Tick-Borne Illness - Protective Clothing

Clothing acts as a barrier between ticks and your skin. We can enhance this barrier with a few helpful products.

Take the following steps to protect yourself from tick bites:

  • Wear a hat and light-colored clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into boots or socks.
  • Use insect repellents that provide protection for the amount of time you will be outdoors:
    • Follow repellent label directions for use.
    • Use repellents containing 20%-30% DEET on your exposed skin and clothing to prevent tick bites.
    • Reapply repellents as needed.
  • Use repellents such as Permethrin for greater protection.
    • Permethrin kills ticks on contact.
    • Permethrin can be used on clothing but should not be used on skin.
    • One application of permethrin to pants, socks, and shoes typically stays effective through several washings.
    • Pre-treated clothing is available and remains protective for many (up to 70) washings.
  • Check your skin and clothes for ticks every day. The immature forms of these ticks are very small and may be hard to see.
    • Shower or bathe as soon as possible after working outdoors to wash off and check for ticks.
    • Remember to check your hair, underarms, and groin for ticks.
    • Immediately remove ticks from your body using fine-tipped tweezers.
    • Grasp the tick firmly and as close to your skin as possible.
    • Pull the tick's body away from your skin with a steady motion.
    • Clean the area with soap and water.
    • Removing infected ticks within 24 hours reduces your risk of being infected with the Lyme disease bacterium.
  • Wash and dry work clothes in a hot dryer to kill any ticks present.
  • Learn the symptoms of tick-borne diseases.
  • If you develop symptoms of a tick-borne disease seek medical attention promptly. Be sure to tell your health care provider that you work outdoors in an area where ticks may be present.

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