Oil
Tick oil for pulse points
The little sister to the spray. A roll-on in your pocket that you can bring out without spraying the whole family.
Pulse points are where the blood vessels lie close to the skin — wrists, neck, behind the ears, the inside of the elbow. The skin is warmer there, and the warmth makes the scent compounds evaporate slowly and stand as a cloud around you.
It does not replace the spray on your trouser waistband. Ticks climb up from the grass, not down from the sky, so the legs still matter most. This is a supplement for a short walk, or an extra layer on a long one.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral carrier oil, jojoba or almond
- 8 drops lemon eucalyptus
- 5 drops peppermint
- 4 drops clove
Equipment
- Roll-on bottle, preferably dark
- Funnel or pipette
Method
- 1
Mix 2 tbsp carrier oil with 8 drops lemon eucalyptus, 5 drops peppermint and 4 drops clove in a roll-on bottle.
- 2
Apply to pulse points and waistband.
Dosage
Roll onto wrists, neck, behind the ears and the trouser waistband before going out.
Reapply every 2-3 hours.
The spray on your legs is still the most important part. This is a layer on top.
Shelf life
6 months in a dark bottle.
Safety
Always check your body for ticks when you get home. No oil excuses you from it. Look behind the knees, in the groin, armpits, navel, behind the ears and in the scalp.
Remove a tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible, and pull straight out. Do not twist, do not smear anything on first.
A spreading red ring, or flu-like symptoms in the weeks after a bite, belong with a doctor.
Clove oil is potent and irritating to skin. Try a single roll on the inside of your forearm and wait a day before using it in several places.
Not on the face, not near the eyes. Behind the ears is the limit.
Not for children under 3 years.
Not during pregnancy without speaking to your midwife.
Essential oils can be toxic to cats and dogs.
In areas with known risk of tick-borne encephalitis, use an approved repellent.
How the herbs work
Lemon eucalyptus contains PMD, which disrupts the tick''s ability to detect the carbon dioxide and lactic acid you breathe out and give off. It is the only plant compound recognised by health authorities on a par with synthetic products.
Peppermint and clove contribute strong scents that ticks and mosquitoes avoid.
The pulse points are chosen deliberately. Skin is warmer where the blood vessels lie close to the surface, and the warmth makes the volatile oils evaporate evenly over time instead of vanishing in half an hour.
The carrier oil binds the oils to the skin. Without it they would be gone before you were out of the driveway.
The content here is general knowledge and folk herbal lore, not medical treatment. In illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding or alongside medication: always talk to your doctor first.