On TikTok, a disturbing trend of fake “tick” infestations has taken the platform by storm, becoming an immensely viral genre. In these videos, creators simulate having ticks attached to their skin, often concentrated on their arms, legs, or even their face and ears. As they scratch at the lumps, the “ticks” either fall off or are plucked off with tweezers, sometimes revealing a suspicious substance that viewers believe to be glue.
Dermatologists have been quick to debunk these videos, with many pointing out that the “ticks” are likely just beans or other props. They cite various reasons for their conclusion, such as the absence of blood or rashes when the “ticks” are removed, the concentration of ticks in one area of the body not being typical of real tick infestations, and the hashtag #hhanbrolice, which does not represent a real lice species.
