It is quite painful to struggle with a splinter, especially when it is a huge one that sticks under your skin and doesn’t want to come out. The body’s natural reaction is to slowly push it out, but it can take a lot of time and the area gets red and swollen. That is why, the best thing to do is to act immediately and try to remove the splinter. We have a few methods for you on how you can do that and get rid of the splinter. When you see one for the first time avoid squeezing it because it might go deeper into the skin and you might break it into smaller pieces. Before doing anything you want to clean the areas with water and soap or some alcohol. Use some paper towels to absorb the wetness and now you can start using these methods.
Ways to remove a hurtful splinter:
1. Pick it with tweezers – if the splinter is big enough and it is sticking out from the skin, you can use the tweezers and gently pull it out.
2. Use some salve and band aid – go to the pharmacy, buy some Ichthammol ointment (also known as black drawing salve) and some band aids then apply the salve on the cleaned area where the splinter is. Apply a band aid over and wait a few hours or maybe overnight until the splinter is drawn out.
3. Use baking soda – make a mixture of baking soda with water, it has to have something like a paste consistency, then apply it on the splinter. Cover the area with some band aids or a cloth and wait about 24 hours until it will be drawn out. If it is still there, repeat the process until it comes out, it will eventually.
4. Use duct tape – after you have cleaned the area, put some tape over the splinter and pull it off the same direction that the splinter went in.
5. Use a needle – if the splinter is small and it got under your skin you can use a needle to gently pull apart the skin, take the head of it out so you can pick it with the tweezers.
6. Use some potatoes – peel them and cut them in round shapes, take one and apply it over the splinter, the juice will make the skin more soft and draw the splinter out.
7. Use glue – apply it over the splinter and let the glue dry very well then peel it off, it should take out the splinter.
8. Use numbing cream and a razor blade – if the splinter went deep inside, use some numbing cream on the area until it is numb enough so you can work with the razor blade or even with a needle.
It is very important to always sterilize before using any of these methods and remember to cover the area with a band aid even after you have removed the splinter so it protects it from dirt to get in and help with the healing!
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