11/09/2016
How to Check Yourself for Ticks after Hiking
Before you leave for your hike, take a few precautions. If it is cooler, wear long pants with socks covering the bottom of the pants to prevent them from biting. Wear lighter color clothing so you can see them more easily, and wear insect repellent. After your walk, throw your clothes in the washer and dryer. They actually will survive the washer, but five minutes in the dryer will be the tick's destruction. In fact, if you do not have time to wash, just throw the clothes in the dryer at high heat for five minutes.
If you do not have a dryer available or are not in a place you can disrobe, checking your body is important. Check your legs and ankles first and move toward the upper part of your body. These little guys crawl, not jump or fly, so the majority will be on your lower body, unless you have gone through deep brush. Your sock area is a good place for ticks to hide. Deer ticks will feed at the hair roots, so particularly for men, roll the hair to see if you have a small unwelcome visitor. Move up your body toward your waist and then to the arms.
Lift your hair at the back and have someone check at the back of your neck, as well as through your hair. Hats are always a good idea in the woods. As soon as you have a chance, toss the clothing in the dryer and do a complete once over undressed in front of a mirror with a hand held mirror as an aid.
