The Best Tick Removal Tools for Humans

Last Updated on 11/2024 by Mom Goes Camping

In the outdoors, I’m not afraid of snakes or bears and definitely not insects. But I’ll admit it: ticks absolutely freak me out. I’ve had Lyme disease before, and it is no joke. The good news is that, if you remove a tick properly within 24 hours of it biting you, there is almost no chance of Lyme transmission. Because of this, I started carrying a tick removal tool with me at all times. I have one in my hiking first aid kit, and a mini one in my wallet so I can remove ticks immediately.

However, to prevent Lyme transmission, it’s important you remove the tick properly. This means using the right tick removal tool. Here’s what you need to know about tick removal tools and some of the best options for humans.

Quick Picks:

The Majestic Pointed-Tip Tweezers and BugBiteThing can be used to remove nymph and adult ticks. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, consider keeping these mini tweezers in your wallet or the Tick Patrol tool on your keychain so you always have a way to safely remove ticks quickly.

backpacking first aid kit tweezers tick — The Majestic Tweezers in my hiking first aid kit.

Why You Need to Remove Ticks ASAP

In addition to Lyme disease, ticks can transmit many other diseases. The CDC website currently lists 16 different tick-borne illnesses. Scary, right? The good news is that ticks usually don’t start to feed right away. It usually takes 12-24 hours for the tick to start feeding on you.

If you remove a tick within 24 hours, there is very little chance of contracting disease.

How to Remove a Tick

Gently spread the skin back. This makes it easier to access the tick’s mouthparts.
Using a tick tool, grasp the tick as close to its mouthparts as possible.
Pull straight upwards to remove the tick. Do not twist or jerk the tick. Do not try to “unscrew” it.
Dispose of the live tick by soaking it in alcohol or sealing it in a bag and throwing it away. Never crush a live tick with your fingers. This could release pathogens.
After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with alcohol, iodine, or soap and water.

DO NOT

Touch the tick with hot match/fire
Use peppermint oil or any other essential oils
Apply petroleum jelly
Submerse the tick in alcohol
Try to suffocate the tick
Squeeze the tick’s body
Twist the tick

Anything that squeezes or irritates the tick can cause the tick to regurgitate it’s stomach contents into your skin, thus increasing the likelihood that it will transmit disease. This is actually how I got Lyme disease. I accidentally squeezed the body of a nymph tick while removing it (they are tiny!). It was only attached for an hour or so, but squeezing it was enough to get the Lyme bacteria into my body.

Engorged ticks after removal. If done properly, the tick should still be alive after you remove it.

Types of Tick Removal Tools

Tick removal tools can be broken down into four types: tweezers, V-shaped tools/tick keys, twist tools, and tick lassos. Some are much more effective than others. Here’s what you need to know.

Tweezers (Recommended for All Ticks)

The CDC recommends removing ticks with fine-tipped tweezers, such as ones designed for ingrown hair. The pointy tips make it easier to grab the tick by its mouth parts. It is also the only way to safely remove a nymph tick because they are so tiny.

Unfortunately, flat-tipped tweezers (such as for plucking eyebrows) don’t work well for tick removal. You can end up accidentally squeezing the tick’s body, thus pushing its stomach contents into your skin.

Larval and nymph ticks are tiny. You need pointy tweezers to remove them safely.

V-Shaped Tools/Tick Keys (Recommended for Adult and Engorged Ticks)

To use a V-shaped tick tools, you slide the tool along the tick so its head is caught in the V, then you pull upwards. This makes it very easy to grasp a tick properly. They are especially useful for removing ticks from little kids who won’t sit still. However, V-shaped tools don’t work on nymph ticks. Those ticks are too small for the tool to grasp the tick well.

Twist Tools (Not Recommended)

Ticks do NOT have screw-shaped mouth parts. You cannot unscrew them. The best way to remove a tick is pulling straight up. Despite this, there is still a lot of misinformation stating that you twisting a tick will cause its jaws to unlatch. Many popular tick removal tools (such as the O’Tom Tick Twister) are based on this idea. These can be dangerous. As warned about here, twisting a tick can cause the head to break off in your skin and cause infectious fluids to escape.

Ticks don't have screw-shaped mouths, so you can't unscrew them! — Ticks don’t have screw-shaped mouths, so you can’t “unscrew” them.

Tick Lassos (Not Recommended)

These tools have a little string “lasso” which you put around the tick. Then you pull the lasso around the tick mouth parts and pull. These tools make it easy to remove ticks in difficult places, such as on top of the head. They also make it easy to remove ticks from squirmy children.

The problem is that tick lasso tools don’t pull straight upwards, so there is an increased chance of the tick head remaining in the skin. Lasso tools also don’t seem to work as well on tiny nymph ticks or ticks which aren’t engorged yet.

The Best Tick Removal Tools

Here are some of the best tick removal tools that are actually safe for human use. Remember, a tick removal tool only works if you have it with you. For that reason, my #1 pick is Tick Patrol because it can be carried on your keychain or in your wallet. However, it won’t remove nymph ticks so I also keep a pair of needle-nose tweezers (#2 or #3) in my hiking first aid kit. These tweezers aren’t practical for everyday carry but do a much better job of removing tiny ticks safely.

