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.
Of course, the first thing I did after getting the tick head out was to use my daughter’s microscope and look at it. God I’m a nerd! 🙂
In this image, you can see just how tiny the tick head is compared to the tip of a pin.
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
90 Comments
Helen Cornwell
January 14, 2020 at 12:09 amThanks Diane! Your advice is spot on. My attempts at trying to remove a tick head from my neck matched yours exactly. I finally gave up (which trust me, was hard to do) and let time and nature do its thing. It took exactly 2 weeks for that sucker to finally come out. Patience is critical.
Diane
January 15, 2020 at 11:24 amHaha, yes, it is hard to give up! Glad the little sucker finally came out. 🙂
Lesley
February 12, 2020 at 5:32 amThanks SO much for this informative, easy to read, and almost calming post about tick heads! I freaked out after I accidentally pulled a tick off my Yorkie, but the head, (or mouth) remains still imbedded. Rather than dig the thing out, I will wait patiently. (Even if Daisy does have a crazy bald boo-boo right on top of her head for a while now.) Thanks Again!
Diane
February 12, 2020 at 10:07 amGlad you found it calming. Just be patient: It will come out and I’m sure Daisy will be fine. 🙂
Chrissy
May 18, 2023 at 3:37 pmIchthammol ointment is a drawing ointment I wonder if applied to the spot of the tick head if it would draw it out. We r lobstermen in Maine n we use ichthammol on fish bones that get imbedded in skin at risk of fish poisoning. Just a thouggt…haven’t tried it on a tick head though
Diane
May 19, 2023 at 9:31 amHmmm… that definitely couldn’t hurt and it probably would help. From what I know, Ichthammol drawing salves work by softening the skin and also reducing inflammation — both of which would make it easier for the body to push the foreign object out. Since tick mouth parts have so many barbs, it’s still probably going to take a while for the body to push it out naturally (longer than a splinter, for example). The anti-bacterial properties of Ichthammol would also be good to have. I’d just be careful to use real Ichthammol ointment and not those fake “drawing salves” or “black salves.” The FDA has a warning about those being dangerous: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/do-not-use-black-salve-dangerous-and-called-many-names
Pat
April 9, 2020 at 9:45 pmI, like you, needed to see this hard-to-remove tick head imbedded in my upper arm. It took a bit of doing (digging), but I was successful. I had to see why it was so hard to remove….I saw it!
Tiffy
November 2, 2022 at 12:45 amThank you for your presence here.
Thank you, I went to the Dr. After pulling out a tick , the ‘tick drill bit’ was still in my leg.
They said there was nothing they could do.
In fact the nurse did not even look at it.
So , I’m still trying to get it out.
Eleanor Larson
April 14, 2020 at 2:23 amThanks for all the great info! Your photos and initial self-treatment sounded like mine. Unfortunately, my picking at it with the tweezers created a scab so the doctor couldn’t tell if the head was still present. I got a prophylactic antibiotic and will monitor for a rash.
Diane
April 14, 2020 at 12:09 pmGood luck with that! I wouldn’t be surprised if the tick head came out with the scab when it falls off.
Kim
April 24, 2020 at 4:01 amThank you for this post. We have been digging on our poor sons (he’s 9) neckline area tonight for a while, before giving up, sending him to bed, and doing more research online. After many, sort of, vague medical sites on this, we found yours here. So VERY practical, real life, and informative, as well as comforting. Thanks so very much! We’ll watch the spot and hope that little dude finds his way out in a few weeks.
Diane
April 24, 2020 at 9:51 amMy daughter is also 9. Try not to freak your son out with worry. Approach it more like a science experiment instead. There are lots of lessons to be learned such as “how quickly does skin regrow”, “what’s inflammation (i.e. Why is the spot getting red?), and “animal mouth shapes and their uses.” 😀 Good luck!
Aaren
March 25, 2022 at 12:02 pmThanks! Although I’ve successfully removed 100s of ticks off my husband, son and pets here in upstate NY I could not get proper hold of an adult deeply embedded in my sons scalp because I kept grabbing hairs with it! I tried with my fine tipped tweezers but nothing would work and he was sobbing. It’s so tough in the hair! I’m trying not to freak him out. I’ll just check every night for a while and keep some Neosporin with pain and itch relief on it. That stuff is amazing.
