How to remove a splinter from under your nail without any problems

How to remove a splinter from under a nail using traditional and folk ways? What to do with a splinter under a child’s nail?

Each of us has driven a splinter under our fingernail at least once in our lives. Everyone remembers these unpleasant sensations and many questions swarming in the head: “What to do?”, “How to get it?”, “What will happen to the nail and finger now?”, “What is the danger of a splinter under the nail?”

This article will help you find answers to these questions and provide full list all the most proven methods for removing a splinter from under a nail.

  • The only correct answer to this question will be: “The splinter must be removed!”
  • Yes, some people sometimes long time they walk around with a splinter under their nail, and nothing bad happens to them. But these are only isolated cases
  • In fact, a splinter is a direct source of infection, which, spreading under the nail, can lead to the most disastrous consequences.
  • The consequences of the spread of infection can be blood poisoning, inflammation of the finger, tissue necrosis, etc.



You can consult a doctor for help removing a splinter from under your nail. In a hospital, this problem is usually dealt with by surgeons. But you shouldn’t be afraid that if you go to a surgeon, he will definitely cut something off for you. It’s just that doctors have much more experience in carrying out this procedure, and they also have a lot of things necessary for this manipulation ( special tool, medications, anesthesia).

You can remove a splinter at home. There are quite a few effective ways to pull it out - mechanically or with the help of compresses and lotions.

The procedure for removing a splinter from under a finger mechanically is as follows:

  • We wash our hands thoroughly - it is advisable to disinfect them
  • We disinfect the place where the splinter is located
  • We take tweezers in our hands and disinfect their ends
  • We carefully try to grab the splinter by its free edge- for this it is best to arm yourself with a magnifying glass
  • If the free edge of the splinter is too short, then pick up a needle
  • Disinfect the end of the needle
  • We try to poke a splinter with a needle

This method is only suitable if the splinter does not go too deep under the skin. If the sliver has almost completely gone under the nail, then it is best to use other methods that involve the use of compresses

How to treat a splinter under the nail?



  • Before starting any of the procedures for removing a splinter from under the nail, it is advisable to disinfect the place where it sits
  • Alcohol or iodine may be suitable for treating splinters
  • It is advisable to disinfect the splinter twice
  • There are times when treating a splinter is enough for it to come out
  • Sometimes, under the influence of an antiseptic, splinters that are too thin dissolve altogether



  1. Dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in one liter of hot water. Dip your finger in the soda solution for twenty minutes several times
  2. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of salt into a glass of hot water. Place your sore finger in the glass for fifteen minutes.
  3. We prepare a medicinal paste from soda and water by mixing them. Apply the paste to the nail and wrap it with cloth. After two hours, remove the compress
  4. Place the splinter in place banana peel pulp to the nail. Secure the compress with a bandage and leave it overnight
  5. Dissolve in water healing clay and apply it to the nail. Leave the compress for several hours
  6. Set fire to a piece of cotton rag. We hold the splinter site above the smoke from the burning fabric until it burns completely. It is believed that the splinter should come out under the influence of smoke

How to remove a splinter from under a cactus nail?



To remove a splinter from a cactus from under a nail, you can use any of the methods described in this article.

Here are two more, that's enough simple ways removing a splinter:

Method No. 1

  • Take an adhesive plaster or tape
  • We attach it with the sticky side to the location of the splinter
  • With a sharp movement, tear off the tape exactly along the axis of the location of the splinter under the nail.

This method can only be used for those splinters that peek out from under the nail and are quite impressive in size.

Method No. 2

  • Soak black bread in water
  • Add salt to softened bread
  • Apply a bread and salt compress to the nail
  • Fix it and leave it for a couple of hours

When using such a compress, you need to be prepared for the fact that salt can cause discomfort and tingling sensations.

How to remove a glass splinter from under your nail?



To remove a glass splinter from under your nail, you can use the following method:

  • Prepare gauze, bandage and Vishnevsky ointment or Ichthyol ointment
  • Make a compress from gauze and ointment
  • Apply this compress to the injured finger
  • Wrap the compress with a bandage
  • Maintain the compress for 10-12 hours

The procedure described above should help the splinter move towards the exit. When the tip of the splinter is sufficiently visible, it can be removed with tweezers.

