A splinter is any small object in the skin which can be painful and annoying. Usually, you’d get these when you’re always outside, like playing in the yard without wearing shoes. Splinters are usually tiny pieces of wood, but can also be metal, plastic, and glass.
They are harmless and removal is easy. You might also think of ignoring one if it doesn’t give out any pain, but they should be removed as soon as possible you notice it prevent infection as it damages the skin which allows microorganisms like bacteria and viruses to enter your body through the hole.
Signs and symptoms of a splinter
- Pain at the location of the splinter
A noticeable line that’s on your skin where the splinter is located, common locations are the hands and feet. - A sensation that there is something under your skin
- A noticeable line on your skin usually at the hands and feet
- Redness, swelling or pus at the location
Do not attempt to remove one by squeezing the area around as this might possibly break the object and cause it to go deeper into the skin. Once this occurs, it is more difficult to remove.
Removal
The steps to perform if the other end of the splinter pokes out of the skin include:
- Sterilize a pair of tweezers by immersing it in boiling water or disinfecting it with alcohol using cotton balls.
- Grab the end of the splinter in a firm manner with the tweezers.
- Carefully tug the splinter from the skin using the tweezers. If you tug it out too quickly, it can worsen the problem by splitting the splinter and causing the other piece embed under the skin.
If the other end is not poking out of the skin, perform the following:
- Sterilize a needle by dipping it into boiling water or wiping it with alcohol using cotton balls.
- Use the needle to gently scrape skin to expose the other end of the object.
Alternative removal methods
- Applying Ichthammol ointment to the skin, this softens the skin and allows the body to remove the splinter without the use of tweezers or needles.
- Using sticky tape to pull out the splinter from the skin.
There are extreme cases that a doctor may be necessary to remove one. It is recommended to seek medical attention in case these situations happen:
- The object has penetrated deep down the skin and you failed to remove it with various methods.
- Large quantities of pus or bleeding are around the site of the splinter.
- The site is very swollen.
FACT CHECK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splinter