If you find a tick on your body, use tweezers to grab it, and make sure to pull it out slowly and gently, otherwise some parts of the tick will remain on your skin. After that, wash the area with soap and water. You do not need to keep the tick. But knowing what it looked like, the size and color of tick, the amount of time it has been attached to your skin will help your physician decide about your treatment. You should get help from your doctor or nurse if you have a tick and you cannot get it off. You should also call your health care provider if you think you have had a tick attached for at least 36 hours (a day and a half). They can decide if you need to take a dose of an antibiotic to help prevent Lyme disease. Health care providers may recommend antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease in some circumstances including your age, the area you live, what kind of tick bit you have had, and how long it was attached to skin.