Nar
May 22, 2020 at 8:34 amHi, thank you for your advice, very helpful in freaking-out-situations. Did your arm hurt at all while having the tick head still in there? Like a general pain in that area, not neccesarily on the bite site.
Thanks!
Diane
May 22, 2020 at 11:53 amDefinitely did not hurt. I’d check with a doctor about that one (don’t mean to freak you out).
Tabby
October 22, 2021 at 1:29 amGreat information! I scoured the time internet for information about this. I couldn’t find anything helpful. I have a tick head embedded (get this!) in my old belly button piercing hole just above my belly button. It’s literally in the worst spot on my whole dang body! I haven’t worn a belly ring since my son was born, he’s 8! So it’s closed up all a small opening in the too and bottom. The tick is in the bottom part. I have dug and dug until it’s raw! Guess I’m gonna wait the two weeks! 🤞
Diane
October 22, 2021 at 12:34 pmHaha! That’s hilarous. Hope it comes out soon . 🙂 On a side note, you should see how weird my formerly-pierced bellybutton looks after having my gigantic baby + recti diastasis.
Tricia
October 31, 2021 at 8:57 amThank you for that info! I literally just now pulled a tick from my thigh….well my brother in law did. The head got stuck, and Im a bit panicked so I took to the internet before going any further after my shower. Thankfully I found this before reading any other sites because I proba ly would be digging it out right now!
Tom Terrific
May 27, 2020 at 11:47 pmStay out of Maine for a month. We have the worst tick,bedbugs,and mosquito plague ever. 7 ticks on right leg and 4 on left. Bedbugs and fleas leaving welts on hands. Like burn bubbles. I empty storage units it’s bad,bad,bad!
Diane
May 28, 2020 at 9:12 amUgh. That sounds terrible! The scary thing is that tick seasoning is just getting longer and worse 😮
Naidi
September 11, 2021 at 11:30 pmFor me I think it never came out completely. I tried everything just like you did it’s been two months.
A week later after the wound start sealing I notice I still have a bump like and the area still itch and gets hot specially if it hot outside I did cut myself and get out what I thought I got all. But now after 2 months I still have a blue bump with black shadow , still feel like have something under but no itching
Ana
June 23, 2022 at 10:01 pmDid your bump ever disappear or did you have to go to the doctors? Same here. Thanks
Lynetta M Wiles
July 1, 2021 at 9:18 pmyikes…. that is ALOT..I would die…lol
Theresa acton
May 23, 2023 at 4:55 pmTom, wow how do you have bed bugs? Are they all n your bed?
We don’t have a lot of ticks in Texas but quite a few at our place in Arkansas, I figured the hard winter would kill them, but I think they are worse than after a mild winter. Good luck with all the bugs.
Tina
Tina Acton
May 23, 2023 at 4:59 pmOh I almost forgot, 3 days ago we pulled a small tick from behind my knee , no problem until today, and now it is itching!!
Stacey
June 3, 2020 at 6:48 pmDiane thank you so much for your post! As a very well endowed female, it was almost impossible for me to see and get to the tick that had gotten on my tummy. lol I freaked out and of course, accidentally didn’t remove the head. Your information has calmed me down so much and I’ll just wait it out. But ewwww….a tick head in my tummy for a while!
Diane
June 4, 2020 at 12:45 pmI was also totally freaked out by having a tick head in me… until it came out and I saw it under the microscope. Now I’m more fascinated than freaked out. I’m such a dork 😀 Anyway, glad my experience has calmed you down. 🙂
Amy
December 30, 2021 at 1:29 amThank you Diane for calming me down! I just found a tick on my stomach just below my belly button just a few hours after holding my friend’s puppy. I literally had to get my mom to pull it out since I was shaking so much and it turns out it was dead before it got to engorge even just the tiniest bit. I hope that means my odds of not contracting something are high! I’ve been staring at the bite for about 10 minutes now trying to see if there’s any black dots but I think I need my boyfriend to take a look since he has the ability to see things more objectively 😂 Thank you again for explaining in such an informative, easy-to-follow manner!!
Will
May 20, 2022 at 2:07 pmI’m just reading this. Has anyone tried the suction tool? Did it work? I have a snake bite kit and want to know if it is something that actually works or not.
