How to Remove a Glass Splinter

Common splinters are small particles of wood that found their way under the skin. They are infamous for their difficulty to remove once they’re lodged into your skin. Wood splinters can come from unsanded furniture, plywoods, and tree barks, and people who are injured by splinters are usually construction workers, boy scouts, and playful children.

Wood splinters are bad enough when they’re lodged into your skin. But despite the uncomfortable sensation of having one, such splinters can be easily removed using a mixture of baking soda and water. There also exist other methods of removing splinters, and most of which prove to be efficient and effective. But what about glass splinters?

Glass splinters are one of the worst splinters you can get, mostly because it’s glass. Not only are they painful, but a shard can cause further damage to the interior of your skin. The longer the shard stays, the more damage it will cause. Moving can also cause the splinter to be pushed further into the skin, making it harder to remove. Furthermore, glass also has the tendency to break. Depending on the size and material of the shard, the glass splinter can break in half inside your skin.

So, how to remove a glass splinter? It is as simple as removing a wooden splinter. The only difference is there might be more sting and pain involved, so it’s best to observe caution when dealing with a glass splinter. Also, be extra careful when removing glass splinters that are stick-like in shape, as these have the most tendency in breaking.

In this article, we shall discuss a few ways and steps in removing a glass splinter. Let us begin with this list:

The Tweezers and Needle Method

This is the most popular method of removing all kinds of splinters. However, it is not the most effective one. Keep in mind that using this method may involve a lot of stings, and proper hand-eye coordination is required.

• Get the tools – The items you’ll need for this method is a pair of tweezers and a needle. The needle only has to be more strong than large. A smaller needle that doesn’t bed too much is the ideal choice, and make sure you sterilize them before using. You may also want to get some cleaning materials ready, such as water, a clean cloth, and sterilizers like alcohol or iodine. You may also need a band aid on hand.
• Clean the area – This step does not have much to do with removing the splinter, but it is a standard measure for almost every medical procedure. Wash the infected area with running water. Make sure the torrent flows gently so you may not disturb the splinter inside the skin. Cleaning the wound ensures that you’ll be safe from infection if the skin has been opened by the splinter. You may also apply alcohol if you can stand the pain, but it is not recommended as the sting might cause you to clench your muscles and disturb the splinter.
• Stab The Needle Underneath the Skin – Take note: Make sure the needle is sterilized, and do not interpret this as injecting the needle into your flesh. What this means is simply is jamming the needle shallowly under the skin, yet above the flesh. Do this in the area next to your splinter. Place the needle directly next to your splinter.
• Pull the Needle Up – Don’t pull it away as if using a syringe. Flip the needle up, forcefully through your skin. This may break the skin covering your splinter, but it will not cause any major damage. Flipping the needle up and out of your skin will open it and forces the splinter to the surface. All that’s left is for the tweezers to extract the shard of glass.
• Clean the Wound – Once all of the splinters have been removed, wash the area again. This time, it is safe to use alcohol. If the splinter had caused bleeding, treat the wound with iodine. Once the area is clean, secure it with a band aid.

Baking Soda Method

This method is one of the simplest and most effective ways to remove every kind of splinters. The only thing you need for this method is baking soda, a clean cloth, and time.

• Make A Baking Soda Paste – Mix a bowl of water with a ¼ teaspoon of baking soda powder and stir.
• Application – Make sure the wound is cleaned with soap and water before treating. Apply the baking soda paste on the area of injury. After that, wrap the splintered area with a clean cloth, and leave it bandaged for a few hours. For a sure result, leave it for 24 hours.
• Remove the Cloth – Once enough time has passed, the splinter should already have surfaced into the skin. Gently extract the glass shard with tweezers, then clean the area with running water.

Caster Oil Method

This method is as simple as using baking soda. Using caster oil will gently force the glass further out of the skin, and the longer this method is used, the further the glass will surface. To use this method, apply an adequate amount of the oil into a clean towel, then dab it on your wound. The glass shard will slowly begin to surface in a few minutes. After that, it is advisable to apply a band-aid over the area after cleaning it.