Ticks are back. Spotted by the fact checking service of Agence France Presse (AFP), a recipe homemade Widely disseminated on social networks advocates using oil to get rid of a tick after a bite. Described as an infallible solution, applicable to both humans and animals, much more effective than others and credited as being a farrier’s technique, it would have the merit of being simple and inexpensive: to suffocate a tick, it would suffice to drop a drop of cooking oil on the bite base.
This technique is not only counterproductive (the tick will not come off), but risky because it can also lead to the regurgitation of the ectoparasitic mite, and lead it to reject all its infectious load on the bitten subject. The risk: increasing the chances of developing Lyme disease and other viruses transmitted by ticks.
Note: the risks are the same when using ether, alcohol or soap to release a tick.
To do this well, it is better to remove the parasite using a tick remover and disinfect the area. In the weeks that follow, we remain vigilant. A red halo around the bite can be a sign of Lyme disease: if it appears, you see your doctor as soon as possible.
Tick bite: in which cases should you consult your doctor?
If you are pregnant, children under the age of eight and immunosuppressed people are among the susceptible populations who should consult their doctor in the event of a tick bite or multiple ticks.
An emergency consultation is recommended if:
- The tick has been in place for 36 hours or more
- You don’t know since when it was implanted, but it was engorged with blood by the time you pulled it out.
- You notice abnormal symptoms (pain, fever, unusual fatigue, neurological disorders, erythema, etc.) in the weeks following the bite.
Mosquitoes, spiders, ticks: how to recognize the different insect bites?
Lyme disease: the right things to do to avoid getting bitten by ticks
Lyme disease: what are the effective treatments?
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