First Aid Part 9 - Getting a splinter - Information for teens

When you were younger, the chances were much bigger for you to get a splinter in your hand or foot from playing on the jungle gym or outside in the garden and climbing a tree, but even now that you are older, it is still possible to get one.  Before you know it, it is right there, stuck underneath your skin.  It can be a small piece of wood, glass, iron or plastic.  

Any piece that breaks off something is a potential splinter that can end up in your body somewhere.

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Many times you will get a small splinter in your hand, that really does not hurt and you either do not even know about it or you think to just ignore it, since it is not sore, but it can become infected, so it is better to remove the splinter right away before the skin has time or grow over it or it gets infected.

Sometimes the splinter is too deep to remove with your nails and just pull it out and you will need to use a needle and some tweezers.  It is also much easier to ask somebody to help you, it will be easier for them to get the splinter out than you twisting your hand and finger to get the right angle.

Follow these easy steps to remove a splinter

• wash your hand/foot with water and soap that it is not only clear of germs, but also clean to spot the splinter easy
• sterilize the needle and tweezers that you will use.  Boiling water will kill the germs.  Dry it after you take it from the water
• if the splinter is not deep and a part of it is still sticking out, you can just use the tweezers to pull it out, but if it is deeper under the skin, you will have to scrape away the skin until you see the splinter and then pull it out with the tweezers
• when you are done clean the area again

You can also try other home remedies to remove a splinter.

Splinters come in all shapes and sizes and when it is a small one stuck in your hand or foot, it will be easy to remove most of the time, but when it is a very big piece, that is embedded deep in your body or the area is bleeding a lot you would rather want to go to the doctor - the splinter could have damaged something and it is not always wise just to pull it out.

If you get a splinter in your eye, do not wait.  Go to the hospital straight away.

Make sure if you walk around outside that you wear shoes, especially if you have to walk over a wooden patio or deck or on rock.  Broken glass can also cause splinters, so if you are at a party and somebody breaks a glass, make sure that all the small parts are swept up or out of the way and nobody walks barefoot.

Splinters are no big hassle and unless it is a big piece that is very deep or sticking into one of your organs, it is a problem that can be easily solved.