How to remove a metal splinter from your finger?



  • A metal splinter in the finger can be even more dangerous than other types of splinters.
  • To remove it, it is better to use a mechanical method. If the tip of the splinter does not peek out from under the skin, then it can be pulled out using a magnet and then removed with tweezers
  • However, with a metal splinter it is best to go to the surgical department. In addition to removing the splinter, the doctor may, if necessary, advise tetanus prophylaxis

A child has a splinter under his nail, what should I do?



If a splinter gets under a child’s nail, then the best option in this case would be to seek help from a doctor, since the responsibility is very great.

However, if your baby is too afraid of doctors, you can try a fairly simple painless way removing a splinter:

  • Dissolve half a bar of soap in one liter of hot water.
  • Pre-grind the soap using a coarse grater.
  • Dip the child's finger into the soapy solution
  • We wait until the splinter starts to come out

How to remove an old splinter?



In order to remove an old splinter, you need to steam your finger using one of the methods described above. When the tip of the splinter appears from under the nail, you need to grab it with tweezers and pull it out.

If an old splinter sits deep and cannot be removed by any of the methods, then it is best to seek help from a surgeon. Leave foreign body Under no circumstances should it be under the skin!



  1. Grind fresh plantain leaves to form a paste. Apply the resulting mixture to the location of the splinter. Plantain will soften the skin and help the splinter come out quickly.
  2. 2. Lubricate the area of ​​the splinter with any natural resin (juniper resin helps very well). Leave the resin on the wound for half an hour
  3. 3. Grind the dry root of hag or comfrey and mix it with hot water until a paste forms. Place the resulting paste on gauze and apply it to the sore spot. We fix the compress and hold it for 2-3 hours. After the specified time, change the bandage
  4. Grind the onion on a fine grater or blender onions. Apply the resulting slurry to the splinter, cover it with cellophane and secure it with a bandage. Change the compress every three to four hours
  5. Lubricate the splinter site with pine resin and wrap it with a bandage. Leave the resin on the wound for at least 6 hours
  6. Grind the cabbage leaf (white cabbage) in a blender and add a tablespoon of vodka or alcohol to the resulting paste. Apply the medicinal ointment to a gauze swab and apply it to the splinter site. Wrap the tampon in cloth and leave for three hours. After the specified time has passed, change the bandage to a new one.

There is a deep splinter under the nail, what should I do?



If the splinter is embedded very deeply in your finger, then it is best to use one of the following options for removing it:

  • Dip the injured finger into a sufficiently warmed sunflower or other vegetable oil. The oil should slightly stretch the splinter so that it can be removed mechanically
  • Place the affected finger in a glass of alcohol or vodka for half an hour. Alcohol will also allow the splinter to slightly peek out from under the nail for further removal.
  • Dip your sore finger into a glass of ammonia literally for a few minutes. Take your finger and wrap it around it warm cloth. This method allows you to dissolve the splinter without leaving a trace.

To summarize, it is worth saying that no matter what method of removing a splinter from under your finger you choose, do not forget to disinfect everything before starting the procedure and the resulting wound after it. It is best to treat the splinter site after removing it with alcohol, since iodine can burn the affected tissue.

How to remove a splinter from under a nail: Video

It’s easy to get microtrauma in everyday life. Therefore, it is advisable for everyone to know how to remove a splinter from under a nail. This seemingly insignificant problem can have very unpleasant consequences. So experts recommend solving it as soon as possible. Good, available methods there are quite a lot.

Why is it important to quickly remove splinters from under your nails?

At least once in their life, everyone had to drive away a splinter. Most often the problem is small pieces of wood. Sometimes you have to suffer from plastic particles, but this happens much less often. At first glance, there is nothing terrible about getting hurt. Moreover, one encounters such injuries quite often. But foreign bodies cannot be underestimated.

You need to remove splinters from under your nails as soon as possible. The main danger is that particles that get under the skin may contain an infection. And if you do not pull them out or do not treat the wound in time, harmful microorganisms can begin to develop, which in turn easily leads to infection and much more serious problems.

What to do if a splinter gets under your nail?

Often, removing a splinter from a finger—namely, fingers are where they most often get—is quite simple. But sometimes the visible part breaks off. In this case, a piece of the foreign body remains under the skin, and it is very difficult to get it out with bare hands.

