Coconut oil against ticks
A natural helper
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Coconut oil against ticks – does it really work? We explain here how the natural remedy is supposed to protect humans and animals from the parasites.
Coconut oil against ticks – does it have an effect?
Ticks can ruin our beautiful walks in the forest and across meadows – because with a bite (one often speaks of a tick bite, the animals actually bite) the small parasite can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease and TBE. Ticks are in high season between March and October, but they are extremely robust and can be a nuisance for the rest of the year. Preventive protection is best – and actually can Coconut oil help against ticks.
Why does coconut oil help against ticks?
It is therefore not always necessary to use a chemical tick repellent with toxic pesticides that can irritate the skin: Even one study shows that coconut oil is effective against ticks. Because untreated coconut oil, well Organic coconut oil, contains up to 60 percent of the so-called lauric acid. Ticks avoid this fatty acid – it practically scares the animals off and the ticks simply drop off the rubbed skin without stinging. This was discovered by researchers in a laboratory at the Free University of Berlin. You use a ten percent lauric acid solution in your investigation. The surprising result: between 81 and 100 percent of all ticks let go of the tested surface due to this solution.
Although the effect does not last quite as long as the classic protective agent against ticks, coconut oil can protect us from ticks as a home remedy for long walks. It is estimated that the effects can last for up to six hours.
Tips for using coconut oil
If you want to protect yourself against ticks with coconut oil, you should rub yourself generously with the oil before going out into nature. Especially the areas of skin that you cannot cover with clothing – for example the ears, neck, armpits and back of the knees. Because ticks prefer to stick to moist, warm areas of skin.
Health for four paws: Coconut oil against ticks also helps pets
Particularly practical: Not only people benefit from the effects of the lauric acid in coconut oil, animals such as cats and dogs can also be treated well with it. So that your four-paw darling is not bothered by ticks, simply apply a little coconut oil to protruding parts of the body, for example on the ears, head, neck and back. Coconut oil against ticks is generally better tolerated by dogs, cats and the like than chemical protective agents – many animals also like the smell and like to be treated with it. Again, one should be best Organic coconut oil can be used.
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And what if it did happen despite coconut oil?
If you discover a tick despite all the precautionary measures such as using coconut oil, you should remove it as soon as possible. The easiest way: Grasp the animal as close as possible with tweezers and pull it out slowly and with constant pull. In the pharmacy there are also special tick cards that make pulling out the tick even easier.
Tip: Here you can also find out whether a tick vaccination makes sense, whether black seed oil helps against ticks and which home remedies help against heartburn. We also explain the effect of black seed oil.
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