Diane
May 23, 2022 at 2:49 pmIt “kind of” works. You probably won’t get the tick head out just with the suction tool. But the suction can help pull the tick head closer to the surface of your skin, and then you can grab it with tweezers and pull it out. It’s probably better to just wait and let it come out on its own. I am not patient though and it’s gross to know there is a tick head in you, so I can understand people attacking it with everything they’ve got. There’s really no clear evidence as to whether suctioning a tick bite site will reduce Lyme risk, though some people swear it helps their mosquito bites.
mark sebby
June 5, 2020 at 1:38 pmArticle says …”permethrin to repel ticks. It can be sprayed on your body…”. But permethrin should NOT be sprayed on skin, as per label.
Diane
June 5, 2020 at 3:28 pmThanks for catching that. I meant to write “clothes” and not skin. It’s been fixed!
RS
May 7, 2021 at 3:50 pmI’m so happy I found your article! I was going to have my husband try to get the tick head out this morning but now I know it’s better to be patient. I yanked off my leg without thinking, not knowing what it was. Yuck!
Diane
May 10, 2021 at 2:00 pmGlad you found it helpful. I just yanked one off yesterday. Even after the zillionith time, I still find it gross!
Janet
June 10, 2020 at 2:44 amIs this the same process for getting them out of toddlers to wait because my pediatrician says I have to get it out and it hard with a two year old
Diane
June 10, 2020 at 10:48 amI also have a two year old. I can’t imagine trying to get it out! I’m not sure why your pediatrician would say it needs to come out, but I guess you should listen to him/her. I’d recommend checking with the pediatrician again and asking if you can just monitor the stuck head instead – it should come out on its own in a couple weeks.
Susan McDonald
July 4, 2020 at 10:37 amThank you so much for this excellent post! This matches my experience this week. One of the wee b****rs got me right on my right hip. I didn’t realise what it was at first – and I think the body was long gone anyway, as it felt like I’d got a wee thorn in my flesh (I do like gardening, so this is a regular occurrency for me). I tried the needle/splinter extraction thing, and all I have made is a big hole. I managed to dig out a couple of bits of the blighter, but after a couple of days of this, and yet another half-hour spent twisted round to the right (thank you, Yoga!), I reckoned that I was doing more harm than good. So armed with some great antiseptic and some antiseptic cream, I shall keep an eye on it for the next wee while. Your links to the various health agency advice sites are particularly helpful. So thanks again!
Diane
July 11, 2020 at 8:33 pmLet us know how long it takes for the head to come out. So far, most people say it takes about 2 weeks. Good luck!
Tiffany Frazzetto
July 11, 2020 at 5:20 amMy daughter was bit 5/20. Since then the area get red and itchy. Forms a scab in the center and gets red from scratching it. She scratches the scab out and then it happens again. Over and over. Any thoughts?
Diane
July 11, 2020 at 8:26 pmI’ve heard that some people’s skin reacts badly to the tick head — it is a foreign object stuck in the skin after all. So maybe it’s just that. But it’s been a while since she got bit, so I’d check with a doctor. That’s a long time for a tick bite to irritate the skin :/
Cynthia R. Benfield
May 13, 2021 at 9:24 pmI came home after an outing with my buff. We were digging up plants out in the country. Few hours later took off my socks. I about died. 7 or more around my left ankle. Took off my other sock…same. Not to mention the others around my belly. I got them out. But my gosh!! The itch drove me nuts. Maybe heads still in? I dont know. The ones I dug around in stopped itching. I have a few I cant reach or see. I kept the ticks in a bag. Just in case I do get sick. I live in oklahoma. I swear. Tick capital. .
I appreciate your post. But nobody mentions the itch…..lol
Sally Baker
July 20, 2020 at 7:07 pmHi Diane, Thanks for this information. I think I have a tic head embedded in my right lateral upper thigh but if so it has been in there for 2 months at least. My husband pulled the tic off of me but did not check for a tic head intact and flushed it down the toilet. The site itches sporadically. It comes to a head after scratching but nothing can be squeezed out. If we were not in the middle of a pandemic I would probably see a doctor. I am going to try hot compresses going forward and track any progress.
Diane
July 21, 2020 at 10:02 pmThat sucks 🙁 If the head is really annoying you, you could try the extractor tool. It’s the easiest method of getting the chunk of skin where the head is stuck out without hacking up the rest of your skin.
