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
Sheryl
The link to the magnesium sulfate paste is a product that contains parabens. Is there one without them? Also, could baking soda work?
Sarah Pope MGA
I have not found one without parabens. I haven’t tried baking soda to know if it would work. Baking soda is alkaline like epsom salts, so potentially a paste made with it would be effective as a drawing salve as well. If you try it, let us know how it works!
Aj
I got two palm tree sharp needle thorns stuck in my calf, one of them went in about an inch deep the other closer to a few inches. I’m afraid that it might be infected, I tried to pull out the pieces out quickly so no pieces were stuck. I’m worried that a piece did get stuck so deep that I cannot even begin to see it. I put hydrogen peroxide on it after but like 30 mins to an hour after. I hate the idea of my calf being split in half to find out if a small piece is still in there potentially causing pain and discomfort in the future.
Leslie
Trying the Epson salt for a thorn stuck in my thumb and the salt just burns it so not sure how long this will stay here on my thumb.
Sarah Pope MGA
It only burns briefly like an antiseptic applied to a wound.
Margie
I have a splinter close to toe of my foot has become very hard and painful to walk on for too long I am not sure what is the best result whether it be Epsom salts or magnesium. Can u help me? Thanks
Phil
Thanks for the advice, this worked! PS an inch long thorn totally embedded in the index finger, wow! it must have been almost sticking out the other end unless your husband has huge fingers lol
Jacqueline Miniuk
This absolutely worked for a cactus needle in my toe. Wet a gauze pad with small amount of epsom salt foaming bath liquid added dry epsom salt crystals, put over splinter area, leuotaped toe for 2 days. After taking bandage off took needle to open skin, could see splinter, pressed around wound and wow popped out of skin. Unbelievable thank you so much for the above advice. IT REALLY WORKS!!
DP
I have been soaking for a couple of days is is to try and remove a large, deep splinter of something that was been in my heel for an indeterminate time. Unknown to me it had been lurking for a very long time I think. Just noticed it early this week. Went to a doc in the box clinic and their attempt to remove was more painful than I was willing to endure, thus the current es approach. In any event, I am using open corn pads around the splinter to keep pressure off until it comes out. After reading the thread about how to keep dry es on the spot I have decided to fill put es salt in the corn pad hole and bandaid over to keep the salt in place. Wish me luck. Thanks.
Lg
So I had a splinter(from a sticker bush) in my second toe ,I got it about a year and a half ago,It was really deep I thought,but I kept picking at it with a clean needle and it’s purple I don’t know whether it’s a scar or it’s still in there,I have no pain at all.
Devin
I’m not sure, but I feel like the splinter could be a bread crumb that was very sharp and broke off. Would this become infected quickly and what should i do?
Alex
I’m ready to try this, but I’m a bit confused. If you’re using regular epsom salt, how do you get it to stay on the bandage? It’s just a dry salt. Wouldn’t it fall off when you’re trying to apply the bandage? Thanks
Sarah
You only need a few grains on the area where the splinter is and then wrap the bandage on it. It stays quite well!