Here are some time-tested tips on how to remove a splinter stuck under your nail.

Well-groomed nails look attractive on women’s fingers even without decorative covering with exquisite nail design. But many of us often face such an unpleasant problem as the penetration of a foreign body under the nail, which can lead to an inflammatory process. The skin on women's fingers is very thin and delicate, and any chores around the house or on fresh air in the garden sometimes lead to injury to soft tissues with a deep splinter. If a large splinter is deep under the nail, then the injury is accompanied by very unpleasant sensations and piercing pain. From this material you will learn how to properly remove a splinter from under a nail, how and with what to disinfect a wound at home, and what to do after the initial treatment injured finger to avoid inflammation of the soft tissues underneath nail plate. Incorrect extraction deep splinter may lead to suppuration in soft tissues nail bed and the need to remove the nail surgically.

A foreign body may remain under the nail after contact with rough wooden boards, brittle glass, glass wool, or metal shavings. If you have a magnifying glass at hand, carefully examine the splinter to see if it is fragile in appearance and how much the edge of the splinter “peeks out” from the wound. Do not try to squeeze out a splinter, as it can break in several places, and it is very difficult to pull out a foreign body from under the nail piece by piece. If a splinter stuck into soft fabrics finger deep, but not completely, then slightly lift the visible tip with a needle and pick up the foreign body with tweezers with thin jaws. We remove the splinter with a sharp movement (pull it out without bending it so that it does not break), and disinfect the open wound with an alcohol-containing liquid. After the procedure, treat the wound with brilliant green, iodine or a solution of potassium permanganate.


HOW TO REMOVE A SPIN AT HOME

♦ SCOTCH TAPE

If the pieces of foreign bodies on the fingertip and under the nail are not very large (cactus spines, glass wool), then you can try to pull them out without a needle and tweezers.

Wash your hands in soapy water and dry gently with a towel;

Using scissors, cut off a piece of tape, place it on an area of ​​soft fabric with splinters, and pull the tape by the free ends to press its adhesive side against your finger;

Do not press down on the tape with your free finger so that the splinter does not penetrate even deeper;

With a sharp movement, tear off a piece of tape from your finger. Do the procedure several times, carefully examining the adhesive side of the tape;

Treat your finger with an antiseptic.

♦ PVA GLUE

For the procedure, thick non-toxic glue (for example, PVA) is suitable, which dries quickly, forming a dense film on the surface. This great way pull out small black splinters deep under the skin on your fingers.

Wash your hands with soap and dry thoroughly with a towel;

Apply a thick layer of glue to the area of ​​skin with the splinter and wait until it is completely dry;

Pick up the edge of the dried glue with your fingernail and confidently, but not very sharply, pull the film in the direction in which the splinter entered the soft tissue;

Inspect the wound and make sure that the splinter has come out completely along with the dried glue;

After the procedure, treat the wound with an antiseptic and cauterize with brilliant green.

♦ IODINE ALCOHOL SOLUTION

This method is effective if the splinter is wooden and has gone deep under the nail.

If the splinter has gone so deep into the soft tissue of the nail bed that it cannot be picked up with tweezers or a needle, then lubricate the entrance of the wound with iodine;

Lubricate this area of ​​the nail every two hours. A wooden splinter “burns” under the influence of iodine, darkens and gradually becomes thinner;

After the third or fourth treatment, the tip of a black splinter will appear from the wound, which can be easily picked up with tweezers.

♦ BAKING SODA

A great way to help the soft tissue of your finger push out a deep splinter.

If the splinter has gone deep under the skin, then treat the wound with an antiseptic and apply a thick layer of gruel to the damaged area of ​​​​the finger. baking soda, mixed with water;

Secure the paste with an adhesive plaster or gauze bandage and leave for several hours;

After this, remove the bandage and inspect the wound: the swollen soft tissues of the finger gradually pushed out the foreign body and now it can be easily pulled out with tweezers;

Make sure that the splinter has come out of the wound entirely and treat the damaged area of ​​skin with brilliant green.

♦ PINE ZHIVITSA

This method of removing a splinter from under a nail can be used while hiking in the forest. IN summer period Active sap secretion occurs under the bark of pine trees. After removing the bark from a small area of ​​pine, you can collect the resin using a funnel cut into the wood at an angle of 45°C.

