Ticks: what has changed in the usual advice
Some of what we learned as children is now considered downright harmful.
Most people are familiar with ticks, but a significant share of the commonly known advice has long been outdated, and some of it directly increases the risk.
Do not cover a tick with oil. The advice to drip oil on a tick so that it "suffocates and comes out on its own" still circulates. In fact, when deprived of oxygen, the tick regurgitates its gut contents into the wound, increasing the risk of infection transmission. It should be removed mechanically and as quickly as possible.
Twist, do not yank. A tick anchors itself with a barbed mouthpart, so a sharp pull often tears it apart, leaving the head in the skin. Use tweezers or a special hook to grip it as close to the skin as possible and remove it with a smooth twisting motion.
Ticks do not fall from trees. They neither jump nor fly; they sit on grass and low shrubs, usually no more than a meter above the ground, and latch on to passers-by. This means that the legs need protection first. Checking the hair for ticks is secondary, although ticks do crawl upwards.
The forest is not the only danger. A significant share of tick bites occur on country properties, in city parks, and in cemeteries. The assumption that "we are not in the forest" puts people at risk every year.
What actually works on a property: regular mowing, clearing leaves and fallen branches, acaricide treatment at the beginning of the season, and checking for ticks after every venture into the grass. Trousers tucked into socks also help, whatever they may look like.