Alexis
July 25, 2020 at 11:26 pmI got one to on my butt
Diane
July 26, 2020 at 10:31 amBrings back memories of me making fun of my sister when she got a splinter on her butt and my dad had to dig it out with a pin. She was not happy! 😀
Lynetta M Wiles
July 1, 2021 at 9:22 pmme too…just now!! I guess now I wait for the head to come out on its own. ugh. I am so freaked out right now trying real hard not to be…lol The Lyme Disease scares me some
Angellena willis
September 17, 2020 at 1:29 amThanks for the information my daughter was biten 3 times in 3 different spots but , I couldn’t find anything on jusy bites alone ,they all had info on tick with head in and what to do , but my daughter didn’t have any rasied up or openings just the red circle and 3 days later its now a white center and red ring . We used a marker to circle it and watch it but . Ur information gave us clearly she was just bit an nothing else no other systoms . Just 3 red circles . Thanks again
Diane
September 17, 2020 at 9:44 amIf it’s got a white center and red ring, it sounds like Lyme. It’s normal for the bite site to be reddish right after getting bit, but not start getting red days afterwards. You should go to the doctor. I’m not trying to be an alarmist or panic you, but Lyme can be very serious (I recently got it but started antibiotics immediately and am fine). You can see some Lyme pictures here: /lyme-disease-rash-photos/
Jane
March 10, 2021 at 12:44 pmThank you for this information! This is exactly what happened to me: I had a tick bite, the tick came apart when my husband used tweezers, and a needle failed to get the head out. It has been almost two weeks, and I am TRYING to wait patiently for it to come out. Your article is the only one I could find that explains how long that process takes. I’ll be so glad when the Tick Incident is over.
Diane
March 10, 2021 at 3:15 pmYou poor thing. I know how difficult it is to be patient 🤣. For next time, get some needle-nose tweezers (used for ingrown hair). It’s a lot easier to get the tick out with them than standard tweezers.
Stacy
April 12, 2021 at 11:51 pmWould you recommend taking antibiotics if the tick was in longer than 24 hours?
Diane
April 13, 2021 at 11:13 amThat’s a question for your doctor! Though my **not a doctor** input would be to point out that Lyme antibiotics are really hardcore and you have to take them for 2-3 weeks (I had Lyme last summer and got a 3 week treatment). Antibiotics have all sorts of messed up side effects. So, maybe it is better to wait and be vigilant about looking for symptoms. I get ticks on me all the time and only got Lyme once. Your doctor might disagree though, especially if you have some conditions or are in a risk group where Lyme might F you up badly…
Shelby
April 29, 2021 at 6:30 amMy son is 3 and has a head embedded on the top of his head and I want to just dig at it and get it out but I can’t so hopefully it will come out soon
Sharon
May 14, 2021 at 6:57 pmI saw your article after finding a tick on my tummy. I didn’t have a good tweezers, and last time my mother-in-law used tweezers, the guts were squeezed out inside me. Yuck!! I heard my sister-in-law say she got a tick out of their dog successfully using one strand her daughters hair. I tried that with my hair this time. I also used anticeptic ointment. I don’t know what happened. The body is off but not moving. Could be suffocated – hopefully? I’m taking it home to look under the microscope as my eyesight is not good enough to verify the head is still on the body. I dug a little, but stopped after reading your article. Will watch and wait for 2 weeks. Thank you so much for your post!
Love love love reading of women living, thriving, and enjoying wilderness excursions!
Diane
May 16, 2021 at 8:39 pmThat’s a cool trick with the strand of hair. I’m about to write a post about removing ticks without tweezers and will have to include that 🙂 You shouldn’t have slathered antiseptic ointment on the tick though – anything that irritates/suffocates the tick while still atttached can cause it to regurgitate into the wound. :/
Keep watching the wound site for at least 4 weeks to make sure no rash forms. I had Lyme last year and it took 3 weeks for rash to appear. Not trying to scare you (I get tick bites all the time and only had Lyme that once); it’s just good to be cautious.
MAURINE
May 31, 2021 at 10:32 amI’m 67. Up until this year, I’ve only gotten one tick on me in my whole life. Between gardening, greening-up, and walking I’ve had no less than a dozen so far this season(between ticks and black fly season I’m ready to become a recluse!). They all seem to be attracted to my head? What’s up with that? Anyways, as far as I know, I’ve removed them all without leaving the head behind. A few days ago I discovered one behind my ear and removed it. I’m pretty sure it came away intact as I saw it walking around before flushing down the drain. But the bite site has been itching like crazy for the past few days.
