Tip: Survive the outdoors

Last weekend, Marcus and I both picked up ticks while shooting in the mountains. I specifically want to mention this for anyone planning an outdoor photo session, but this advice is relevant to everyone. I picked up a tick while walking around my yard last month.

Ticks are definitely gross and can be dangerous, but the danger is much less if you find and remove them quickly. Dog ticks are the most common and are large enough to be seen if you just look for them. It helps to have someone else looking as they are often behind ears or on your back or neck. If you find one, use tweezers to grab it as close to your skin as possible and pull it off. You don't want to shock it with alcohol or a hot match or any of the other "tricks" often suggested to make it detach as it may regurgitate into the bite wound and spread more germs. Once it's off, check to be sure that it didn't leave behind any mouth parts and clean the wound with alcohol. Keep the tick in a ziploc in the freezer in case you become sick and need to identify it.

You may also want to check again for ticks the next day. Marcus and I both found ours the day after actually being outside even though we had checked once we got home. It's possible they may be in your shoes, car etc. before finding their way onto your body.

First and foremost when you get home, take a thorough shower ASAP with soap and a washcloth. Chigger larvae can take a few hours to travel around your body before they actually settle down to feed. Until then, you can wash them off easily and will never even know that they were on you. If you don't get them off, it's only a matter of time until you have a rash of blister-like bumps that are very itchy. Similarly, if you scrub poison ivy toxins off of your skin within a couple hours of exposure then you will probably not develop a rash.

Place all of your clothing directly into the washer and use hot water if possible. You don't want to spread chiggers or ticks around your house.