Chances are that most of us have had a splinter at least once in our lives, so knowing how annoying they can actually be is a common sentiment shared by millions of people from all around the world. Dealing with wood means that you may come across a splinter and getting one stuck in your skin is as annoying as it may sound. Not only can they cause pain, but if not removed and treated properly, splinters can also cause other issues such as infections and even diseases which can be much harder to treat.
In order to stay away from this, one of the best tips is to use good precautions such as wearing gloves when handling wood, or always wearing something on your feet whenever you have to walk across wood, especially if you can spot splinters. In the case that you couldn’t prevent it and a splinter has already entered your skin, there are a number of things that you can do in order to improve your situation. Once a splinter has entered a person’s skin, many may try squeezing it in the attempt to get it out. Please bear in mind the fact that doing so will only make it go deeper, or even make it break into a number of small pieces, which is definitely something that you don’t want to experience. These tips are not only aimed at being able to remove a splinter, but they also mention ways of treating the damage which has been caused by one and preventing any further possible problems such as an infection from arising.
1. Immediate reaction
Once you notice a splinter in your skin, try your best not to touch that area until some of the first response tips are put to use.
- Wash the damaged area
By washing the area of the skin that has been affected by a splinter, not only will you keep infections away, but you’ll also relief some of the pain and be able to have a better look at the splinter. In order to do so, try to be as gentle as possible while using a low quantity of soap and water to massage over the splinter. Keep in mind the fact that it is crucial for you not too apply too much pressure as this will only cause harm.
- Inspect the damaged area
Once the area of skin that has been pierced by the splinter is gently washed, the next step towards solving the problem is inspecting it, which can let you know which approach to take in order to minimize the damage, but also be able to remove the splinter easier and without spending too long on it. By using your naked eye or even a magnifying glass, a better look can be taken.
2. Remove the splinter
Doing so requires choosing from a couple of methods. While in some cases, a splinter is not deep in and can easily be removed by using a pair of tweezers, or even your own fingers, other cases require much more attention and delicacy in order to ensure that everything works out as planned.
- Using baking soda
This method has become increasingly popular across the last couple of years, as it is known to be effective while also not causing a great deal of pain. Removing a splinter with baking soda requires a paste to be made from it and water. Once this is done, the paste can be applied to the affected area with the help of a bandage which can then be removed after around 12-24 hours pass. Chances are that the splinter will be stuck to the bandage, or that it will be visible on the skin. If this is the case, using a pair of tweezers to remove it should do the trick.
- Using tweezers
This technique is one of the easiest ones, especially if the tip of the splinter can still be seen on the skin. If this is the case, applying some medicinal alcohol to a pair of tweezers and then using them in order to gently remove the splinter will most likely solve the issue. In the case that you’re having trouble seeing how the splinter is orientated, the use of a magnifying glass will make the job much easier.
Once the splinter is caught by the tweezers, make sure to pull it out in the exact direction that it entered the skin, as pulling in any different one will simply worsen the situation and make the splinter harder to remove.
- Using tape
This method is pretty self-explanatory as everything that a person will need in order to get it to work is a bit of tape. By placing a piece of tape in the direction that the splinter took when entering the skin and pulling out, chances are that the splinter will stick on the tape, thus making its removal fast and easy. However, it is important to double check whether there are any other parts of the splinter left in the affected area in order to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
- Using other instruments
Around the house, people have access to a wide variety of instruments which are similar to tweezers so using them once some antiseptic has been rubbed won’t cause any damage as long as the pull is made on the same direction that the splinter went in.
3. Aftermath
It is often said that removing the splinter will not put an end to the pain, so there are a few more tips that you can apply in order to make sure that everything works out well. These include rubbing some antiseptic on the affected area after the splinter has been removed and checking whether any traces of it are left on the outside, or the inside of the skin. Once this is done, rubbing some healing cream is sure to do the rest of the job. The pain should then go away in a couple of minutes to an hour.
As you can see, the tips that have been outlined in this article are sure to remove splinters without causing too much main, while also stopping any secondary effects. By not being afraid and making sure to only work when your hands are clean, removing splinters shouldn’t be a challenge for anyone.
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