The weird thing is that I have 2 dogs and haven’t found any on them yet. A big thank you for all your down-to-earth information!!
Diane
May 31, 2021 at 3:16 pmTicks sometimes are up in the trees, so they are probably getting on you from above. Try wearing a light-colored hat when outdoors. You’ll be able to spot them easier and it will delay the time until they can get on your skin (I have recently switched to wearing only light colored hiking clothes for this reason). As for the itching, I just learned a cool thing: ticks have super-advanced saliva which your immune system can’t recognize. But, as you get bit by ticks more often, your body starts to recognize it. That’s why your first few tick bites don’t itch and then suddenly start itching like crazy. More on the science behind that here – /tick-bite-itches/ And glad you found all this info useful 😀
Janice
June 3, 2021 at 6:34 pmThank you sooo much for this post!! I just found a tick on my cat’s neck, and after trying to carefully remove it, the head is still embedded. I identified it as a female deer tick (we are in rural Ottawa with lots of deer in the area), but there was no engorging, so I expect it wasn’t on there long. This is a first for me, so I was freaking out a bit until I read this. The area is a little red, so I’m going to just put some antibiotic cream on, cross my fingers, wait patiently and hope for the best!
It was also really helpful to read the other posts and your replies. 🙂
Kitty
June 5, 2021 at 5:50 pmThank you for _the_ most informative article out there. I get a tick 2-3x/year in my yard & I am very sensitive to the saliva. Never once have I ever left a head behind. 3 days ago, I felt an itch, 4 hours after being outside, on the back of my knee. With some awkward body twisting I was able to remove everything but the last tick bit, probably the barbed siphon. I went to my health clinic and a PA worked long & hard & could not remove it. She said it would take about a week to come out. The itch was so bad it woke me up in the middle of the night & I put hot compresses, alcohol, & neomycin. Itch finally dissipated after 30 hours. Thanks for the 2 week scenario from everyone so I don’t worry. I send all my ticks to the health dept for testing for peace of mind as I live in high risk area for Lyme. And yes I too have looked at many of them under a microscope to confirm id & see head attached. If I have any symptoms of the bit not leaving, redness, or forming a granuloma I will go to my dermatologist for extraction. I can’t wait for 2 weeks to come! In the meantime I’ll do those full body checks for ticks better in the future. Thanks again!
Ana María Hintermann-Villamil
June 20, 2021 at 10:20 pmYours is the only page where I found useful information about tick’s head stuck on you. You can say I was going crazy thinking something is going to happen if I leave it in my puppy’s head. She has a bump now. Thank you for calming me! It was quite soothing too! 😜
Emma North
June 28, 2021 at 1:40 pmThis is a really useful post thank you. My husband just removed my first tick bite and the head is left in me (black dot & feels irritated). We’ve slathered on antiseptic cream (savlon) and are trying to soak the head out like we would do with a splinter/foreign object in the skin. It is reassuring to know that the process can take 2 weeks and if soaking my skin to quicken the process works I will let you know! UK based.
Diane
June 29, 2021 at 6:15 amThat is unfortunate that your first tick bite got stuck. 🙁 Yes, please let us know if soaking the skin helps.
Tabitha
July 9, 2021 at 11:52 amSuffocate the tick before extraction. I’ve done this twice this year with success. One on my daughter, one on the dog. I soaked a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and held it on the tick for about a minute. The tick backed out enough I could see the head and then grabbed the head with tweezers.
Diane
July 9, 2021 at 10:18 pmSorry to tell you, but that’s actually a really bad idea. Yes, suffocating a tick will cause it to come out on its own. However, anything you do that pisses off the tick (including doing things like putting a lit match on it, covering it in essential oils, etc.) may cause the tick to REGURGITATE its stomach contents into your skin. This increases the likelihood of Lyme disease. So, the smartest thing to do is get yourself some pointy tweezers, grasp it as close to the head as you can, and gently pull it out. Even if the head may get stuck, at least you aren’t increasing your chances of getting a really terrible disease (I had Lyme last year and it was definitely not fun).
KH
July 14, 2021 at 7:10 pmOk…but what if the head doesn’t come out. I got a tick bite over a month ago and the head never came out. Tried digging for it.. nothing. Still waiting… it’s mildly irritated looking. No red ring or rash but does not appear to be willing to burst free of me. I have a dermatologist appointment today and will show him the spot… have no idea what to expect.
