Splinter removal
A splinter is a thin piece of material (like wood, glass, or metal) that gets embedded just below the top layer of your skin. To remove a splinter, first wash your hands with soap and water. Use tweezers to grab the splinter. Carefully pull it out at the same angle it went in.
A splinter can also be removed by first using a pin to break the skin over the splinter area. Next use tweezers to grab hold of the splinter to gently pull it out. Wash the area with soap and water after removing the splinter.
If the splinter is under the skin or hard to grab:
- Sterilize a pin or needle by soaking it in rubbing alcohol or placing the tip in a flame.
- Wash your hands with soap.
- Use the pin to gently remove skin over the splinter.
- Then use the tip of the pin to lift the end of the splinter out.
- You may need to use a tweezers to pull out the splinter after you lift it.
After the splinter is out, wash the area with soap and water. Pat the area dry. (Don’t rub.) Apply antibiotic ointment. Bandage the cut if it is likely to get dirty.
See your health care provider if there is inflammation or pus, or if the splinter is deeply embedded. Also, seek medical attention if the splinter is in your eye or close to it.
Tiny painful plant splinters
Plant splinters (eg, stinging nettle), cactus spines, or fiberglass spicules are difficult to remove because they are fragile. Usually they break when pressure is applied with tweezers.
- Tape: First try to remove the small spines or spicules by touching the area lightly with packaging tape, duct tape, or another very sticky tape. If that doesn’t work, try wax hair remover.
- Wax Hair Remover: If tape doesn’t work, apply a layer of wax hair remover. Let it air-dry for 5 minutes or accelerate the process with a hair dryer. Then peel it off with the spicules. Most will be removed. The others will usually work themselves out with normal shedding of the skin.
