Tick repellent is the part of a walk in the woods that most people only think about after they find something small and dark clinging to their leg. A repellent helps, but it is one layer in a short list, and the official guidance is more specific than most product pages. Here is what the NHS, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actually say about choosing a tick repellent, where permethrin fits, and what to do on the days when a tick gets through anyway.
First, what a tick is and why it matters in the UK
Ticks are not insects. The UKHSA describes them as small arachnids, more closely related to spiders and mites than to insects, that feed on the blood of animal hosts, including humans (UKHSA blog, "What are ticks and how can you avoid being bitten?", 30 June 2026). The NHS adds that ticks do not jump or fly. They attach to the skin of animals or humans that brush past them, and once a tick bites in, it feeds on blood for a few days before dropping off (NHS, Lyme disease, page last reviewed 3 June 2025).
Where you find them is wider than people expect. The NHS says ticks live in woods and areas with long grass, and sometimes in urban parks and gardens, and are found all over the UK. The UKHSA says woodland edges and scrub are often especially abundant with ticks, and that ticks can be active throughout the year, with young ticks called nymphs most active in spring and peaking between April and June.
How worried should you be?
Calmly cautious is about right. The NHS says not all ticks in England carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, but it is still important to be aware of ticks and to remove them safely as soon as possible. The UKHSA puts numbers on it: current research suggests around 4% of ticks in England carry the relevant bacteria, studies in Europe estimate that between 1 and 5% of bites from infected ticks result in Lyme disease, and the majority of tick bites do not result in illness. It also reports approximately 1,500 laboratory-confirmed Lyme disease cases a year in England and Wales, and says Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infection there. Those figures describe the country, not your weekend, so read them as context rather than a forecast.
Which tick repellent do the official sources point to?
The UK sources are short on brand detail. The NHS says to use insect repellent on your clothes and skin and that products containing DEET are best. The UKHSA also recommends an insect repellent containing DEET, used following the manufacturer's guidance.
The CDC gives a longer list. Its Lyme disease prevention page says to use an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone (CDC, Preventing Lyme disease, page dated 21 May 2026). The EPA's own list of skin-applied repellent ingredients covers those and a few more, including catnip oil and oil of citronella (EPA, Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients, last updated 23 January 2026). Read that list as "ingredients found in registered skin repellents", not "ingredients that work on ticks". The CDC's shorter list is the one written for tick prevention.
If you want the background on two of the most common ingredients, our explainers on picaridin versus DEET on your skin and on using insect repellent on your face cover what each one is and how to apply it.
Check that the label names ticks
This is the step people skip. The EPA's repellent search tool lets you choose products for mosquitoes, ticks or both, because they are not the same job (EPA, Find the Repellent that is Right for You, last updated 8 September 2026). The EPA explains that a registration number means the company supplied technical information on the product's safety and its effectiveness against mosquitoes and/or ticks, and that protection times vary because of differences in the testing conditions. In practice: look for a label that mentions ticks, follow its directions for how much to use, and do not assume a mosquito product covers them. UK labels are set out differently from US ones, so the label in your hand is the authority.
Permethrin: for clothing and gear, not for your skin
Permethrin is the other half of the CDC's advice, and it works differently. The CDC says to wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, or clothing and gear pre-treated with 0.5% permethrin. Its wider vector-borne disease page says to apply 0.5% permethrin to clothing and gear (CDC, Preventing mosquito and tick bites, page dated 30 January 2025). Notice what both pages do not say: neither tells you to put permethrin on your skin, and permethrin does not appear on the EPA's list of skin-applied repellent ingredients above.
The EPA's page on repellent-treated clothing fills in the practical side (EPA, Repellent-Treated Clothing, last updated 26 February 2026):
- Permethrin is the only repellent currently used for factory treatment of clothing.
- Only the skin covered by the treated clothing is protected from the pests listed on the label. The EPA says to cover other exposed skin with a repellent labelled for use on human skin.
- The label calls for washing treated clothing separately from untreated clothing, because small amounts of permethrin can come off in the wash.
- Sprays for home use on your own clothing are also registered. The EPA says the products currently available contain DEET, permethrin or picaridin, and to follow the label.
The EPA's general safety page adds a rule that applies to every repellent: apply it only to exposed skin and/or clothing, and do not use it under clothing (EPA, Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively, last updated 10 November 2025).
How to avoid tick bites: the layers that sit around the repellent
A tick repellent works best as part of a routine. Both UK sources keep the list short, and it is mostly about what you wear and where you walk.
- Cover up. The NHS says to cover your skin while walking outdoors and tuck your trousers into your socks. The UKHSA says to wear long trousers and long-sleeved tops to limit direct skin exposure.
- Wear light colours. Both agencies say light-coloured clothing makes crawling ticks easier to see and brush off.
- Stay on clear paths. The NHS and UKHSA both say to stick to clearly defined paths where you can, to avoid brushing against vegetation.
- Use a repellent and follow its label. See the section above.
- Brush off and check as you go. The UKHSA says to regularly check clothing and exposed skin during outdoor activity and brush off any crawling ticks immediately.
