Ticks aren’t like bugs that bite you and then fly away. When a tick gets on your body, it sets up camp. It finds a place to eat, then burrows its head into your skin and starts feeding on your blood. And it will stay there for several days.
A tick can carry a variety of diseases, some of which can be serious. Usually, you can recover fully and quickly with early treatment. That means you need to know what to look for if a tick bites you.
How to Identify Tick Bites
Most likely, you won’t feel anything because the bite doesn’t hurt, and it isn’t usually itchy.
What does a tick bite look like?
Because ticks are often very small, you might not notice them. At first, their bites might just look like specks of dirt. But as the tick feeds, it swells up and can be easier to spot.
You might get a small red bump where the tick bites you. Some people have one to two inches of redness around the bite. That red area won’t get any bigger, unless it’s really a rash, which may be a sign of Lyme disease or another tick-borne illness.
Where do ticks usually bite?
Ticks typically bite people in warm, moist, or hairy areas, such as the:
How long can a tick stay on me?
Ticks bite once and use that site to feed on your blood until they’re full. That may last a few days or up to a couple of weeks. A tick will fall off on its own once it’s full. You won’t get multiple bites from a tick. Most tick bites are painless and cause only a minor reaction. But sometimes, you can catch a disease from their bites.
Tick Bite Symptoms
Common tick bite symptoms
Tick bites often cause a reaction on your skin, even when they’re not infected or carrying any disease. Typical symptoms of a tick bite may include:
- A small hard bump or sore
- Redness
- Swelling
Unlike other bites, tick bites don’t usually have fluid or pus in them, unless they’re infected.
Most diseases from ticks also give you flu-like symptoms, such as:
Only some diseases from ticks give you a rash. What it looks like depends on which kind you have.
Lyme disease symptoms. Most people with Lyme disease may experience joint pain or get a rash, but not all of them. It shows up within 3-30 days after you were bitten, but it usually takes just over a week.
You’ll see a round or oval area of redness around the bite. At first, it may look just like a reaction to the bite, but the rash gets bigger over days or even weeks. Typically, it reaches about 6 inches wide. It might feel warm, but it’s not usually painful or itchy.
When people think of Lyme disease, they often imagine the red, circular bull’s-eye rash or target lesion after a tick bite.
That happens in less than half the cases, and it comes after the rash has been around for a while. Each year, over 300,000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed in the U.S.
While Lyme disease poses a year-round risk, people commonly refer to the period from April to October as tick season.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) symptoms. It usually causes a rash two to five days after symptoms begin. The rash can vary in appearance but often starts as small, flat, pink spots on the wrists and ankles.
It spreads from there to the rest of your body. In about half the cases, the spots turn red or purple after about a week.
Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) symptoms. It may cause a rash similar to Lyme disease, often appearing as a red bull’s-eye with the bite mark at the center.
Tularemia symptoms. There are different types of tularemia, but with the most common one, you get a painful open sore where the tick bit you.
Ehrlichiosis symptoms. Children get the rash more often than adults. The rash can vary from small, flat, red, or purple spots to red areas of skin covered with small bumps.
Tick bite bull's-eye
This refers to a rash that usually starts as a single circle that spreads out from where the tick bit you. The center is clear, making it look like a target lesion or bull’s-eye. It’s important to know that rashes do not always show up with the bull’s-eye pattern — they can look different, especially depending on your skin tone.
Tick bite on dark skin
If you have darker skin, identifying a tick bite can be a challenge. The bite site may appear red to bluish or look like a bruise that you might easily overlook. This is why it’s important to check your skin thoroughly after potential exposure to ticks and see a health care provider if you notice symptoms of a tick-borne disease.
On lighter skin, the rash is often easier to spot, typically appearing as a red, scabby area with a defined border. Lyme disease rashes can differ in shape and color. If you're unsure, look for signs such as swelling, warmth, or tenderness around the bite.
Are tick bites itchy?
Most tick bites do not itch or hurt because ticks inject saliva into the skin when they bite, which has a numbing effect. This allows them to feed for hours, sometimes even days, without being noticed.
Their saliva also contains substances that reduce inflammation, which minimizes your body’s immediate reaction to the bite. However, some people might experience itching if they’re allergic or sensitive to the tick’s saliva. But in most cases, tick bites are painless and go unnoticed.
Even if the bite does not cause discomfort, it's important to monitor the area for changes such as swelling, skin discoloration, or soreness. These could be early signs of an issue, so it's wise to keep an eye on it.
Signs of a tick-borne disease or infection:
- Fever and chills
- Fatigue
- Rash
- Muscle or joint pain
- Headache
- Flu-like symptoms
- Swelling or redness at the bite site
If you feel tingling or numbness or if you have trouble concentrating, get medical attention right away to avoid any serious problems.
Tick Bite Treatment
If you find a tick still on your skin, follow these steps:
- Remove it. Don’t touch the tick with your bare hands. Gently pull it straight out with tweezers. Don’t twist or squeeze it. Make sure you’ve removed the whole tick.
