The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites when you are outdoors. Most ticks attach themselves to your lower legs and feet as you walk or work in grassy, wooded areas or overgrown fields. After a tick attaches to your body, it often crawls upward to find a spot to burrow into your skin. If you're in or plan to be in an area where ticks are likely to live, follow these tips to protect yourself. Use tick repellents
- Spray your outdoor clothing, shoes, tent and other camping gear with a repellent that has 0.5% permethrin. Some gear and clothing may be pre-treated with permethrin.
- Use an insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency on any exposed skin, except your face. These include repellents that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone.
- Do not use products with OLE or PMD on children under age 3.
Dress for protection
- Wear light-colored clothing that makes it easier for you or others to see ticks on your clothing.
- Avoid open-toed shoes or sandals.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts tucked into your pants.
- Wear long pants tucked into your socks.
Check for ticks
- Shower as soon as possible to wash off any loose ticks. Check for ticks that may have burrowed.
- Use a mirror to check your body well. Pay attention to your underarms, hair and hairline. Also check your ears, waist, and the area between your legs, behind your knees, and inside your bellybutton.
- Check your gear. Before you wash your outdoor clothes, put them in the dryer on hot for at least 10 minutes to kill ticks.
- Do a daily inspection for ticks on any pet that spends time outdoors.
- Stay on clear paths as much as possible in wooded and grassy areas.
Remember: If you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms, ask your doctor to include testing for Lyme as part of the assessment. This currently isn't common practice and oftentimes why the disease is mis-diagnosed or undiagnosed. Treating some symptoms doesn't treat the root cause.
Lyme disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic