Finding Ticks in Thick Hair — How to Do the Check Right

TickSpot Guide · August 2026

In short: The hairline and scalp are among the most common places to find ticks — but with thick, curly, or dark hair, scanning at random gets you nowhere. Parting the hair systematically instead of rummaging through it finds ticks more reliably, and the camera helps further wherever the naked eye has little contrast to work with between strands.

Why thick hair makes the check harder

A tick at the hairline is small, dark, and gets hidden by the hair itself — with light, thin hair it tends to stand out, but with thick or curly hair it practically doesn't. Randomly rummaging through easily misses individual strands while others get checked twice. A fixed order solves this more reliably than a "quick once-over."

The parting technique

1. Divide into sections: mentally (or with a comb) divide the hair into four to six sections — like a lice check.
2. Part each section individually: with your fingers or a fine-toothed comb, part a narrow strand of hair to the side so the scalp becomes visible.
3. Point the camera directly at the exposed scalp: with TickSpot, you don't need a perfectly clear view — even a small visible strip of scalp is enough for a bright spot to stand out in the inverted view.
4. Work through section by section until the whole head has been covered once — start at the hairline, then work toward the crown and neck.
5. Freeze the frame if unsure: spotted something suspicious? Freeze the image, zoom in, and look at it calmly instead of balancing one hand in your hair and the other on the camera.

Extra aids

• Good lighting: use the light built right into the app, especially with dark hair or dim rooms.
• A fine-toothed comb helps part the hair evenly, especially with curly or very thick hair.
• A second person: the back of your own head is naturally hard to see — freezing the image and photographing from different angles helps when no one's around to assist.

This technique works regardless of age — details and further body areas for children are in "Find Ticks on Children", and for the self-check with long hair in "Find Ticks on Women".

Note: This article does not replace medical advice. If you have a tick bite or are unsure, please seek medical advice.