Your article advised that ticks should be removed by pulling them out with tweezers (UK may have far more cases of Lyme disease than realised, 31 July). Unfortunately, this method often causes the protruding body to snap off, leaving the head parts embedded in the skin. Retained head parts can cause infection, inflammation and discomfort. A much better way of removing ticks is to use a Tick Twister. You slide it under the protruding tick so that the tick lies in the slot in the Tick Twister. You then rotate gently without pulling, thus unwinding the tick which will detach intact and waving its legs! It’s easy. To see how it’s done, watch this video.
Grizelda George
(Retired consultant in emergency medicine), Oxford
• I was concerned to read that Lyme Disease UK advocates using tweezers to remove ticks. Since we discovered tick sticks we have had far fewer incidences of the tick’s head being left embedded and potentially causing infection. The consensus on most Scottish walking websites is that this is the best way to remove them. Simply press the two prongs of the stick behind the embedded tick, twist clockwise and the tick will come out. Advice not to walk through long foliage will be ignored by most baggers on hills without footpaths.
Margaret Squires
St Andrews, Fife
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