Do you suffer from a deep splinter? Removing it from your skin is not an easy task. You may need help or an experienced person to guide you through that. Read this article below to learn more about deep splinters.

What are splinters?

A foreign body that penetrates deep into the skin is called splinters. It is usually removed with the help of a doctor. But most people can remove them without any medical intervention. The signs and symptoms of the splinter may or may not be seen. You may experience swelling, pain, or bleeding if it is deeply ingrained.

Causes

Splinters are usually pieces of metal, wood, or glass that are left under the skin. Splinters can cause dark red lines in the wound and can cause severe pain. This is because the splinters can penetrate through the cutaneous layers of the skin and settle in the subcutaneous layer. While some remain in one spot, most splinters continue to move and can damage tissues.

Splinters that are hands and fingers can be easily removed with the help of a needle that has been properly cleaned with alcohol to prevent infection.

Self-care and prevention

To avoid splinters

  • You must wear shoes all the time or when walking on rough ground.

  • Wear a glove when working with harsh chemicals like varnish or pain.

  • Wear hard-soled shoes when handling broken glass. Clean up any broken wood, glass, or metal shavings around your home.

Diagnosis

The chips that are seen may not require any diagnostic testing. For deep wounds, you may need an MRI or CT scan. Very large splinters may need ultrasound and MRI to check if the wound has penetrated to the bone.

How to remove a splinter

  • Wash your hands well with lukewarm water. You can also add some type of antiseptic to it. Avoid wetting the area directly, as it can swell the wounds and become more difficult to remove.

  • If you are using forceps, consider sterilizing them. Heat the tweezers and wipe them with a clean cloth.

  • Use sterilized tweezers to gently pull out the splinter, you can also use a magnifying glass to get a closer look.

  • If the splinter is deeply seated, use a sterile needle, cut the skin slowly and remove it. You can also prick the skin to make it visible and then use tweezers to remove it.

  • Once the splinter is completely removed, clean the wound with soap and water. Pat it dry with a cotton cloth or sterile gauze. Apply a medicated bandage.

  • You can also use depilatory wax to remove chips from the surface of the skin. Let it dry for five minutes and remove it losing the edges.

  • Contact your doctor if you have bleeding and complications such as infection after taking self-care measures. Also check that your tetanus shots are regular.

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