Gaby
The common “summer splinter” can become a significant problem, as even a small foreign object embedded in the tissue can sometimes lead to the loss of a body part. An invisible splinter brings pain and the risk of infection. Don’t ignore that “little nuisance.”
Home Remedies
Splinters refer to any small foreign objects that have penetrated the skin, nail, eye, etc. Dangerous items include wood splinters, shards of glass, metal shavings, pieces of plastic, sharp stones, thorns, and plant prickles. While most splinters can usually be removed with home remedies, medical assistance may be necessary in complicated cases—such as when a splinter is lodged in an inaccessible area or has penetrated deeply into the tissue.
Splinters and foreign bodies in the heel, fingers, under the nail, or in the eye can be particularly painful and tricky to remove, but there are several methods for extracting a splinter that you can use for self-help. The tools and supplies for splinter removal include antiseptic, soap, a needle, tweezers, medical adhesive bandages, or gauze.
How to Remove a Splinter from a Finger
If the edge of the splinter is not protruding above the skin’s surface, you can reach the foreign object using a needle. This procedure should be performed very carefully, following safety precautions. The rough skin on the sole of the foot is usually less sensitive to puncturing compared to the fingers of the hands and feet. Before removing the splinter, wash your hands with soap and disinfect the needle. Avoid pressing on the splinter or pulling the skin around it; doing so can easily backfire, pushing the splinter even deeper.
Before removing a deep splinter, soak the injured area in hot water. When the heat causes the splinter to rise closer to the surface, gently pierce the outer layer of skin above the splinter with the sharp end of the needle—this should be done with a confident motion, but do not insert the tip deeply. Puncture where the splinter entered. Lift the skin with the needle to create an opening. Stretch the skin so that the foreign body can be completely extracted. Hook the splinter with the end of the needle and carefully push it out. After removing the splinter, treat the wound with antiseptic and apply a bandage.
How to Remove a Splinter Without a Needle
Regardless of how deep the splinter is, it can be removed with tweezers if the edge of the foreign object is slightly protruding from the skin. Typically, cosmetic tweezers are effective for removing small splinters in accessible areas, such as how to extract a splinter from a finger. If it’s hard to see, put on reading glasses or use a magnifying glass. Disinfect the “tips” of the tweezers with alcohol or another antiseptic, and wash your hands with soap before the procedure.
Grip the splinter with the tweezers at the edge that is sticking out from under the skin. However, do not “pull” the foreign object in an attempt to push it out; pressing and tugging on the skin around the splinter can cause it to dive deeper into the tissue. Pull the splinter out with the tweezers without twisting or turning it—do this at the same angle at which it entered the skin. If you pull a slanted splinter at a right angle, it may break, leaving a piece lodged in the tissue. Disinfect the wound from the splinter and cover it with a bandage.
How to Help a Splinter Come Out on Its Own
There are other hacks for removing a splinter without a needle and even without tweezers. Alternatives to mechanical removal include baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or ichthyol ointment. Mix baking soda with water to form a paste and apply it to the wound, covering it with a bandage—within a day, the splinter will come out on its own. Alternatively, pour hydrogen peroxide over the wound with the splinter; this will also encourage it to “come out.” Even if you need tweezers to complete the process, removing the splinter will be much easier. The third remedy will also work without your involvement.
Simply apply ichthyol ointment to the antibacterial part of a medical adhesive bandage (the gauze square in the center of the sticky inner surface) and secure the bandage over the splinter for half a day. This is a suitable method for how to remove a splinter from the foot. For the heel and sole, the procedure should be done overnight, and due to the strong smell of the ointment, it’s best to apply it while at home. After 12 hours, you can remove the bandage: the splinter will remain on it. At the same time, the ointment prevents the wound from festering, as this antiseptic has bactericidal properties. However, a splinter under the nail will not come out on its own; that requires a doctor’s intervention.
When the “Nuisance” Won’t Budge
If you can’t remove the splinter, turn to folk remedies that our great-grandmothers used.
Warm Onion
Place a warm half of an onion, baked until soft, on the injured area. This method is considered effective: the splinter will come out of the skin within minutes.
Aloe and Tar
You can also apply a piece of aloe leaf cut side down to the entry point of the splinter or smear the skin with tar, covering the wound with a bandage (the latter home remedy has the drawback of a strong odor).
Young Nettle
The third folk method is to apply a compress made from an infusion of young nettle leaves to the splinter. This medicinal raw material should be prepared in April to May. Fill a bottle tightly with nettle, pour vodka over it, and let it steep for two weeks. In the summer, keep this disinfecting infusion on hand: it disinfects scratches and extracts splinters.
You should consider the consequences of not removing a splinter (or not ensuring that it has come out on its own). This can lead to inflammation and festering—known as paronychia (a purulent process in the tissues)—and a metal splinter can even cause tetanus infection. A splinter that remains in the tissue for more than six hours poses a danger. If the splinter has festered, seek medical help immediately. The minimum inconveniences from this nuisance are pain and difficulty moving; the maximum can be amputation and blindness.
How to Remove a Splinter from the Eye
Symptoms of a foreign body in the eye include discomfort, a feeling of “sand,” burning, tearing, light sensitivity, redness, swelling, blepharospasm (involuntary contraction of the eye muscle), difficulty opening the eyelids, decreased visual acuity, and varying degrees of pain. A foreign object in the conjunctiva, orbit, or cornea is a common ophthalmological issue that can provoke injury and lead to serious complications. Metal particles can penetrate deeply into the eye structures. Small metal splinters may not show any symptoms until vision worsens after a few days. Copper is particularly dangerous, as its oxides are toxic to the eyes.
Attempting to remove a foreign body from the eye on your own can result in infection and perforation of the cornea. Consequences can range from bleeding into the eye cavity, conjunctivitis, keratitis, purulent inflammation, to corneal opacity, astigmatism, retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma (with the risk of irreversible blindness). Medical procedures for removing slag, metal shavings, splinters, and pieces of glass are performed surgically on an emergency basis. Therefore, the threat posed by a small splinter is too serious to underestimate.
