photo credit: Bobbi Misiti
Instructions
Ticked Off
Being from Central PA where we have lots of lovely woods to hike in, I have spent my share of time pulling ticks off myself. Because forest bathing and being outdoors is good for us, we don’t want to avoid the woods due to ticks. In addition to having a good balanced immune system; we do have some promising research from the world of plant chemicals that shows essential oils can be effective at repelling ticks, killing their larvae, and even strong enough to disinfect a biofilm (if it left one) after a tick has been removed.
Here is a link to a well researched article on ticks and essential oils from Aromatic Studies. Using this research I also put together a few tick repellents; a stronger clothes only spray, a disinfectant for after removal of a tick, Mosi/Tick/Bug Repellent.
My recommendation for being tick safe when outdoors:
Always check yourself thoroughly when you come in from the outdoors. If you do have a tick, the quicker you remove it the less your chance for lyme transmission.
3 Pronged Tick Approach
- Spray skin with Mosi/Tick/Bug spray — skin safe version
- Tick spray for clothes and shoes. Caution, it may stain due to turmeric CO2, it did not stain my clothes upon using.
- Tick Disinfectant to use after removal of a tick.
Tick Removal:
Use a forceps or a special tick tool, grab the tick as close to the skin as you can and pull upward firmly and steadily. Any mouth parts remaining in the skin are usually expelled by your body.
Stick the tick in a glass jar and freeze — if you do develop any symptoms you can examine the tick for lyme or similar bacteria.
Disinfect the site where the tick was attached, by first cleansing the area then use the roller bottle tick disinfectant around the area where the tick was attached both morning and night for 2-3 days.
If there are any remnants of lyme bacteria, the disinfectant has essential oils that have effectively killed lyme bacteria and their biofilms (in vitro), biofilms are especially hard to eradicate even with antibiotics.
Do not use on freshly shaven skin or any broken skin. I have tested this on myself, it is slightly warming but not caustic to me in any way.
Tick Disinfectant
Ingredients: Neem oil, Black Cumin CO2, essential oils of Oregano, Cysts, Cinnamon Bark, Clove Bud
10mL Roller bottle $15.00
Tick Repellent Clothes Spray — this is for outer clothes only — do NOT get this on your skin This is excellent for shoes and hats. Shake Well before each use.
These oils at this dilution can be caustic. This is a stronger repellent blend than the skin safe blend.
Ingredients: Lemongrass Hydrosol, Distilled Meade, and essential oils of Eucalyptus citriodora, Turmeric CO2, Geranium, Cinnamon Leaf, Thyme ct. thymol
2 oz spray bottle $12.00
Tick/Mosi/Bug Repellent Spray — safe for skin
Ingredients: Lemongrass and Rose Geranium Hydrosols and essential oils of Patachouli, Eucalyptus citriodora, Cedar (atlantica), Rose Geranium, Peppermint
2 oz bottle $15.00 Contact Bobbi to order
To use: SHAKE WELL before each use, and mist skin lightly. This is safe for the face, hair, and body.
Patchouli repels bugs, it is a thick oil so will hold oil on skin longer
Cedar has a natural tendency to ward off pests and is a calming scent. This is why cedar is often used to make closets.
Eucalyptus citriodora – has a lemony citronella scent and is one of the most effective bug and tick repellents
Rose geranium – is an excellent natural insect repellent (also why I chose to put all these oils in a base of rose geranium hydrosol), and it adds the additional benefit of being good for your skin, balancing hormones, and it has anti-anxiety and anti-depressive benefits.
Peppermint for coolness