Splinters are defined as a foreign body (FB) stuck in the skin. Some examples are a splinter of wood or a sliver of glass.
Symptoms can include:
- Pain. Most tiny slivers in the top layer of skin do not cause much pain. An example of these tiny slivers are plant stickers. Foreign bodies that are deeper or go straight down are usually painful to pressure. FBs in the foot are very painful with standing or walking.
- Foreign Body Sensation. Older children may complain about something being in the skin. ("I feel something in there.")
Types of Foreign Bodies (FBs):
- Wood and other plants, such as cactus spines, thorns, toothpicks
- Metallic: nails, sewing needles, pins, tacks
- Glass
- Plastic
Treatments:
- Tiny, pain-free slivers near the skin surface can be left in. They will slowly work their way out with normal shedding of the skin. Sometimes the body also will reject them by forming a little pimple. This will drain on its own or you can open up the pimple with a clean needle to let it drain. If you are concerned, schedule an office visit.
- Tiny Painful Plant Stickers: Plant stickers or cactus spines are hard to remove. They are fragile and can break easily when removal is attempted. Most often, they break when pressure is applied with a tweezers. Try one of these methods:
- Tape: Touch the spot lightly with tape. The stickers should attach to the tape. You can use packaging tape, duct tape or another very sticky tape.
- Wax Hair Remover. If tape doesn't work, use wax hair remover. Put a thin layer on. Let it air dry for 5 minutes. You can also speed up the process with a hair dryer. Then peel it off with the stickers. Most will be removed. The others will usually work themselves out with normal shedding of the skin.
- Large slivers or thorns, remove with a needle and tweezers.
- Check the tweezers first. Be certain the ends (pickups) meet exactly. If they do not, bend them.
- Clean the tweezers and a sewing needle with rubbing alcohol before using them.
- Clean the skin around the sliver briefly with rubbing alcohol. Do this before trying to remove it. If you don't have any, use soap and water.
- Caution: Don't soak the spot if the foreign body is wood because it can cause swelling of the splinter.
- Use the needle to uncover the large end of the sliver.
- Grasp the end firmly with the tweezers. Pull it out at the same angle that it went in. Get a good grip the first time. This is important for slivers that go straight into the skin. This is also important for those trapped under the fingernail.
- For slivers under a fingernail, sometimes part of the nail must be cut away. Use a fine scissors to expose the end of the sliver.
- Infection prevention:
- Wash the area with soap and water before and after removal.
- Use an antibiotic ointment once after sliver is taken out. An example is Polysporin. No prescription is needed. This will help to decrease the risk of infection.
When to Call Us
- You can't get the FB out
- FB is out, but pain gets worse
- The area starts to look infected
- You think your child needs to be seen