Diane
July 17, 2021 at 10:17 pmLet us know what your dermatologist says. Some might just be embedded particularly deep.
Charlotte
September 5, 2021 at 7:30 amWhat happened to this as I have the same? Thank you!!!
Naidi
September 13, 2021 at 6:32 pmFor me I think it never came out completely. I had tried everything just like you did before I stumble on your article, it’s been two months.
Soon I saw the tick burrowing on my are I pulled it without thinking, but I notice there was something black that still there, I knew it was part of the thick. I got needle dug in my arm and got it out. A week later after the wound start sealing I notice I still have a bump-like and the area still itch and gets hot specially if it hot outside, I did cut myself again and got out what I thought I got it all. But now after 2 months I still have a blue bump with black shadow , still feel like have something under but no itching. It is bothering me little just to the idea that I still have something under my skin. Just today I scratch it little and fine white sling layer came off😬😤 I hope I’m not causing myself a skin damage 🙏 will my skin push it out if anything still there for real after all this time
Naidi
September 16, 2021 at 5:40 pmSo what happen to my comment Diane where is it ? It didn’t suit what you are saying or this is just for the book selling ??
Diane
September 30, 2021 at 9:08 amI was on vacation. No need to get all pissy because your comment didn’t show up immediately. I’ve got to moderate these things or it would be all spam.
Mihls
April 24, 2022 at 10:09 pmJust found this site and wished I had seen it sooner. Very informative, thank you! I was just bitten by a tick a few days ago. Got most of it out but the head, I think. However, I did drench the area in cooking oil ( before reading your recommendation not too.
So now 3 days later I do have the bull’s eye and will go to the doc tomorrow…
Thank you very much again!!
MARTHA MCNEAL
May 22, 2022 at 3:43 amI’ve read numerous website articles regarding tick removal. especially with head left behind and some of them are contradictory. I remain somewhat confused now but don’t want to be obsessed, but I guess I am. Need some reassurance. It’s my husband’s tick! It is in a difficult place (left side of torso almost on his back) and hard for him to do “surgery”. We can both see the head as it came off and was left behind. Due to my disabilities I don’t feel my hands are steady enough to do work on extracting that critter’s head. I need your help! To condense: Can leave head in as it will probably come out within approx. 2 weeks. Apply antibiotic cream for duration or only in beginning? Remove scab when it forms so antibiotic cream can get inside or not? Lastly if area remains red and develops a white center- see dr. Your website and reader’s responses you post are fantastic! Glad I found you! Thanks, in advance, if you can verify what I thought were the correct stages. So much internet info made me crazy! -Mert
Diane
May 23, 2022 at 2:29 pmYes, that’s what I’d do: Just wait for it to come out on its own. Except don’t take off the scab once it’s formed to get antibiotic cream inside. Removing the scab could just allow other bacteria to get into the wound. Good antibacterial cream should seep through the scab anyway. Definitely be on the lookout for Lyme symptoms (as you should be after a tick bite, regardless of whether the head got stuck or not!). Also be on the lookout for other weird rashes or symptoms. Lyme isn’t the only disease that ticks carry — but the others are pretty rare. Oh, and here’s the required legal disclaimer: I’m not a doctor and this isn’t meant to be construed as medical advice! 😀
Candace
May 28, 2022 at 12:24 pmIt is so funny to hear someone talk that sounds like they are describing myself to a T. I’m a nerdy, impatient, outdoorsy, hard working, artist with a very high pain tolerance. Today for the first time in my life I got a tick (a deer tick 🤢) and I did everything right to remove it, but it’s head was left behind. So I dug and dug at it (because I am impatient and a picker), and it still didn’t budge. So I am taking your advice and I put a bandage and some antibiotics on it and I’m going to let it work it’s our way out. Thank you for the advice, otherwise I would have thought that it needed to come out right away, and I definitely would be ground hamburger by now lol.
Diane
May 31, 2022 at 9:32 amWriting this blog has helped me realize that there is a large “tribe” of us nerdy outdoorsy ladies out there. I was also an installation artist for several years. 😀 Good luck with patience while waiting for the head to come out.
victoria
June 1, 2022 at 2:59 pmThanks for everyone’s information here! I got my first tick bite, and my situation is exactly the same as everyone here with tick head stuck in deep, I tried with needle, couldn’t get it out, so I’m waiting now for 3 days already. Just noticed the wound is closed, I’m wondering if I wait for 2 weeks, can I then use needle to open the skin to get the head out? Or just leave it. I don’t feel any pain or itch at all. The tick was not engorged since it was on my belly, maybe the fat layer is too thick lol.
