How to pull a splinter: 8 effective ways

A splinter can stick into the skin while working in the garden, with any household and household activities. Sometimes a splinter can be so small that a person almost does not feel its presence. In this case, the skin itself will eventually expel the foreign body. But if the splinter is so big that it brings discomfort and pain, urgent measures must be taken to remove it as soon as possible.

What to do if a splinter is stuck in a hand

1. Before taking any measures to remove the splinter from the finger, you need to thoroughly rinse your hands and all the tools that will be needed to carry out the "operation". This is especially true in cases where a splinter was obtained during dirty work - chopping wood, mopping, working with wood.
2. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Then treat with alcohol the place where the splinter, needle and tweezers stuck. Make a couple of clean napkins. Instead of a regular sewing needle, it is better to use a sterile syringe needle.
3. A splinter is best pulled out in good daylight. If you have poor eyesight, wear glasses or take a magnifier.
4. If the splinter sits so deep that it is impossible to pry off its tip, carefully lift the skin over the splinter with a needle. If necessary, you can slightly tear the upper layer of the epidermis.
5. When the tip of the splinter appears, pick it up with tweezers and carefully pull it out. It is better to do this at the same angle from which the splinter has sunk into the skin.
6. If the tip is impossible to get, it is better not to pick the soft tissues and consult a doctor.
7. If you pulled out part of the splinter, and its piece remained in the skin, it is better to consult a doctor. Because without special tools it will be quite difficult to pull out a deep splinter.
8. After that, squeeze the skin around the wound so that the contaminated blood comes out.
9. The final stage of the procedure is antiseptic treatment. This is very important because a splinter could bring bacteria and microbes deep into the tissues. It is best to treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide, boric acid or medical alcohol. Ordinary vodka will do. If the wound is open and large, you can apply a bandage or glue an antiseptic patch.
10. A couple of days after the incident, monitor the condition of the wound. If the skin turns red, swelling appears, pain is felt, you need to see a doctor. Probably an infection has occurred.

How to remove a splinter

But not always at hand are sterile instruments with which you can pull out a splinter. This is especially true for hiking conditions. Here are some simple tips to help you pull out a splinter quickly and painlessly.

1. Scotch. This method is suitable for extracting a large number of small splinters. For example, if you were holding glass wool, a cactus, or small wooden objects. Tear off a piece of duct tape and stick it on the affected area. Do not press the tape too tightly to your hand, so you can push the needles even deeper. After that, carefully tear off the adhesive tape - you will see that most of the small splinters remained on the tape. Repeat the procedure several times until you have completely cleaned the skin.
2. PVA glue. This method is suitable for baby splinters. Pulling a splinter out of a child is quite difficult - a rare baby will give a needle to prick itself. To pull a splinter out of the finger, you just need to generously lubricate it with glue. When it dries, the glue can be removed with one large layer. If the splinter is not deep, it sticks to the glue and is calmly removed from the skin.
3. Soda. If the splinter is deep and it is not possible to pry it, it is necessary that the skin itself gives it to you. To do this, mix baking soda with water to make slurry. Put the pulp on the wound and fix it with a band-aid or bandage.After a few hours, the skin will swell and squeeze out the foreign body. If this does not happen, pulling a splinter out of soft, swollen skin will be much easier.
4. Iodine. If the splinter sits so deep that there is no way to get it, smear the wound with iodine every three hours. A wooden splinter will simply burn out and after a while it will come out. Iodine helps to destroy the acute structure of the splinter, thereby relieving the person from pain.

Folk remedies for the extraction of splinters

1. There is a simple way to self-heal splinters using salt water. But it is effective only if it is applied immediately after the splinter is received. Pour water into the glass as hot as you can withstand. Dissolve three tablespoons of salt in water. Dip a finger with a splinter in water for 20 minutes. After that, dry your finger and apply a sterile dressing. Hot salt water softens the tissues and brings the splinter out.
2. To remove a deep splinter, you can use a banana peel. Tie a piece of peel to the wound to the damaged area of ​​the skin. Leave it overnight. In the morning, the splinter will be on the surface and it will be easier to pry.
3. Birch tar will help to remove the splinter. Lubricate the place where the splinter stuck, put a piece of cling film on top and wrap it with a bandage. In a few hours, tar will bring the splinter out and it can be easily removed. You can leave a compress overnight.
4. If the splinter is already several days old, and in its place an abscess has formed, it is better to prepare such a remedy. Take medical or cosmetic clay and dilute it to a creamy state. Add a few tablespoons of vinegar. Lubricate the damaged area with the ointment. After the composition has completely dried, you can replace it with a fresh one. After just a few hours of such treatment, the skin will bring the splinter to the surface.

A splinter is a very unpleasant phenomenon. It is even surprising that such a small spike can bring so much inconvenience. In order not to suffer from pain and discomfort, remove the splinter immediately after it is pierced into your skin. We hope that our simple tips will help you get rid of an annoying splinter.

Video: how to pull a splinter out of your finger