'Tis the tick season again. I've already pulled a few off of me. Every year geocachers find themselves exposed to these little critters over and over again. My worst encounter netted a whopping forty at just one cache!

From time-to-time I'll get an email about some new tick removal system or device. I've tried a few of them, but in a moment of tick-mania I usually just go with the "grip it and rip it" method. However, that's probably not a very good idea. Doctors are always telling us about the danger of pulling the tick off but leaving the  head embedded and how that can cause infection.

So, take this advice for what it's worth--one of those mass emails that make the rounds every few months. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. If you have a chance to try it I'd love to hear about your experience (feel free to post in the comments).

 A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works!!

I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.  This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me.
Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say,  "It worked!"