Treat the wound with the collected resin so that the thick mass penetrates as deeply as possible under the nail;

Bandage your finger with a gauze bandage or bandage it with a piece of clean cloth;

After 4-5 hours, remove the bandage, remove the remaining resin and pull out the splinter by the tip that appears (instead of tweezers, you can use several matches with the tips sharpened with a knife);

Treat the wound with an alcohol-containing solution or clean water.


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A splinter is a “foreign body” that has penetrated the skin. This is usually a small splinter of wood, although there are also metal, glass or plastic splinters. Typically, you can remove the splinter yourself, but you may also need to health care in the event that the splinter has entered deep into the skin, especially in some sensitive place. Splinters under fingernails and toenails are especially painful and difficult to remove. However, there are methods that allow you to remove such splinters at home.

Steps

Removing a splinter using tweezers

  1. Determine if you need medical attention. If the splinter has penetrated deep under the nail or has become infected, you may need help from a doctor. If an infection occurs, the pain will not go away after a few days, and the skin around the splinter will become swollen and red.

    • If the splinter causes excessive bleeding, go to an emergency room.
    • If you are unable to reach the splinter on your own, or an infection has entered along with the splinter, consult a doctor. He will remove the splinter and prescribe you antibiotics.
    • Typically, when removing a large splinter, your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to reduce pain during the procedure.
    • Please note that your doctor may remove part of the nail or the entire nail to completely remove the splinter.
  2. Remove the splinter yourself. If you are trying to remove the splinter yourself, you will most likely need tweezers, as the splinter may be too small to grasp with your fingers. If the splinter is deeply embedded and does not protrude from under the nail, a needle may also be needed to remove it.

    • Sterilize all the tools you will use to remove the splinter. Use alcohol or boiling water to sterilize tweezers and needles.
    • Wash your hands before touching sterilized instruments.
    • Before you begin removing the splinter, wash your nail and the skin around it to prevent infection. If you can't use soap and water, wipe your finger with rubbing alcohol.
    • If you have long nails Before removing the splinter, trim the damaged nail. This will make it easier for you to access the splinter.
  3. Pull out the splinter using tweezers. Find a place that is lit enough to see the damaged area clearly. Grab the protruding end of the splinter with tweezers. Grasp the edge of the splinter firmly and pull it in the same direction in which it entered the skin.

    • A splinter may consist of several fragments of wood, glass, and the like. It may also break into several pieces when trying to pull it out of the skin. If you are unable to remove the splinter completely, see a doctor who will remove any remnants.
  4. If the splinter does not protrude from the skin, use a needle to reach it. Some splinters penetrate so deeply into the skin that they cannot be caught with tweezers. Although they are difficult to remove on your own, you can try to pry the end of the splinter with a needle and then grab it with tweezers.

    • A small one will do for this. sewing needle. Be sure to sterilize it before use.
    • Push the point of the needle under the nail, bringing it to the end of the splinter, and try to pry that end.
    • If you manage to pry the end of the splinter so that it protrudes from the skin, grab it with tweezers and pull the splinter in the same direction in which it penetrated the skin.
  5. Wash the damaged area thoroughly. Once you have removed all or part of the splinter, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Follow this with an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin) to prevent infection.

    • If the wound is bleeding and to prevent infection, bandage it.

    other methods

    1. Soak the injured finger in warm water and baking soda. If the splinter is deeply embedded or so small that it is difficult to grasp with tweezers, you can try to pull it out with a solution of baking soda in warm water.

      • Add to warm water tablespoon of baking soda and dip your finger in it. For best results, soak your finger twice a day.
      • In order for the splinter to reach the surface of the skin and fall out on its own, or to be able to be removed with tweezers, it may take several days of such procedures.
    2. Use tape. Another way to remove a splinter is to use tape. This method is very simple: stick tape to the area of ​​​​the skin where the splinter is located, and then quickly tear it off.

      • While any type of tape will work, it's best to use clear tape so the splinter can be seen underneath.
      • Again, you may need to trim your nail shorter to gain better access to the splinter.
    3. Use wax to remove hair. A very thin splinter can be difficult to grasp with tweezers. In such cases, you can use depilatory wax to remove the splinter from under the nail. The viscous wax will tightly grip the end of the splinter protruding from the skin.

