[komatsu]

Taking antibiotics after every random bite is overkill. Antibiotics overuse is a serious issue for your body and for the general antibiotics resistance as well.

When the tick is attached less than 24 hours it won't transmit Lyme disease according to the CDC. I check myself every evening after outdoor activities, remove 10-20 ticks every year and knock-knock never had Lyme disease yet.

I wasn't aware of the permethrin effectiveness though. Thanks for letting us know.

[lencastre]

10-20 ticks every year??? I can’t imagine that and I often run in grassy fields (not tall grass) and at most I found 1-2 ticks on me or my kids.

How do you get that kind of numbers in the first place?

[someoneiam]

I think that is just what happens if you live in tick-dense areas and do a lot if outdoor activities. I take every precaution, and remove approximatively the same number of ticks per season. Some places are just like that. Once, I rested with my right hand against the ground, just a couple of seconds, and upon lifting it up I noticed around 30 ticks crawling on it.

[sizzle]

This is disturbing what state? Where do you find the ticks hiding on your body?

[bregma]

Why would you not believe it? It's normal where I live too. I definitely get dozens of bites every year and have been formally diagnosed with and treated for Lyme twice because it's pretty easy to miss one. Tick bites are very often completely painless and they often choose very discreet locations for their meal.

Keep in mind tick season is March to June and September to December (although it started in February this year because of unusual weather). That's a lot of days with "1-2 ticks" and it adds up.

[huytersd]

I’ve never had a tick bite I could miss. They form a blister and itch like crazy for a couple of days. I wonder if the inflammatory response goes away if you get bitten too often. I know it happens with mosquitos if you get bitten too often.

[bregma]

I get a strong reaction after I remove the tick (like a little necrotic volcano that itches like mad and takes about 18 months for the blemish to disappear completely). While the tick is there, I usually feel only nothing and find them by inspection. Tick checks are your best defence.

[xorcist]

Absolutely normal in areas where they are common. You learn to pick them quickly after a while.

If you have animals such as dogs and cats it's much more than that.

[huytersd]

If you take precautions, you might get bitten once a season. Taking antibiotics once or twice a year isn’t all that insane.

Why not just use permethrin or anti tick clothing if you’re regularly pulling off 10-20 ticks. It’s disgusting and you can get some other serious diseases besides Lyme like Rocky mountain fever, alpha gal or encephalitis that are harder to treat or have no cures.

I’ve always heard the 24-36 hour thing is a statistical probability figure. You most probably won’t but you could get it as soon as the tick attaches as well. Also if you squeeze the body of an engorged tick as you’re pulling it out, you force all the contents of its stomach (where the Lyme bacteria lives), into your bloodstream. Always use tweezers and go for the head.