Have you ever had a splinter so deep that it felt like part of your body? Well, join the club! What started off as an innocent game of tag with my nephew ended up with me nursing a small yet stubborn piece of wood lodged in my finger. I tried everything - tweezers, needles and even duct tape (don't ask!), but nothing seemed to work. After spending hours scouring through the internet for some remedies, I can now share with you some tried and tested methods to remove those pesky irritants once and for all!
The Science Behind Splinters
Before we dive into how to get rid of splinters, let's take a quick look at what they actually are. A splinter is basically any foreign object that gets stuck under your skin by piercing or puncturing it (ouch!). It could be anything from woods to glass shards.
Your body reacts to these intruders by sending white blood cells to fight against them. If left untreated, this immune response can sometimes result in redness, swelling and even infections.
Now that we know what causes splinters let's focus on getting rid of them once they have broken our peace.
Use Magnifying Glass And Tweezers- Old But Gold
This might seem like an old-school remedy but trust me when I say this; nothing beats good old-fashioned magnifying glasses and tweezers when attempting to dispose-off that stubborn shard stuck in your finger.
In order to use this method most effectively: Sterilize the tip of the needle or tweezer using rubbing alcohol. Locate the part where the tip enters your skin. Pull gently until it comes free Use other home remedies if pain persists
Create A Warm Water Soak With Baking Soda To Soften Your Skin First
Sometimes, splinters can be too deep to remove with tools alone. If you're in such a situation, then worry not! This method has been known to work especially well for those stubborn hard-to-reach slivers.
To make this soak: 1. Fill a bowl or small container with warm water 2. Add two tablespoons of baking soda and stir until dissolved. 3. Soak the affected finger in the solution for at least 15 minutes 4. Remove your finger from the mixture. 5. Using clean hands that have also been sanitized, press around the sides of your skin surrounding the splinter using slight pressure so as to - hopefully - force it out of its hiding spot. 6. Clean excess dirt and debris with alcohol swabs.
Apply Elmer's Glue To The Splinter And Wait For It To Dry
This is one of my go-to methods and I'm sure many people swear by this hack too! Applying glue over your wound may sound like an oxymoron but it does help in removing pesky little intruders.
Here is how to do it right:
- Wash your hand thoroughly before attempting any DIY remedies
- Pat dry so that extra moisture doesn't decrease success chances 3.Apply a dab of white school glue/Ellmers' over the exposed part protruding outside_ (be careful if you don't following step four properly instead, you might push down on top which would end up pushing further than expected) _.Instead hold for three-five minutes or till adhesive dries completely; peel glued area upward -. This should draw attention towards itself extracting foreign materials within reach!. 5.Clean thoroughly after extraction
Use A Banana Peel As A Salve
Nope we ain't kidding here! Bananas are great sources chockfull vitamins but did you know they could also serve as productive first aid remedy? Here’s how:
- Grab yourself a banana peel.
- Cut it into small pieces, enough to cover the affected area
- Place one of these pieces onto Your finger and make sure that it is covering the splinter entirely.
- Leave it there for at least fifteen minutes and then remove.
Use A Bread And Vinegar Mash
A bread and vinegar paste works well in reversing splinters from your skin! This recipe has been in use since ancient days but still rings true today, here's how: Mix a tablespoon of vinegar with some breadcrumbs until you form a thick paste Apply this mixture over your affected area Cover with a bandage or tape, leave on for at least 30 mins before removing.
Wrap It Up In Duct Tape.
Yup - it turns out duct tape can fix nearly everything…including stubby little intruders digging into our fingers! Here’s what you need to do:
1.Cleanse affected region using rubbing alcohol & water 2.Cut down required amount of adhesive backing as per injured region 3.Place strip on top of exposed part where shard lies- apply mild pressure so that material attaches strongly 4.Leave for an hour ….Remove upon time completion!
Conclusion
So next time someone tells you to just ignore those pesky little slivers lodged deep under your skin.. tell them what Jessie never did- get rid off them _Darn Irritations faster than they arrived! We hope these tips will prove useful when faced with such situations in future.What are some remedies (apart from Tweezer-Aide)that work for YOU?