SPLINTERS

The amazing thing about a splinter is that such a tiny thing can hurt so much. You can’t ignore them because they often get infected and hurt even more. And getting them out by digging with a needle often makes things worse. To remove splinter without the pain, here’s what doctors advise.

Soak you skin. Before removing a splinter, It’s a good idea to soak the area in warm water for ten or fifteen minutes. Water makes the wood softer and also causes it to swell. In some cases this will cause the splinter to pop out on its own. Even when it doesn’t it’s much easier to remove a splinter when the skin is soft and pliable.

Grease it out. One traditional technique for removing splinters is to smear on a little bit of bacon fat and then cover it with an adhesive strip.

In a day or two, the splinter will often be gone. Bacon fat contains a lot of salt, which draws moisture from the skin and which may draw the splinter out as well.

Apply a little ice. To quickly ease the pain of a splinter, apply an ice cube for a few minutes. This will help numb the area, making the splinter easier to remove.

Spray on some relief. Another way to numb the pain is to give the area a spritz with an over-the-counter first air spray. As a bonus, these sprays will help disinfect the area so that it’s less likely to get infected.

Use the right tweezers. It’s not always easy to get a grip on a splinter with tweezers. You’ll have better success if you use tweezers that have ridges or grooves on the end, which will improve their grip strength. Begin by sterilizing the tweezers with a little rubbing alcohol. Grab the splinter as close to the skin as possible and pull firmy. Do your best to remove the splinter at the same angle as it entered the skin, which will help prevent it from breaking off inside. When you’re done, swab a little rubbing alcohol on the skin to disinfect it, or at least wash the area well with soap and water.