Bull's-eye rash

If you’ve been bitten by an infected tick, you might not know it—until you see a bull’s-eye rash. It usually shows up 7-14 days after a tick bite and often has a round red center and one or more red rings farther out. That said, the rash doesn’t always look like a bull’s eye and not everyone gets one. But here’s the upside of finding a rash: you can seek out treatment pronto. Lyme is such a tricky illness because so many people don’t know they have it, and it can be really tough to diagnose. In that sense, finding a rash—which shouldn’t hurt or itch—can actually be a blessing in disguise (though we know it doesn’t feel like it). There’s no need to panic. Head to your practitioner, get tested, and talk about the options. There are lots of them!