The CDC adds two habits that cost nothing. It says to shower soon after being outdoors to wash off unattached ticks, and its vector-borne disease page says to tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing.
The tick check: where to look and what to do
Do the check after any outdoor time. The UKHSA lists walking, running, gardening, camping, dog walking and picnicking, and says to look and feel across your skin, paying particular attention to the armpits, groin, behind the knees, around the waistband, wrists, the back of the neck and the hairline. It notes that adults are most commonly bitten on the legs, children more often on the head and neck, and that more than one tick may be attached at a time. The NHS reminds you that tick bites are not always painful, so you may not notice one unless you see it, and to check children and pets as well. The CDC says to check your body, clothing, gear and pets during and after being outdoors, including in your own backyard.
Removing a tick safely
The NHS steps are plain and the UKHSA matches them:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. The NHS says you can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick, then dispose of it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
The UKHSA stresses that the longer an infected tick stays attached, the greater the risk of disease transmission, so prompt removal matters. The CDC makes the same point from the other direction: remove attached ticks as soon as possible and do not wait to see a healthcare provider to do it. The UKHSA also says you can submit a tick you find to its Tick Surveillance Scheme.
When to get advice
The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have been bitten by a tick, or visited an area in the past 3 months where infected ticks could be, and you either feel unwell with flu-like symptoms or have a round or oval rash. It says the rash can appear up to 3 months after a bite but usually appears within 1 to 4 weeks, and that it is not usually hot or itchy. The NHS adds that it can be harder to see on brown and black skin and may look more like a bruise. Tell them if you have recently been in forests or grassy areas.
Where Misaj fits
Misaj, a Paris based skincare brand, makes Glow Protect, a daily skincare cream. Its Glow Protect product page describes it as combining "hydration, skin barrier support and botanical mosquito protection in a single cream designed to be worn daily." That wording is about mosquitoes. The page says nothing about ticks, so Glow Protect is not part of the tick advice in this guide, and it should not replace a repellent whose label names ticks. For the wider picture of what bites in the UK, our UK biting insects field guide covers midges, horseflies, ticks, fleas and mosquitoes in one place.
The takeaway
Pick a repellent whose label names ticks, follow the label, and use permethrin only through a pre-treated garment or a clothing spray that says so. Cover your legs, stay on paths, wear light colours, check yourself after every outing, and know the four-step removal. The NHS and UKHSA are consistent that prompt, careful removal and a quick call if you feel unwell afterwards are what count. For the season side of things, our UK mosquito season calendar shows how we use official data to time outdoor plans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tick repellent in the UK?
The NHS says products containing DEET are best, and the UKHSA also recommends an insect repellent containing DEET, following the manufacturer's guidance. Check that the label names ticks.
Which tick repellent ingredients does the CDC recommend?
The CDC says to use an EPA-registered repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, PMD or 2-undecanone.
Can I put permethrin on my skin?
The CDC points permethrin at clothing and gear, at 0.5%, and the EPA describes permethrin as the repellent used in factory-treated clothing. It is not on the EPA list of skin-applied repellent ingredients. Use a repellent labelled for skin on exposed skin, as the EPA says.
How do I avoid tick bites on a walk?
Cover your skin and tuck trousers into socks, wear light colours, stay on clear paths, use a repellent, and check clothing and skin as you go, per the NHS and UKHSA.
How do I remove a tick?
Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool, grasp it close to the skin, pull upwards slowly without squeezing it, then clean the bite, according to the NHS.
When should I see a doctor after a tick bite?
The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if you feel unwell with flu-like symptoms or have a round or oval rash after a bite or a visit to an area with infected ticks in the past 3 months.
Sources
Fetched 2026-10-19.
- NHS, Lyme disease, page last reviewed 3 June 2025 (what ticks are, how to avoid bites, removal steps, urgent advice). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/
- UK Health Security Agency, What are ticks and how can you avoid being bitten?, 30 June 2026 (activity, risk figures, prevention, tick checks, removal). https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/30/what-are-ticks-and-how-can-you-avoid-being-bitten/
- CDC, Preventing Lyme disease, page dated 21 May 2026 (registered repellent ingredients, permethrin-treated clothing, checks, showering, removal). https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prevention/index.html
- CDC, Preventing mosquito and tick bites, page dated 30 January 2025 (0.5% permethrin on clothing and gear; tumble drying). https://www.cdc.gov/vector-borne-diseases/prevention/index.html
- EPA, Skin-Applied Repellent Ingredients, last updated 23 January 2026. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/skin-applied-repellent-ingredients
- EPA, Find the Repellent that is Right for You, last updated 8 September 2026. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-insect-repellent-right-you
- EPA, Repellent-Treated Clothing, last updated 26 February 2026. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/repellent-treated-clothing
- EPA, Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively, last updated 10 November 2025. https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/using-insect-repellents-safely-and-effectively
- misajskin.com, Glow Protect product page (brand wording quoted verbatim, checked 2026-10-19). https://misajskin.com/products/glow-protect
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