How to Take Out a Deep Splinter

A splinter is a small foreign object embedded in the skin. Most splinters are wood, but you can also get splinters from metal, plastic or glass. Splinters are a minor injury, but you should remove them immediately. If you leave a splinter in too long, you can get an infection. If you leave a metal splinter in too long, it can rust and cause tetanus. Skin can also heal over if you wait, making removal even harder.

Things You'll Need

• Rubbing Alcohol
• A needle
• Tweezers
• Antibiotic ointment
• Bandages

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands and the area of your skin where the splinter is. Be gentle and pat dry. You don't want to accidentally push the splinter deeper.

• 2

  Sterilize the tips of the needle and tweezers with rubbing alcohol.

• 3

  Find the hole in your skin where the splinter went in, and carefully peel some skin away from the splinter. You're simply trying to expose the tip of the splinter.

• 4

  Use tweezers to pull out the exposed tip of the splinter, and examine the skin area to make sure you removed the entire splinter.

• 5

  Clean and dry the area again.

• 6

  Apply antibiotic cream to the wound and cover it with a bandage.