Splinter Removal Tricks?

[Ralph Okonieski]

I've already had splinters that had broken-off underneath the skin and could not get to them. I use an ointment called "Good Samaritan" that is truly fantastic. Smear some on a bandaid and cover the area. It tends to draw them out. Sometimes it may take a few days. This company has been around for more than 60 years (I'm almost 60 and my mother used this when I was a wee lad). It is good to take soreness away, after digging the splinter out or other maladies. It can be used for quite a few ailments. Check the ingredients before you use to confirm you are not allergic.

I have no affiliation with the company whatsover; I'm just a very satisfied customer. I buy it for my daughter to use on their children.

http://www.goodsamaritan.com

[Jim Rimmer]

For about $5 I bought a box of loupes or monocles at HF. Each one is a higher magnification. I use them for lots of things and splinter removal is one.

[russell dietrich]

Rite Aid has a product called Draw Out Salve (contains ichthammol 20%).

[Jacob Reverb]

Thank you all for all the great replies.

I had forgotten about ichthammol...my Mom used to use it on my splinters when I was a kid and was too chicken to use the sewing needle, and 30 years later she gave me the same tube that had been hanging around the household all my life...somewhere I still have it. Hmmm...

Talking about the bottle of hooch and a friend who doesn't feel your pain...I remember my Dad (also a woodworker) getting me to dig out a splinter he had in his right hand. Gives me the heebie jeebies just thinkin' about it. Can still see him trying to squeeze out the splinter with his fingernails – he could carve wood with those darned talons.

But hey! Thanks for the memories of both of my late parents!

[Kevin Gregoire]

depending on the size of the splinter, these tools come in various sizes.





but in actuality i have always used a fresh razor blade and just cut it out

[Lupe Duncan]

The easiest and the best for me and my kids(no tweezers and diggin done) is some CA glue. Ill put a dab of some Med CA glue over the splinter and wait for a few seconds. once it dries I peel off the dried CA glue and the splinter comes out with it.

The kids love this much better than any tweezers.....

[ray hampton]

The easiest and the best for me and my kids(no tweezers and diggin done) is some CA glue. Ill put a dab of some Med CA glue over the splinter and wait for a few seconds. once it dries I peel off the dried CA glue and the splinter comes out with it.

The kids love this much better than any tweezers.....

peel it off, of course you do

[Bruce Volden]

A REAL woodworker would just push it through to the other side and THEN pull it out.

I don't happen to be one 'tho!

Bruce

[Jacob Reverb]

A REAL woodworker would just push it through to the other side and THEN pull it out.

I don't happen to be one 'tho!

As an avid fisherman, that's one thing I've always dreaded, but thankfully never had to do ... yet. Some of the hooks I use for tuna would take some serious pushin'!

[Wayne Hendrix]

So I asked the doctor teaching class (I'm a med student) his opinion on slivers and he said the best thing to do would be pull it out if part of it is protruding and accessible. If not, or if part of it breaks off deep, he recommended just leaving it. The body's natural defenses will push it out. Most of the bacteria are coming from your own skin, there are few on the sliver itself, it just drags them in from your skin, and the more digging around you do the more bacteria you will allow in. If you are worried about infection put some triple antibiotic ointment on it.

If you are going to go digging around for it, clean what ever instrument you are going to use with alcohol and clean the skin around the sliver with alcohol and allow it to dry immediately before preceding. After removal apply a triple antibiotic ointment.

Also one quick clarification. A red streak traveling up your arm, or anywhere else, is not a blood infection. That is the lymphatic system. Its still not good, as it means the system designed to identify and kill pathogens is being overwhelmed and you still need to go to the doctor, but its not a blood infection. An infection that has moved to the blood causes very significant symptoms, and you would be very sick, but you wouldn't have a streak moving up your arm.

[ray hampton]

my son fell on a thorn when he was a teen and his knee got so sore within one day that he did not want to walk, the doctor at the hospital save the day

[Thomas Canfield]

Rite Aid has a product called Draw Out Salve (contains ichthammol 20%).

The Ichtammol salve is an old remedy that still works. I had to buy (had to ask a druggist counter) a replacement tube just a few weeks ago to get a splinter out. I am installing a western red cedar fence and have had several splinters that start swelling almost immediately if not removed, and the salve has come to the rescuse when digging does not do the jon.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Please, please, please - someone start a thread about how they just won the lottery!!!

I haven't had one of those nasty little invisible splinters you can't get rid of - but know they are still there when rub them the wrong way - since I can't remember when...

Then, a day after this thread - - I have this nastly little begger in the palm of my right hand....
I spent half of last night chewing and gnawing @ my hand & I think I got it.

[glenn bradley]

Quality tweezers. Remove immediately.

[David G Baker]

When I was younger I did a lot of metal working and on occasion I would get one of those invisible metal slivers. They are similar to glass slivers, you can feel them but have trouble finding them. I frequently use magnifying glasses to help find and remove slivers. The slivers that did the most damage were Redwood and #60 pressure treated wood.