1. Tick Patrol Keychain Removal Tool

The reason I like this tick removal tool is because it can be attached to your keychain, which means you are more likely to actually have it on you when you notice a tick bite. It’s wide design makes it easy to hold. The shape is suitable for ticks on humans or pets.

Pros: Can carry it on your keychain; easy to use; works on humans and animals
Cons: Doesn’t remove nymph ticks well
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2. Majestic Tweezers

These tweezers are wha I keep in my hiking first aid kit. Even though they are marketed for removing ingrown hairs, they are perfect for removing ticks as well as splinters. The pointy end makes it very easy to grasp ticks near their mouthparts. You can even grasp nymph ticks without a problem.

The only real downside with using these tweezers for tick removal is that they are SHARP. They do come with a cap and a little tube that you can use for storage. Make sure you don’t lose the cap or the tweezers will poke a hole in your first aid kit.

Pros: Removes nymph ticks as well as adults; also great for removing splinters
Cons: Large; easy to lose cap; can’t carry on keychain
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3. TickEase

This tick removal tool is double sided. One side has very fine, pointy tips for grasping ticks at the head. You can even get nymph ticks with them. The other side of the tool has the V-shaped scoop for removing adult or engorged ticks easier. This makes it the perfect tool if you have pets or squirmy kids. The tool comes with a cap but, like with most pointy tweezers, they are hard to carry with you on the go.

Pros: Can use on adult or nymph ticks; V tool makes removal easier
Cons: Large, easy to lose cap; can’t carry on keychain
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4. TickCheck Tool

This is a set of two tick removal tools: one fine-point tweezer and a V-shaped tool. They come in a handy carrying case and also comes with a tick identification card. The handles on the tools are wider, so it does make it slightly easier to hold the tool.

Pros: Two tools in set; carrying case, thick handles for good grip
Cons: Bulky to carry around with you
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5. Tick Nipper

This tick removal tool has a slot that you use to grab the tick. Just pull upwards to remove the tick, head and all. The scoop will catch the tick, so you don’t risk dropping it.

The good thing about this tool is that it allows you to securely grasp the tick at the right spot without risk of cutting off the head by mistake. It also has a built-in magnifying glass which you can use to look for ticks on your body or make sure you got all of the tick out.

Pros: Good for people with unsteady hands; magnifying glass
Cons: Doesn’t work very well on nymph ticks
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6. Uncle Bill’s Sliver Gripper

These tweezers are great because they have a nice pointy end for grasping ticks. The lid cover means they also are suitable for EDC (everyday carry). While I still find it easier to use the Majestic Tweezers above, these are way easier to carry with you.

Pros: Good for adult and nymph ticks; has cap, can put on keychain
Cons: Pointy end not very precise
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7. Mini Tweezer Set

Because I don’t always have my first aid kit with me, I got a pair of these miniature pointed-tip tweezers and keep them in my wallet (they come in a set; the flat-tipped ones aren’t suitable for removing ticks). This way I always have a pair of tweezers on me. They are cheap and admittedly kind of crappy, but the ends line up well enough and they get the job done. Revlon also makes mini tweezers that come with a carrying case)

Pros: Only 2.5 inches long; fits in a wallet; good for adult and nymph ticks
Cons: No cap; not as precise as the Majestic tweezers
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Here’s what the tweezers look like in my wallet. Yes, my wallet is dorky but it has lots of pockets 🙂

What If the Head Gets Stuck in the Skin?

If you use the tick removal tool properly, the head should come out of the bite point. However, even when pulled out properly, the tick head can still break off and get stuck in your skin.

To remove a stuck tick head, you can try to dig it out like you would a splinter (you’ve got a safety pin in your camping first aid kit, right?) However, this is actually a lot harder than you’d think. The little barbs on the tick mouth parts get deeply embedded into the skin.

I recently had a tick head get stuck in my skin. It caused a surprising amount of inflammation around the bite site. The tick head eventually came out on its own, but it took two weeks.

Read about how to remove a stuck tick head here.

Keep a Watch for Lyme’s Disease

In 70-80% of cases of Lyme’s disease, people will develop a rash on the site of the tick bite. The rash usually occurs an average of 7 days after the bite, but can be as soon as 3 days or as late as 30 days.

Note that the rash isn’t always a bull’s eye shape. Be on the lookout for any rash, especially a rash which is spreading. When I got Lyme disease, it was not in a bull’s-eye shape. See pictures of Lyme disease rashes.

Preventing Lyme Disease After Being Bit

Unless you send each tick which bites you off for testing, you won’t know for sure whether you might have gotten Lyme disease. Basically you have to wait, watch for a rash (which not everyone gets), and hope you don’t get sick.

Also read: First Symptoms of Lyme Disease

What About Extractor Tools?

Extractor tools are designed to suck venom out of your skin. They are usually used for snake bites, scorpion bites, and bee stings, but many people use them after getting bit by a tick. There’s not much evidence they actually reduce the liklihood of of Lymes, but they definitely don’t hurt. This one is popular and cheap.