Splinters Tips for Easy Extraction

Tips for Easy Extraction

Your nine-year-old has come back from day camp with a few unwanted splinters from the rough-hewn dock.

It looks like you'll have a marathon tweezer session ahead, and neither one of you is looking forward to it.

Don't despair! Splinter removal doesn't have to be major torture if you follow the tips of our splinter-removal experts.

Pull out the easy ones. Any splinter that can be easily grasped with tweezers, or even your fingers, should come out at once. ''Removal of a splinter is a very good idea if it is easily gotten to,'' says Patience Williamson, R.N., a certified school nurse at the Rand Family School in Montclair, New Jersey.

Ignore the tiny tough ones. Tiny splinters that are not easily removed can probably be left alone, according to Williamson. ''For little splinters, do nothing for a day or two,'' she says. ''The body will naturally try to reject the splinter without your intervention.'' Williamson recommends that during the time that you are waiting for the splinter to work itself out, make sure that your child washes the area well and keeps it covered with a dab of antibacterial ointment to help ward off infection.

Soak 'em out. A lot of splinters will surface on their own if you give them a good soak, says Luisa Castiglia, M.D., a pediatrician in private practice in Mineola, New York. ''Have your child take a nice, warm bath. Then, with a washcloth, rub the skin outward along the line of the splinter to see if it will surface.'' If the procedure doesn't work, try again another day, recommends Dr. Castiglia.

Make like Sherlock Holmes. Take Williamson's advice and use a magnifying glass if the splinter is hard to see. Or throw more light on the subject with a well-placed light.

Ply a sterile needle. If the skin around the splinter looks irritated or red, the splinter should be removed with a sterilized, extra-fine needle and tweezers, advises Dr. Castiglia. ''The best way to sterilize your splinter-removal equipment is to hold it in a flame for a few seconds and then let it cool down naturally,'' she says. ''Make sure that the needle and tweezers are really cool before you get to work.''

Then use a gentle touch. ''If the splinter is completely underneath the skin, soak the area for about ten minutes--the soaking softens the skin and makes removal easier. Then pat the area dry and cover with Betadine Solution,'' advises Dr. Castiglia.

''Using the very tip of your sterile needle, gently scrape the skin above the splinter. Don't gouge! Just open enough of the skin so that you can pull the splinter out with tweezers.''

This may be easier said than done, admits Dr. Castiglia, because some kids start screaming at the first touch of a needle or if you simply lack confidence in attempting this procedure. ( If they do, you may need to go to the doctor.)

Reward the sufferer. Once the splinter's out, you can do more than just breathe a sigh of relief. ''Little ones up to the age of six or seven will love it if you draw a little smiley face on their Band-Aids, or give them a little sticker for their pains,'' says Williamson. ''If they get a little treat, it makes the hurt go away faster.''