Can Ticks Go Through Clothes?
Ticks are small, wingless parasites that feed on the blood of animals and humans. They can transmit disease-causing bacteria, and can therefore be potentially dangerous. Knowing how to protect yourself from ticks is important to avoiding tick-borne illnesses and this leads some to wonder whether clothing is an effective barrier. The answer is yes, wearing thick and tightly woven clothing can help to protect against ticks.
How Clothes Protect Against Ticks
Ticks will usually latch onto passing skin when they feel physical pressure or body temperature changes. Therefore wearing thicker clothing helps to create a layer of physical protection against ticks. The important factor to consider is the weave of the fabric, this is because it determines how well fluids and small particles can pass through. For clothing to be protective against ticks, a weft-faced or warp-faced fabric should be worn, which means the weft threads and warp threads fill the entire face of the fabric without any spaces in-between.
Types of Protective Clothing
The following are some examples of clothing that can help to reduce the risk of coming into contact with ticks:
- Long Sleeved Shirt: Long sleeve shirts that are made of tightly woven fabric can help to protect against ticks as it provides a physical barrier between the skin and any passing ticks.
- Long Pants: Similarly to long sleeve shirts, long pants are tightly woven and provide an extra layer of protection mid-shin which can help reduce the risk of coming across ticks.
- Long Boots: Long boots are useful as they can help to limit the areas where ticks might be able to attach themselves, particularly if they are tucked into the boot.
Conclusion
In conclusion, wearing thick and tightly woven clothing is an effective way of reducing the risks associated with ticks. It is important to note that this is not a fool-proof way of protection and therefore it is recommended to wear insect repellent and perform regular tick checks just in case.