Tick protection: make checking part of the day

Tick protection is usually a mix of habits, not one product. Covered clothing, a repellent used as directed, and a skin check after time outdoors all work together.

Light-coloured clothes make ticks easier to spot, and the hairline, ears, armpits, groin, and behind the knees are worth checking. The routine is most useful when it is simple enough to repeat every day during the season.

Children often need help with the check, and anyone who spends time in forests, tall grass, or at the summer cottage benefits from a routine that is easy to keep up. The best prevention plan is the one that still feels realistic after a long day outside.

If the skin reaction grows, fever appears, or the person feels unwell after a tick bite, it is safer to get the situation checked than to wait and hope it passes.