      • In this case, you may need to trim your nail shorter to gain better access to the splinter.
      • Apply heated wax to the area of ​​skin around the splinter. Make sure to cover the protruding edge of the splinter with wax.
      • Before the wax dries, attach a strip of fabric to it.
      • Firmly grasp the strip of fabric and quickly tear it away from the skin.
    4. Try removing the splinter with ichthyol ointment. This medicinal ointment can also be used to remove splinters from under the nail. Ichthyol ointment can be purchased at a pharmacy or online. This ointment will soften the skin around the splinter, making it easier to remove.

      • You may need to trim the damaged nail to make it easier to reach the splinter.
      • This method is well suited for children as it involves less pain and discomfort.
      • Apply a little ointment to the area of ​​skin with the splinter.
      • Cover or wrap the smeared area with a bandage and wait 24 hours. Ichthyol ointment leaves stains on fabric (clothing and bed linen), so wrap the lubricated area with a bandage properly so that it does not leak out.
      • Remove the bandage after 24 hours and examine the splinter.
      • The goal is to wait for the splinter to fall out on its own. However, if this does not happen after 24 hours, the splinter will likely protrude further from the skin and you may be able to pick it up with tweezers.
    5. Make a baking soda paste. This paste will serve as a replacement for ichthyol ointment. Use this method only if other methods do not work, since the paste can cause swelling, which will make it difficult to remove the splinter.

      • You may need to trim your nail shorter to gain better access to the splinter.
      • Take ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and add water to it until you get a thick paste.
      • Apply the paste to the area of ​​skin with the splinter and wrap it with a bandage.
      • After 24 hours, remove the bandage and examine the splinter.
      • Under the influence of the paste, the splinter may fall out on its own. If this does not happen after 24 hours, repeat the procedure, applying the paste for another 24 hours.
      • If the splinter protrudes enough from the skin, you can remove it with tweezers.

Almost everyone is familiar with this unpleasant moment when a splinter gets stuck under a nail. The main thing here is not to panic but to act.

To begin with, you should try to hook and pull out the splinter using a needle and tweezers. Before you begin, be sure to wash your hands with soap and disinfect the splinter site and the tools you use with an alcohol-containing substance.

If the splinter is stuck deep under the nail, you need to soak your finger in alcohol and after about half an hour you will be able to pick up the splinter. This problem can also be solved with the help of ichthyol ointment, which completely lubricates the affected finger.

Ways to remove a splinter

Splinter to splinter, strife but many existing methods suitable for almost all types of splinters. The main ways to remove a splinter:

  • We pull out the splinter using the miraculous properties of propolis - to do this, warm up a little propolis and apply it several times to the site of the splinter.
  • Simple but effective way especially when the splinter or splinters are very small and cause - take dark bread, chew it lightly along with salt and apply generously to the splinter site, then wrap it or seal it with a plaster and leave it for 5 - 9 hours.
  • Olive oil will help you quickly remove a splinter; if, for example, you have driven a splinter into your finger, then all you need to do is hold your finger in olive oil just a few minutes, provided the oil is warm.
  • To remove a splinter, use birch tar. Apply tar to the area with the splinter and tie it for half an hour. then you can easily catch and pull out the splinter.
  • If the splinter is large and, as a rule, it was not possible to remove it immediately, and on top of everything else, an abscess appears over time, in this case ordinary cottage cheese will help, apply it to the splinter for several hours and depending on the swelling, the result will not be long in coming. Also, in cases of suppuration, use Vishnevsky ointment. It will draw out the pus and relieve inflammation.
  • If you have driven a splinter and you have a banana on hand, eat it immediately, of course the splinter will not pop out, but the remaining peel can help you with this. Tie the peel to the splinter overnight and in the morning all problems will be solved.

How to treat a wound after removing a splinter

After you have removed the splinter, you must treat the damaged area. It can be done different ways depending on your capabilities:

  • It is known that plantain has healing properties, to take advantage of them, grind a plantain leaf and apply to the wound
  • Regular iodine is indispensable for disinfection
  • If the area is swollen after removing the splinter, make a compress with alcohol.
  • You can also use a hot saline solution.