How to Extract a Splinter

It's amazing how much a tiny sliver of wood, glass or fiberglass can hurt when it lodges in your skin. Remove a splinter promptly to reduce discomfort and the chance of infection.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soap
• Fine-tip Tweezers
• Soap
• Needle, manicure scissors or nail clippers

1. Wash your hands and the splinter area with soap and water.

2. Sterilize a pair of fine-tip tweezers by boiling them in water for 5 minutes, or by holding them over a flame until they are red-hot. Let cool.

3. Gently pinch the area around the splinter to make it poke up.

4. If the splinter is under the skin, use a sterilized needle, manicure scissors or nail clippers to cut a tiny opening in the skin.

5. Grasp the tip of the splinter with the tweezers. Slowly pull it out.

6. Squeeze the area to encourage blood, which helps to wash out any germs.

7. Wash the area with soap and water.

8. If you develop redness, inflammation, a fever or nausea, visit your doctor. A remnant of the splinter may be causing infection.

Tips & Warnings

• If it's difficult to see the splinter, ask a friend to hold a magnifying glass over the area while you work.
• To protect yourself from splinters, wear work gloves when doing landscaping, construction or rough work.

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[kdean1988]

on 6/8/2007 WELL THAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE IF I HAD SOME BUTTER, WILL COOKING OIL WORK??? ALL I KNOW IS THAT I TRIED TO GET IT OUT, AND IT WENT DEEPER, AND IT HURTS AND MY TWEEZERS DONT WORK EITHER THEY ARENT SHARP, WILL IT JUST COME OUT ON ITS OWN? CAUSE I REALLY DONT WANT TO KEEP DIGGING AT IT, CAUSE IT HURTS

on 7/8/2006 Clean a needle with rubbing alcohol, scrape the skin off the dark area where the splinter is lodged. Squeeze from all sides until the splinter rises above the skin. Use a pair of tweezers to pull out the splinter. This may take using a magnifying glass held over the area to see it. After the splinter is removed clean wound with rubbing alcohol.

on 3/11/2006 If the splinter isn't sticking out enough to get a hold of it, you can try putting butter on the area. Let it soak in the butter for a little bit and it will ease the splinter out of your skin ever so slightly, then you can pull it out by whatever method you prefer.

on 1/16/2006 Put a medium-thick layer of white glue on and around the area of the splinter. Wait until the glue is completely dry. Grab a tiny edge of the dried glue and zip it off. The splinter will come right out. This works especially well when you're dealing with a number of small splinters.

on 11/22/2005 Duct tape to the rescue again! Apply a strip of tape on the area of the splinter. Then remove the tape in the opposite direction that the splinter went in. Of course, a piece of the splinter must be accessible to the tape so it sticks to it. This is a lot less invasive than a needle and tweezers.