The cardinal rule of tick removal is this: Never attempt to yank a tick from your skin unless you've done something to make it loosen its grip first. All ticks possess a pair a claw-like appendages (called palps) that anchor them securely to your skin and allow them to bury their head beneath the surface. Thus embedded, a tick simply can't be removed whole. Odds are you will snap the tick in half, leaving its head below the skin's surface and greatly increasing your risk of infection. To remove a tick correctly, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick by the head or mouthparts right where they enter the skin. DO NOT grasp the tick by the body. Without jerking, pull firmly and steadily directly outward. DO NOT twist the tick out or apply petroleum jelly, a hot match, alcohol or any other irritant to the tick in an attempt to get it to back out. These methods can backfire and even increase the chances of the tick transmitting the disease.