- Save it in a sealed container. It helps to have a doctor examine your tick to find out if it carried any diseases.
- Wash your hands and the bite area. Once the tick is gone, use soap and water to make sure you’ve cleaned off the tick’s saliva.
Caring for a tick bite at home
The CDC advises calling your doctor to report where you may have been exposed. While you're waiting for medical advice, you can also try some remedies to help soothe tick bites.
- Taking a shower within two hours of being outdoors: It might reduce your chance of getting a tick-borne disease. Running water and scrubbing with soap can help remove ticks from your body.
- Hot water: Use hot water to wash your clothes and eliminate any hidden ticks.
- Aloe vera: Apply aloe vera gel to the bite to help calm itching and irritation.
- Cold compress: Reduce swelling and soothe irritation. Make sure to place a thin cloth between the compress and your skin to prevent discomfort.
- Oatmeal bath: Soak in an oatmeal bath to relieve itching, particularly if the bite area is large or highly irritating. But if you have skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, take precautions because oatmeal baths might irritate the skin rather than soothe it.
What not to do:
The CDC advises against using nail polish, petroleum jelly, or heat to force the tick to detach, as these methods can increase the risk of infection. Also, never crush a tick with your fingers.
When to Be Concerned About a Tick Bite
Call or see your doctor if you:
- Can’t get the tick out entirely
- Get a rash (even if the rash goes away, that doesn’t mean the disease is gone)
- Have any flu-like symptoms, with or without a rash
- See red streaks, or yellow fluid oozing from the bite, meaning the bite is infected
Some people have more serious reactions to the bite itself. Go to the emergency room if you have:
- Anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening reaction that needs medical care right away.
- Tick paralysis. If you have this, you will be unable to move. Paralysis usually goes away within 24 hours of removing the tick.
When to call 911
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have any of these symptoms if you:
- Can’t move your arms, legs, or part of your face
- Find it hard to breathe
- Notice that your heart seems to be fluttering, skipping beats, or beating too hard or too fast
- Have a severe headache
- Feel weakness in your arms or legs
How to Prevent Tick Bites
You can lower your chance of tick bites by preparing yourself before you go outside and knowing what to look for once you’re back inside. Use these tips to protect yourself:
Know where ticks lurk. You’re most likely to come into contact with ticks in tall grasses, brushes, or in wooded areas. You can even get them from brushing up against an animal that has one. Be on the lookout when you camp, garden, hunt, or spend time outdoors.
Treat clothes with permethrin. Products with 0.5% permethrin help repel ticks. You put it on your clothes, shoes, and gear, but not on your skin.
Treat the skin with insect repellents. If you know you’ll be in a tick-friendly area, use products with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone on your skin to ensure that ticks and other bugs buzz off.
Hike smart. When you’re outdoors, try to avoid places where you’ll rub against trees, plants, or grass. Walk in the center of trails.
Do tick checks. Spend time looking for ticks on your body, pets, clothing, and gear after you come in from time outdoors. Use a mirror for hard-to-see areas of your body, and don’t forget to check your scalp.
Tick Bites on Dogs
Ticks can also bite dogs, especially during peak tick seasons in spring and fall. While most tick bites are harmless, they can sometimes lead to serious health issues for your pet.
Just like humans, dogs can get diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Their symptoms can be similar to yours, such as:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
Your dog can’t directly transmit Lyme disease to you, but if exposed to ticks, they can carry them into your home. These ticks may then bite humans, increasing the risk of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Regularly checking your dog for ticks and using preventive measures can help protect both your pet and your family.
Some types of ticks can release toxins that cause paralysis in dogs, so you want to find and remove any ticks quickly.
Preventive measures:
Follow the same preventive steps for your dog as you would for yourself:
- Remove the tick promptly: Use fine-tipped tweezers to gently pull the tick straight out.
- Clean the area: Wash the bite site thoroughly with soap and water.
- Monitor for symptoms: Watch for any signs of illness or unusual behavior in your pet.
Most tick bites are painless and cause only minor reactions, but if you notice symptoms or suspect complications, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Takeaways
Tick bites are common and usually don't cause problems. But they can sometimes cause serious diseases. It’s important to check yourself for tick bites after exposure, remove it quickly, and watch for symptoms like rashes or flu-like illness. If your rash looks like a bull’s-eye or if you notice tingling, numbness, or other unusual symptoms, see a health care provider right away.
Tick Bite FAQs
What happens if a tick bites you?
When a tick bites you, it attaches itself to your skin to feed. But it often goes unnoticed since the bite is painless and does not itch.
What is the fastest way to heal a tick bite?
To heal a tick bite quickly, start by removing the tick and washing the area with soap and water. Applying an antibiotic ointment can help prevent infection, and a cold compress might reduce any swelling.
What happens if you ignore a tick bite?
If you ignore a tick bite, it could lead to health issues, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
How do you remove ticks from the skin?
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Apply steady pressure and pull it straight upward to detach it.
