After writing how to heal spurs?, how to treat a corn or callus? and how to remove a skin tag?, we are now writing how to get a splinter out? Splinters are small slivers of wood, metal or glass. Once in our lifetime, we have faced the pain and aggravation that come from splinters. They are sometime hard to remove and painful as well. If they stay in the body for a long period of time they can cause infection and serious problem for that body part. Splinters usually occur on the fingers and hands from managing some type of plant or shrubs. If you get a splinter, then try the following methods to remove a splinter out.
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Methods to Remove a Splinter:
1.) Nail Clipper to Remove a Splinter
Nail clipper can be easily used to remove splinter out of the skin. Sterilize the nail clipper by boiling it in hot water for a few minutes. Remove the extra skin surrounding the splinter by nail clipper. Now remove more skin as per the need to see the splinter. Use nail clipper sharp end to hold the splinter and pull it out slowly and gently. Don’t remove the skin from deep inside as it can harm your skin.
2.) Potato to Remove a Splinter
The potato has small pores which absorb the splinter towards inside. Slice a potato into pieces, not very small. Place the potato slice over the splinter, especially the yellow part. Place it for a few minutes, but don’t apply any kind of pressure. Remove the potato slice and the splinter. If the splinter is not received, then apply the potato slice once again. It is an easy and fast way to remove the splinter. Potato is a rich source of potassium and carbohydrates.
3.) Baking Soda to Remove a Splinter
Baking soda helps to lower down the inflammation caused by splinters and also remove the splinters out of the skin. Make a thick paste of the baking soda with water. Apply the paste on the splinter and let it dry. After drying, remove the baking soda with lukewarm water and the splinter will also get removed. You can use bandage also, apply paste on a splinter and apply bandage on it to cover for 5 to 6 hours. Remove the bandage and splinter will also get removed.
4.) Tweezers to Remove a Splinter
Tweezers work best when you can see a part of the splinters out of your skin. It should be sterilized with alcohol before using. Now with tweezers help remove splinter out of the skin under good light. Tweezers have sharp ends that helps to pluck out the splinters out of the skin. It is the best remedy when you see or feel the splinter out of the skin.
5.) Needle to Remove a Splinter
A needle is used when the splinter is deep inside the skin. Sterilize the needle with the help of alcohol so that there is no chance of infection. Using the needle tip, open the skin from where the splinter is plucked into the skin. Apply some upward pressure so that a part of splinter comes out of the skin. Use tweezers to pull out the whole splinter from the skin. Don’t use needle unnecessarily as it can harm the skin.
6.) Ichthammol to Remove a Splinter
Ichthammol is easily available from a medical store without any prescription. It is sticky and greasy in nature with a foul smell. Ichthammol is also known as black drawing salve and is in use for centuries for plucking splinter out of the skin. It is a painless method to remove splinter out, but takes a day to complete. Just apply some sticky paste to splinter area and cover it with a bandage. Remove bandage after a day and pick off the splinter.
7.) Packaging Tapes to Remove a Splinter
Packaging is highly recommended to get a splinter out of the skin. Just place a piece of tape to cover the splinter area, make sure you don’t apply much pressure. Peel off the tape slowly to pull out the splinter away. If splinter does not get out of the skin than follow the same procedure again.
8.) Glue to Remove a Splinter
Glue is used to remove splinter out of the skin in a fast manner. Apply glue to the splinter and let the glue dry, when the glue is dried after a few hours. Just rub it slowly and the splinter will get out of the skin. Make sure you dry the glue fast.
9.) Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove a Splinter
Hydrogen peroxide is a great remedy to get a splinter out of your feet and hands. Cover the splinter area and its surroundings with hydrogen peroxide. The splinter area becomes swell and inflamed making the splinter visible with the naked eye. You can then use tweezers or needle to lift the splinter out. It is quite a successful and easy to use home remedy.
10.) White Vinegar to Remove a Splinter
Soak the splinter affected area in the white vinegar for at least half an hour. It also helps to cause the splinter come through the surface like the Epsom salt, making it easy to tweeze or scratch. It is important that you clean the splinter area with antiseptic soap and water, no matter what method you use. Once you have cleaned it, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide on the splinter area to remove out debris and promote healing.
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Precautions to Remove a Splinter:
1.) Avoid Squeezing: Squeezing will break it into fragments causing more damage to the skin. It may go deeper into the skin and become difficult to remove.
2.) Wash and Dry the Area: Washing the splinter area will remove dirt and gently dry it with a soft cloth. The dirt later on causes infection in the splinter area.
3.) Inspect the Spot: Use magnifying glass to see how big splinter is is and how deep in the skin it is. As from naked eye it is difficult to see the splinter.
4.) Clean the Spot: Apply antibacterial and antiseptic ointment after removing the splinter. It will heal the area and will reduce the swelling of the skin.