It’s all fun and games until somebody gets a splinter. Similar to skinned knees or scraped palms, splinters are very much a part of childhood. Unlike the former, though, which are often accompanied by tears that quickly subside with a kiss and a character Band-Aid, splinters and their treatment — the actual splinter removal — have the ability to bring out a hysteria unlike no other.
Despite what most tweezer-fearing kids think, in many cases, splinter removal can be pretty quick and relatively painless (both physically and emotionally). “If the splinter is poking out of the skin, removing it is fairly straightforward,” says Dr. Tara Kotagal, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Primary Care: Town & Country Pediatrics in Skokie, Illinois. However, as every parent and caregiver knows, not every splinter situation is the fast and easy kind.
Whether you’re wondering how to remove a deep splinter or want advice for taking care of one that’s peeking out of the skin’s surface, these expert tips for splinter removal will make the entire ordeal more comfortable for everyone.
How to remove a splinter at home
According to Dr. Sara Siddiqui, a pediatrician at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group, when it comes to splinter removal, step number one should always be cleaning the area with soap and warm water (not so painful!). After that, assess the situation.
“If the splinter is easily visualized, use a [clean!] tweezer and remove starting at the tip,” she explains. “Pull with gentle pressure so as not to break the splinter and remove it intact.” Kotagal adds that the splinter “should be pulled out at the same angle in which it’s embedded” to avoid breakage.
Quick splinter removal tips
- Wash hands with soap.
- If possible, clean the area surrounding the splinter or soak skin in warm, soapy water.
- Using sterile tweezers, gently pull the splinter from the top, away from where it has entered under the skin. Go slowly, as the goal is to remove the splinter all in one piece.
Removal tips for deeper splinters
For deeper splinters, removal is a little less cut and dried. “If the splinter is fully beneath the surface of the skin, clean the surface overlying it with soap and water and then scrape the very top surface of the skin with the side [the side!] of a clean sewing needle,” says Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency care physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care. “This should rough the skin up a bit, which hopefully will expose the edge of the splinter, and then it can be grasped with tweezers for removal.”
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests utilizing a sterilized needle “to gently pierce the surface of the skin at one end of the splinter” for deep splinters, and then using said needle to “carefully push out part of the splinter” before pulling it out with tweezers. However, Kotagal notes, “If it is not a straightforward removal, then the best thing to do is call a medical professional rather than attempting removal at home.”
“If it is not a straightforward removal, then the best thing to do is call a medical professional rather than attempting removal at home.”
— DR. TARA KOTAGAL, PEDIATRICIAN
Tips for minimizing pain during and after splinter removal
Siddiqui notes that in many cases, “removal of the splinter ultimately helps with pain.” But here are other ways to make both splinters, and splinter removal, slightly more comfortable, according to Kotagal, Johns and Siddiqui:
- Squeeze the skin underneath the splinter (during removal).
- Ice the area prior to removal.
- Don’t make multiple attempts, which can result in digging into the skin and worsening discomfort.
For pain after splinter removal, here’s what Siddiqui and Kotagal recommend:
- Continue to regularly clean the area.
- Soak in warm water.
- Place a bit of Vaseline and a gentle antibacterial ointment over the area.
- Keep covered with a bandage.
Tips for keeping kids calm during splinter removal
More than the actual removal process, one of the biggest challenges parents and caregivers face during splinter removal is, well, the hysteria that often ensues at the sight of a pair of tweezers. In addition to it being heartbreaking, a flailing, screaming child also hampers the process (which is why more than one person is often recommended when removing a child’s splinter).
Here are a few ways to keep kiddos calm(ish) when attempting to remove a splinter:
- Be gentle. “Parents and caregivers can help children remain calm by speaking softly and being gentle during the process,” notes Siddiqui.
- Distract. “Distraction with a video, game or even a lollipop, if age appropriate, is a great way to keep children calm during any procedure,” says Johns.
- Keep your cool. “A great way to keep kids calm during splinter removal is to remain calm and confident,” Kotagal says. “Additionally, parents or caregivers should have an assistant on hand to distract the child while they attempt to remove the splinter.”
“Distraction with a video, game or even a lollipop, if age appropriate, is a great way to keep children calm during any procedure.”
— DR. CHRISTINA JOHNS, PEDIATRICIAN
How to tell if a splinter is still there
In a cruel twist of events, sometimes it’s hard to tell if you actually got the splinter (or the whole thing) after your removal attempt. According to Kotagal, if a splinter is close to the surface of the skin, then you should be able to make out a “small mark or dot beneath the skin.” If it is deeply inserted into the skin, there should be signs of “redness, swelling and tenderness.” To make sure that there is a splinter, push lightly on the suspected area on the foot or use a magnifying glass and/or flashlight.
When to call the doctor about a splinter
According to Siddiqui, Kotagal and Johns, parents and caregivers should call their healthcare provider for the following splinter situations:
- If removal isn’t “straightforward” (i.e. it’s not sticking out or you’re unable to remove it).
- If there is concern about a skin infection surrounding the splinter.
- When the splinter is on the face, near the eye or under the nail bed.
- If it is deeply embedded in the skin or if attempted removal at home has resulted in a broken splinter.
- If the area has become red or appears to be infected.
- If the child is still complaining of pain after removal.
- If there’s pus drainage.
- If a fever is present.
“Parents should also consult with a medical professional to ensure their child is up to date on vaccines, especially the Tetanus vaccine,” Kotagal notes. The reason being, when children aren’t vaccinated, splinters may cause infections, including Tetanus.
What happens if you don’t remove a splinter?
It depends. Sometimes, “not a thing” happens if you don’t remove a splinter, says Johns. Other times, she says, it can cause inflammation and/or an infection.
“The size and location of a splinter will determine whether removal is necessary,” says Siddiqui. “If it is causing pain and appears red or swollen, then the splinter should be removed. If it is not causing pain, then soaking in warm water can help soften the skin surrounding and the splinter could come out on its own.”
“The size and location of a splinter will determine whether removal is necessary. If it is causing pain and appears red or swollen, then the splinter should be removed.”
— DR. SARA SIDDIQUI, PEDIATRICIAN
Will a splinter eventually work itself out?
Again, it depends. “Sometimes, the body will work to slowly get rid of the splinter as skin layers overlying start to slough off,” explains Johns.
One way to “assist in the process,” according to Siddiqui, is to soak the area in warm water. Also, Siddiqui adds, don’t count on a splinter to work itself out if it’s “causing pain or appears infected.”
Generally, though, this happens when splinters are somewhat close to the surface, Kotagal adds. “In certain situations, splinter fragments very close to the skin’s surface may work themselves out on their own,” she says. “However, deep-seated splinters will require professional removal.”
