got stuck in your skin. This is a big might though. So, this method also is not recommended. You’d have to suction up a good chunk of skin for it to work (there will be blood!). I haven’t tried this myself. If you want to try it, the Bug Bite Thing tool is by far the most popular extractor tool.
Method 4: Wait
I am not a patient person. Nor did I like the idea of having a tick head stuck in my body (gross!). But the smartest way to remove an embedded tick head stuck in your skin is to simply wait.
Your skin will eventually push the tick head out.
It is NOT dangerous to leave an embedded tick head in your skin.
As the NY health department says here,
“The mouthparts alone cannot transmit Lyme disease, because the infectious body of the tick is no longer attached. The mouthparts can be left alone.”
In some cases, leaving the tick head in your skin can result in an infection or irritation. However, this is not common. Thus, major health agencies say to leave the tick head alone and let the area heal on its own. (Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Since I’m so impatient, I tore off the scab a few times hoping that the tick head would come out with the scab. It didn’t. So don’t be impatient like me and try this.
How long will it take for the tick head to come out of your skin?
It will probably take around 2 weeks for the tick head to come out of your skin. After this long, the skin will push it far enough towards the surface that you may be able to easily remove the head with tweezers. I scratched at the head and it popped out.
However, it could take longer or shorter depending on where the tick bit you (my bite was in the armpit, so the tick was able to get really deep into the skin) and how quickly your skin heals.
Next Steps
1. Keep the Bite Area Clean
Whether you dig/cut the tick head out or (smartly) wait for it to come out on its own, you will need to keep the area clean.
Treat the bite area as you would any small wound: Clean it thoroughly with soap and water, then apply an antibiotic wound ointment like Bacitracin. You have ointment in your first aid kit, right? If not, get it here. Or get a stocked first aid kit here (the one in the link has antibiotic ointment and other vital first aid supplies).
Also read: Lightweight Hiking First Aid Kit Checklist
2. Monitor the Site
There’s no need to panic if you got bit by a tick. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease. And, if the tick was removed within 24 hours of biting you, then it wasn’t embedded long enough to transfer Lyme disease (which is why it is so important to check for ticks after going outdoors).
If you are really concerned about Lyme disease — such as you have a compromised immune system or a small child is in question — then you might take the tick body to be tested.
Otherwise, just pay attention to the wound site and how you feel. If you have any of these symptoms, go to your doctor immediately:
- A rash around the bite site which gets larger (it isn’t always shaped like a bull’s eye – see picture’s here)
- Rashes on other places on your body
- Feeling very tired
- Achy, stiff joints
- Flu-like symptoms
- Night sweats or sleep disturbances
*Not everyone with Lyme disease gets a rash. Further, Lyme isn’t the only disease that ticks can give humans. So, if you have any symptoms that seem out of the ordinary, see your doctor!
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There are 42 pages of info about how to remove a tick properly, wilderness first aid, campfire cooking, and more.
I’ll even give you a discount since having a tick head stuck in you is no fun 🙂
Image credits:
“Tick Bite” (CC BY 2.0) by KitAy
“Deer Tick Bite 2” (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by chrismek
