ouch! how to deal with a splinter?

I had an accidental scuffle with a cactus and the cactus seems to have come out better off.

I got some small splinters that I picked out quite happily, but one has gone about half a centimetre deep right into my little finger under the nail and it snapped as soon as it went in so it's completely below the surface (so I can't get it out using tweezers).

any suggestions?
it doesn't hurt yet but will probably start sometime soon!

Reply 1

Cellardore

11

hot water and a pair of tweezers.
If that doesn't work, i would just leave it.

Reply 2

El Stevo

11

put it in water till the skin goes all crinkly and saggy... the hole the splinter made should become exaggerated a lot and then it'll come out with tweezers... failing that, dip the offending digit in a some very hot TCP and wait till the splinter drops out...

Reply 3

technik

13

if it doesnt hurt and you cant get to it, i'd just leave it and try not to aggravate it, or else it will hurt. if it stays there, your body will just grow round it and it'll stay put. i have this with glass in my hand, it doesnt cause any trouble.

Reply 4

john !!

OP

14

you have glass in your hand?
cool!

I don't have a good relationshipo with cactuses (cacti?)
It all started when I had a very long one with extremely fine and densly spaced spikes. so I was playing pool, hit it over with the cue behind me, and my lightening fast reflexes made me spin round and catch it in the air so I got a hand full of thin spikes... took ages to get them all out :frown:

then one fell in the bath when I was in it cos I was lowering the blinds.

I guess I'll leave this in because I can't really get to it with tweezers, im just worried about maybe an infection cos it was pretty dusty.

Reply 5

technik

13

mik1w

you have glass in your hand?
cool!

lol never heard anyone say that about it. all i have now is a scar on my palm, when i was little you could make out the piece just under the skin. its been there 16 years now :eek:

Reply 6

john !!

OP

14

does it hurt if you slam your hand down on a desk, or poke it?

Reply 7

Tenacious_DRE

1

u can jsut leave it and ur body wuill deal with it all by itself! kinda like magic :biggrin:

Reply 8

Helenia

20

technik

lol never heard anyone say that about it. all i have now is a scar on my palm, when i was little you could make out the piece just under the skin. its been there 16 years now :eek:

My mum had a piece of glass in her hand for about 10 years, quite happily sitting there, and then it started to work its way to the surface - that hurt! Eventually it fell out and she kept the piece.

Mik, I'd advise trying to get it out, it'll be easier now than if it gets infected or something. Do what Stevo says and put it in warm water, then try again. IF it's still deeply imbedded, you can try to dig a bit with a needle (not recommended - this hurts, but sometimes works!) otherwise keep it clean and treat it with antiseptic cream for a few days. If after that it starts to swell and go red and painful then you need to get it out.

Reply 9

DayTripper

you could try sucking it out, or at least suck it nearer the surface. Or if it's near the surface or not in an arkward place you could (not trying to sound like a surgeon, honest, but saying 'cut yourself' is a little too problem child-y) make an incision so you can get at it.
That soaking it sounds good though, an try and coax it out while ur doing it.

Reply 10

Alaric

10

Helenia

you can try to dig a bit with a needle (not recommended - this hurts, but sometimes works!)

If the water doesn't work take this advice and use a needle, don't use the nearest thing you could find like a Swiss army knife. It wasn't sensible in the least, made a hole sufficiently large it took a couple of weeks to heal properly :rolleyes:

.

A.

Reply 11

RetiredAccount89

18

Alaric

If the water doesn't work take this advice and use a needle, don't use the nearest thing you could find like a Swiss army knife. It wasn't sensible in the least, made a hole sufficiently large it took a couple of weeks to heal properly :rolleyes:

.

A.

did no one ever have their mum's deal with these as kids? You find the angle the splinter is going in at, then put a needle through to low down on the splinter and push it out. You then use tweezers to grab it when it does. Having hot bath/put hand in nice hot water before makes it all the easier.

ps do check tho if the cactus spikes are barbed!!!

Reply 12

RetiredAccount89

18

lessthanthree

oh man, cactus bites are the worst >.<

best get it in some hot water till it goes like a prune :smile:

you know when iw as a kid i used to put a match to my cactuses to burn off the nasty nhairy needles. not horticulturally sound mind you, but didnt do any of them any harm

Reply 13

Alaric

10

foolfarian

you know when iw as a kid i used to put a match to my cactuses to burn off the nasty nhairy needles. not horticulturally sound mind you, but didnt do any of them any harm

Very sensible. I just didn't stroke my cacti. Which seems more sensible :p:

A.

PS: not claiming I wasn't shown how to remove splinters by my 'rents, just that I'm a poor student with no needle but do have access to a blunt knife :smile:

Reply 14

blissy

15

I had a big splinter going down my nail once and it just grew out, so if it stays put don't worry unless it gets infected.

<3, I had a splinter from a giant hogweed plant once - that was FAR FAR worse than a cactus prick, I can assure you!

nasty hogweed

Giant hogweed is a public health hazard. The toxic sap, clear and watery, contains a substance that causes painful blisters. The blisters emerge when skin coated with the sap is exposed to sun. The combination of sap and sun produces painful burning blisters that may develop into purplish, blackened scars

Reply 15

Ynox

11

glass splinters are pretty gnarly :frown:

Reply 16

RetiredAccount89

18

Alaric

Very sensible. I just didn't stroke my cacti. Which seems more sensible :p:

A.

PS: not claiming I wasn't shown how to remove splinters by my 'rents, just that I'm a poor student with no needle but do have access to a blunt knife :smile:

by 'shown' read 'mauled by your mother armed with a needle, some tweezerrs and industrial strength TCP'

Reply 17

Alaric

10

foolfarian

by 'shown' read 'mauled by your mother armed with a needle, some tweezerrs and industrial strength TCP'

Yeah, they were quite traumatising. I remember screaming a LOT when I was about 5, always protesting that it 'would come out anyway soon and NOO NOT THE NEEDLE NOOOOOO!!!'

A.

Reply 18

cattericksmiler

9