How to quickly draw out even deep splinters without a needle, pain, or trip to the doctor even if they have been embedded for some time. One minute video demonstration included.
A splinter is a fragment of any foreign object that penetrates and becomes lodged inside one’s body. While splinters can come from a variety of materials such as glass, plastic, metal or even the spines of animals, for most people, splinters commonly occur on the fingers and hands from handling some type of plant matter such as a piece of wood.
When one experiences a splinter, pain as the sharp object initially penetrates the skin is usually felt. This is because the object has cut through the cutaneous layer of skin, settling into the subcutaneous layer below. While some splinters stay put at that point, most others will continue to move around, damaging additional tissue in the process.
Splinters that become lodged in the fingers or hand as would happen while doing yard work are usually very easy to remove with a simple needle that has been properly cleaned with alcohol first.
The Problem with Removing Splinters with Needles
The problem with this approach is that children don’t like it as picking at a splinter with a pointy object can sometimes hurt until part of the splinter is exposed and the rest pulled out with a pair of tweezers or a piece of tape.
The second problem with the needle approach is that it doesn’t always work if the splinter is very deep or quite thin and hard to see.
This happened to my husband recently when he got a thorn that was about an inch long deeply lodged in his left index finger while doing some yard work.
No matter how hard he tried to dig that thorn out with the traditional needle approach, he could not even find it let alone remove it.
It was just too deep.
At first, he figured the splinter would naturally work its way out. Splinters sometimes do this – the skin “pushes” them to the surface of the skin where they are easily removed a short time later with tweezers or your fingers.
That didn’t happen with this splinter. Waiting a few days made the situation much worse as the finger got very sore and began to swell.
Going to a Doctor Instead is Expensive
I became very concerned at that point because the finger was obviously infected. I suggested a trip to the doctor, but my husband wasn’t keen on that idea as the (out of network) holistic family doctor we called said it would cost $500 for the office required consultation and subsequent removal of the splinter.
$500 to remove a splinter? Unbelievable!
My husband then had the bright idea to ask his friend who is a veterinarian about the situation.
How to Remove a Splinter at Home with No Needles
The veterinarian said that removing even a deep splinter is easy with magnesium sulfate, better known as Epsom salts. Many people are familiar with an Epsom salt bath for sore muscles or to improve sleep.
This remedy uses Epsom salt in another hugely beneficial way – to draw toxins even a splinter right out of the skin. (1)
The veterinarian said you could either soak the finger a few times a day in a cup of warm water and Epsom salts or make a poultice with it. The poultice is much faster and more effective, however.
Such a method is supported in the scientific literature and very safe as well. (2)
Epsom Salts – How to Draw Out a Splinter
My husband decided to go with the poultice route. He took a small pinch of Epsom salts, placed it on the bandage section of a regular, large band-aid and wrapped the finger with it. He changed the bandage once a day or after it got wet in the shower.
Another option is to put a bit of magnesium sulfate paste (which costs just a few dollars) on the area and cover with a bandage. Magnesium sulfate is the same thing as Epsom salt.
This one minute video demonstrates the easy process. Be sure to clean the area well and use established first aid methods before and after the splinter is out of the skin. (3)
How Long Does it Take?
Within 2 days, it was apparent that the Epsom salts poultice had worked! The end of that thorn was ever so slightly sticking through the skin!
My husband pulled about 1/3″ of thorn out, but he could tell there was still more in there.
He continued to apply the Epsom salts poultice for one more day which caused the rest of the thorn to come to the surface of the skin as well. He used tweezers to pull the rest of the thorn out, which turned out to be about another 1/2″ in length.
Best of all, the swelling and soreness of the finger quickly resolved with the removal of the thorn. It has been a couple of months since this happened and the finger is perfectly fine.
Keep Magnesium Sulfate on Hand
I will be using the Epsom salts or magnesium sulfate paste on a bandage approach to remove all splinters that occur in our household from now on. I’ve purchased a small bottle of the magnesium sulfate paste, and it is now a permanent part of my medicine cabinet.
This approach suggested by our veterinary friend is far easier than using needles or enduring the drama of a doctor’s visit and there is surprisingly no pain at all involved.
One word of caution. If you choose to use the crystals instead of the paste, be sure to buy Epsom salts that are human-grade, rather than agricultural grade.
References
(1) Magnesium Sulfate Paste
(2) Use of Epsom Salts, historically considered
(3) Foreign object in the skin: First aid
Rita Charles
I walked on sumthing don’t kno what it was my heel hurt when I walk on sumthing hard I kno I have sumthing in it cause it has a lil red spot an it hurts it’s been like two weeks what can I do help
Ann
My son (2.5 yrs.) has about 6 splinters in his foot. Would this approach work? I ask because even if the salts draw out the splinters, won’t he keep pushing them back in by walking on them?
Sarah
The splinters will be drawn out enough for you to pull the rest out with a tweezer or your fingers quite easily. No, walking won’t push them back in.
judy
For the Epsom salt remedy do you just put some salts on a bandage or do you mix the Epsom salt with something like water?
Sarah
You just put the epsom salt grains on a bandage. It’s a little tricky to do this, which is why the paste as linked to in the post is an easier option.
Alexis
I can’t tell if I have a splinter in my foot or if it’s just skin? I was playing mini baseball outside yesterday and I was barefoot. I woke up this morning and decided to search on splinters. It’s sticking right up and it hurts sooo bad to the touch it looks like skin. Then again when I pull it it doesn’t come out. I guess I should have had shoes on yesterday. It would be nice for some help? Thanks!
Steve
Holy cow — a FULL INCH of a “splinter”?!? I bet that must’ve felt like a tree taking root in that finger! Ouch!!! Just thinking about it…
I mainly get short ones — at the most a few mm’s in length. I can’t imagine an inch!
Jess
Ava, she said it will take a few days for it to work, soak it a few times a day too. It will slowly make its way out
Sarah
Unless the splinters are very shallow … in which case it may come out overnight. This happened for me only last weekend after getting several thorns in my hands doing yardwork. If the splinter is quite deep, it will definitely take a couple of days or even three.
Janis Leal
I went to Amazon from the link you provide for the Magnesium Cream, and I noticed it has parabins and other additives in it. Do you know of any magnesium creams that are a bit more pure?
Sarah
You only use the tiniest amount and very infrequently, so I don’t consider it to be an issue. But, if you prefer, you can use plain epsom salts as discussed in the post instead. It’s a little trickier to get a few grains to stay put while you put on a band-aid, but it does work.
Ava
My husband has a cyst under his breast tissue that filled and they drained it. If it fills again they might do surgery to remove it because of the danger of infection. Do you think this would work instead?
Sarah
No, this would not work for a cyst.
Rose
baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda is a completely different substance. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate: no soda, no carbon. But it should be easy enough to find in a pharmacy…
Ava
Ummm well I just got a splinter. I have a Bridge and I put my hand on it. The bridge is old. Then I got wood stuck in my hand. I picked out the wood and saw I had a splinter. It hurts and I waited a few hours to take it out and it’s swelled up and I can’t see it. I soaked it and it did not work.