Diane
June 2, 2022 at 2:34 pmEven with the wound closed, it should still eventually push itself out of your skin. If you are impatient (like me), then you can try digging it out with a pin in a week or two. Hopefully it will just pop right out!
John
June 6, 2022 at 1:42 pmSo does the tick loose it’s head every time it injects its prong into a person?
For some reason I got upwards of a dozen bites over a two day span doing the same thing I’ve been doing for years. One is really sore. “Their” statements about not itching are not true here.
Diane
June 7, 2022 at 11:40 amNo, ticks definitely don’t lose their heads each time. It happens if you pull them out with a jerking movement or grab them by the body instead of the head. I pulled one out yesterday and the head definitely didn’t remain 🙂
Ruby
June 15, 2022 at 11:07 amIf after two months and the head has not come out, what do you suggest then? It’s still as itchy and I still have a bump 😩
Diane
June 15, 2022 at 1:40 pmThat’s a long time! I’m guessing it is in some thicker skin like your belly? You could try poking it out with a pin, but you’ll have to basically try to create a channel. Or get some super pointy tweezers to stab into your skin and pull it out. Or have a doctor get it out for you. That’s probably the smartest thing 😀
Kenneth Holder
July 21, 2022 at 12:16 pmIf you successfully remove a tick head and all, there will be a tiny pop, not really audible, it’s the pounds per square inch when pulling, it’s a fairly ridiculous number, and it’s because of it’s barbed mouth. You’re essentially pulling a minuscule core of your flesh that finally rips out with a cylinder of skin. If you just pull the body off. It won’t hurt if the head rips off. But if that happens it will start to itch like crazy, cause the dead tick can no longer administer it’s natural anesthetic to numb the probe site.
Kenneth Holder
July 21, 2022 at 12:24 pmI’m always surprised at how tough those little basterds are. Mainly that you can squeeze them by head, rip them off with considerable force, and if they keep their head, 90% of the time they’re still alive, and 70% of the time they have no damage or injuries.
Judi K
November 29, 2022 at 4:58 pmVery helpful! I’m going on week 6 and the mouthpart is still in me, but it doesn’t itch much anymore and no Lyme disease (which I had in 2020, I don’t recommend it). I will be patient, but I do want to inspect it after it’s out.
Laurie
January 25, 2023 at 10:06 pmYep, it happened I broke the buggers head off in my belly skin. I dug around trying to remove it like a splinter to no avail. Put its body in a zip lock and noted event on the calendar. I’ve settled somewhere between freaked out and it’ll be fine.
Bonita
January 26, 2023 at 2:06 amThank you bunches for your easy explanations on this Diane. My lil companion dog had a tick on top of his head, right on the kissing spot! At first I thought a skin tag mysteriously popped up, but then I could see dark things at the base: tiny black legs!
Removed and the mouth parts stayed in his skin. 🤨 The tick was full with only clear liquid, no blood! All very strange since this is Winter season too. Again thank you Diane for your practical advice.
Melissa Reagan
March 30, 2023 at 10:34 amTook a hike a week ago got four ticks stuck in me, plus three not stuck. Two of the bites still itch like crazy. Keeping an eye on them and if they still itch after another week I’ll be making an appointment for some blood work.
Mak
April 3, 2023 at 8:11 pmHi, there! I hadn’t realized I was bitten and when I saw the tick at first I thought it was scab from perhaps a scratch from my fur babies. But, when I used my nail to remove it I could see it was actually a tick. It’s been 10 days and it was still very itchy and painful; like it was burning. I finally checked it under a magnifying glass and a piece of the tick was still in my skin. I used my tweezers and a needle to remove it. I used disinfectant on it and some ointment. Hopefully it will heal soon.
Elaine Hocker
April 14, 2023 at 9:51 pmThank you! My roommate’s bite looks just like your picture, and now thanks to you we’re not panicking.
Tonyfregoe
May 11, 2023 at 3:45 pmVery good information. Ty. I was recently bit by a tick on the ariola just below the nipple on my right breast. And I’m a man. It itches and a little swollen. No bullseye yet thank god. I believe the head is still in there. I’ll wait a couple weeks.