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
Barbie Frost Lindsey via Facebook
I’m starting this today. I have a tiny bothersome splinter in my finger that has been there for weeks.
Suzanne Willett via Facebook
John!
?????
Where have all the editors gone, budget cuts?? It takes 480 useless words before this article gets to the point (and far fewer to make it). A single short paragraph could have both done that job and your readers a great service by not wasting their time defining splinters (everyone knows) and describing your husband (nobody cares). What kind of attention span do you think people have for all this useless minutiae? Respect readers or lose them.
Dora
Re: comment by ?????
Many people prefer and enjoy reading a personal story, rather than “just the facts”. Also, this post provides information they might not have considered or been aware of, such as:
– What actions others have tried in an attempt to remedy the issue
– The potential cost of receiving treatment from various medical providers
It is my opinion that the author has written a very helpful post.
john
yes it was a good post i am a carpenter splinters are common but iknocked a jar of coffee off the bar today,while picking it up i got a peice of glass in my finger you cant get hold of it to pull it out, needles dont work on glass and tweezers wont grip it
Yolanda
For the person in Question???? Learn how to skim the articles for facts which is a technique taught in secondary grades in school. Respect and manners; we learn from our parents parents and school. Your author critique is uncalled for and rude. Like all good foods; each has it’s own unique flavor. Experience it and if you don’t like it? Don’t buy again. You actually wasted more time writing a rude remark than skillfully skimming the article for the facts your were looking for. Hello!!!!!! Author? Thank you and have a blessed filled day.
Yolanda
dee crew
Every has the right to have a personal opinion. If one doesn’t like other people’s opinions or their post, just ignore them. Why get irate and criticize them? No need to be rude.
jim
Good point!
Marianne Marks via Facebook
Brittany Collins
Paula Wick via Facebook
I recently had an infection starting in my index finger on my left hand. I used the homeopathic “drawing salve” on a bandage, changing it twice a day for two days. It pulled a huge blister of blood and pus (yeah, graphic, I know) and was so painful from the pressure that I stuck it with a sterilized needle to relieve it and had almost instant relief. The swelling and inflamation stopped and the finger healed in a few days. Saved: doctor office visit and a round of antibiotics. Simple stuff that God put here for us is the best!
Joylynn Simmons via Facebook
I love being on your page!
Maggie Salas via Facebook
Erin, you still have all those splinters??
Carole Johnson Heald via Facebook
I vaguely remember my mom doing this for me the fearful whiner child. It worked.
Erin
hello i’d like to ask how do you make the poultice? do you mix it with just hot water or add something else? thanks! hoping for a quick response
Fran
crush some of the salts and add just enough water to make a paste.
Cheryl Smith-Bell
You might be able to use aleo vera gel to make your paste. I haven’t needed it at home, but if I needed it again, I would mix it up that way.
Roni
hot water and the epsinsalte works
Nellie
We use this all the time for horses to help pull abscesses out of their hooves. I’ll have to try it on humans!