Splinters - Easy Way to Remove Slivers
Even small splinters can be painful. Leave one in too long and it can become infected or embedded fully in your skin.
Should you leave it alone or remove it? Depends. If it’s small enough and it isn’t bothering you, you can leave it and your body will eventually push it out on its own. If it’s big enough to cause you pain, you should remove it.
What is a splinter?
A splinter or a sliver is a foreign piece of material that becomes embedded in your skin. Most splinters are wood, but metal, plastic and even glass can turn into a splinter.
How to remove a splinter
If a good portion of the splinter is exposed above the skin, you can use a pair of tweezers to gently pull it out. If it’s not to a point where you can get a solid grip on it, apply some pressure on either side of the splinter with your fingertips.
Some people find that if the splinter is visible above the skin, you can remove it with Elmer’s glue. Spread a thin layer of glue over the area of the sliver. Make note which way it’s lodged in the skin. Wait until it’s completely dry and pull the glue off in the direction the splinter is lodged. The glue will grab it and remove it.
If the sliver is deep in your skin, try making a paste of water and baking soda. Apply this to a dry bandage and cover the area. After 24 hours, when you remove the bandage, the splinter will be sticking out of the skin.
If that doesn’t work, simply soaking the skin can force a splinter to emerge. Take a nice, warm bath and see what happens!
When all else fails, use a sterilized needle to create a hole in the skin just above the splinter. When the end of the splinter is exposed, remove it with a pair of tweezers.
-Magdalena
Do you have any other ways to remove splinters? Comment and tell us about it!
