How to prepare for tick season.

Medical Mythbusting Commentary for April 23, 2026

Tick bite prevention strategies for eastern and central North America, including Ottawa, Ontario:

Before venturing outside:

Avoid risky tick habitats (wooded areas, tall grass, leaf litter)
Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to spot
Wear long sleeves and long pants
Tuck pants into socks or footwear to prevent ticks from crawling up legs
Wear permethrin-treated clothing (0.5% permethrin)
Apply EPA-approved repellents to exposed skin: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), p-methane-3,8-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone
Apply permethrin to clothing and gear (boots) in advance and allow to dry before use

During and after exposure to tick habitats:

Conduct thorough tick checks of extremities, torso, and visually obscured areas (axilla, nape of neck, hairline, in and around ears, umbilicus, groin, popliteal fossa)
Bathe or shower within 2 hours of outdoor activity to wash off unattached ticks and facilitate tick checks
Place clothes directly in dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes (up to 60 minutes for some tick species)
Alternatively, wash clothes in hot water (not cold or warm)

If an attached tick is detected:

Remove promptly using clean fine-tipped tweezers inserted between the tick body and skin
Do NOT burn the tick or apply noxious chemicals or petroleum products
Clean the bite area after removal
Store the tick in a sealed container, plastic bag, or wrapped in clear tape with the date and geographic location labeled
See a clinician if concerned the tick is an Ixodes species and has fed for at least 36 hours (for possible prophylaxis)
Monitor health for symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases

Additional considerations:

Higher concentrations of repellents generally provide longer protection, though DEET concentrations >50% offer no meaningful advantage
Permethrin-treated clothing is more effective than DEET-treated clothing
For frequent exposure, combine permethrin-treated clothing with skin repellent for maximum protection