You’ll definitely know a tick when you see one (at least when one attaches itself to you). They are tiny and oval in shape, and they have leathery black or dark-brown skin. Unfortunately, they are not easily discernible when in their natural habitat: woods, trees, shrubs, deer, raccoons, and other forest creatures. Instead of biting, ticks burrow. They dig into your skin head first, and then hang out, contentedly sucking on your blood. Of course, if you see the tick when it is on the surface of the skin but has not yet burrowed, you can quickly pick it up with your fingers and crush it dead. However, if the tick has already embedded itself in the skin getting it off of you can be somewhat tricky. Follow these steps to remove the tick: Don’t be embarrassed if you’d rather not get rid of the tick on your own. If you are at all fearful of accidentally leaving the head in the skin, take the person to a nearby walk-in or the emergency room for fast, efficient—and safe—removal. If you wait the full 30 minutes, and the tick refuses to surrender, proceed with these steps:
