Splinter on the finger under the nail: what to do, how to get it? How to remove a splinter from under a nail: an old metal one, from glass, from a cactus, if it is deep?

How to remove a splinter from under a nail using traditional and folk methods? 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 a complete list of all the most proven methods for removing a splinter from under a nail.

What to do if a splinter gets under your nail?

The only correct answer to this question will be: “The splinter must be removed!”
Yes, some people sometimes walk around with a splinter under their nail for a long time, 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.

When to see a doctor

There are times when it is not possible to remove a foreign particle on your own. This is especially true for splinters that have gotten under the nail plate. In this case, it may be necessary to remove part of it surgically. This can only be done in a medical facility. This intervention is performed under local anesthesia. It will help avoid suppuration and the development of serious complications.

A visit to the doctor is mandatory if:

it was not possible to remove the foreign object entirely; small fragments remained under the nail;
a piece of metal with sharp jagged edges got into the fabric;
a piece of glass got under the skin or nail and crumbled there;
the particle entered to a great depth;
splinter length more than 5 mm;
due to the introduction of the splinter, the body temperature rose;
after removing the foreign body, the affected area became inflamed and began to fester.

You should not wait until the foreign body comes out on its own; this may result in the development of serious complications.

How can you remove a splinter from under your nail?

How can you remove a splinter from under your nail?
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 tools, 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

Extraction Tools

For a favorable outcome, you need to use tools. Most of the main list is in every person's home. The main item in the first aid kit should be a disinfectant. Without an antiseptic, removing the item yourself is dangerous. For dressing and processing you will need cotton wool or gauze, a bandage will do. A magnifying glass will help you examine a foreign object if it is too small to see with the naked eye.

Tweezers, a standard needle, scissors, and specialized nail clippers will help you remove the splinter. If possible, you should have a lighter, matches or a burning candle. For the final stage you will need a patch.

The instruments that will be used to perform the operation must be pre-treated.

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

How to quickly remove a splinter from under your nail?

Dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in one liter of hot water. Dip your finger in the soda solution for twenty minutes several times
Pour 3-4 tablespoons of salt into a glass of hot water. Dip the sore finger into the glass for fifteen minutes
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
Place a banana peel over the splinter, with the flesh facing the nail. Secure the compress with a bandage and leave it overnight
Dissolve healing clay in water and apply it to the nail. Leave the compress for several hours
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?

How to remove a cactus splinter from under your 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 fairly simple ways to remove 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?

How to remove a glass splinter from under your fingernail?
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.

Use of Levomekol ointment in gynecology

Levomekol is successfully used in gynecology and urology.

In gynecology, therapy is carried out using tampons with ointment applied to them. A similar method is indicated for the treatment of the following conditions:

inflammatory erosion of the cervix;
inflammation of the uterine appendages (ovaries, fallopian tubes);
divergence of vaginal sutures after ruptures during childbirth or operations.

The treatment system consists of the following sequence of actions:

How to remove a metal splinter from your finger?

How to remove a metal splinter from under a nail?

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

Forecast and consequences

If the foreign body was removed from the skin or from under the nail plate in compliance with the rules, healing will take place quickly and the injury will not leave any traces behind.

Complications may develop if:

trying to squeeze out a foreign body;
failure to provide timely assistance in the hope that the splinter will come out on its own;
lack of disinfection;
steaming the affected area if suppuration has already begun;
lack of timely vaccination against tetanus, since a splinter can become a source of infection with this dangerous infection.

If the splinter was not removed in a timely manner, or the extraction was carried out incorrectly, the following complications may develop:

formation of paronychia;
crushing the foreign particle into small pieces that will penetrate even deeper into the tissue;
blood poisoning (sepsis);
the formation of gangrene (death of tissue in the affected area);
development of tetanus.

The greatest danger is posed by metal shavings and glass fragments. They can touch nerve endings and therefore cause severe pain.

Metal filings tend to rust, which quickly leads to the development of inflammation and its spread throughout the entire limb.

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

What to do with a splinter under a child’s nail?
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 and painless method of 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

First aid

If a foreign body is detected, you must act immediately:

determine the degree of difficulty: how deep it has gone, is there any bleeding, are there the necessary tools and antiseptics at hand;
decide whether you can get rid of the foreign body yourself or go to a specialist;
ensure cleanliness: wash your hands with soap and running water;
disinfect the wound, even if a doctor is involved in the extraction;
do not waste time and try to solve the problem as soon as possible.

READ ALSO: Choosing an effective moisturizing hand cream

How to remove an old splinter?

How to remove an old splinter from under a nail?
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. Under no circumstances should you leave a foreign body under the skin!

Skin care after removal

When the foreign body has been removed, the wound must be re-treated with an antiseptic solution. This may be the same substance that was used previously.

If the wound after removal turns out to be deep and begins to bleed, a sterile bandage is applied to it. If there are no signs of bleeding, it is enough to treat the wound with an antiseptic. The skin in this area will quickly heal.

If there is severe pain in the wound area, you can take a painkiller from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or treat the sore spot with an anesthetic drug.

Over the next days, it is necessary to periodically inspect the wound so as not to miss the development of inflammation and suppuration.

Table: medications used after removing a splinter

Group of drugs	Titles	Effects
Antiseptics	ethanol; iodine solution; Furacilin solution; brilliant green solution.	prevention of infection and inflammation development
Wound healing antimicrobial ointments	Levomekol; Methyluracil ointment.	wound healing; preventing the development of inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)	Nurofen; Ibuprofen; Nimesulide.	relieving pain and inflammation
Local anesthetics	Lidocaine	reduction of pain after removal

How to remove a splinter using folk remedies?

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. 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. 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
Grind the onion on a fine grater or blender. 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
Lubricate the splinter site with pine resin and wrap it with a bandage. Leave the resin on the wound for at least 6 hours
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?

What to do with a deep splinter under the nail?
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 damaged finger into 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 for just a few minutes. Take your finger and wrap it with 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.

Treatment of felon

Surgeons treat felons. With superficial forms, the patient may be on an outpatient basis; with deep forms, hospitalization is necessary.

In the early stages, patients with superficial panaritium can be prescribed conservative therapy: darsonval, UHF, thermal procedures.

In the later stages of superficial panaritium, as well as at all stages of the bone and tendon form of the disease, surgery is indicated. The opening of the panaritium is supplemented with drainage so as to ensure the most effective outflow from the fiber divided into cells.

Surgical tactics for bone or joint felon are determined by the degree of preservation of the affected tissues. In case of partial destruction, resection of the damaged areas is performed. In case of total destruction (possible with bone and osteoarticular panaritium), amputation is indicated. In parallel, drug therapy is carried out aimed at combating inflammation (antibiotics), reducing pain and eliminating the phenomena of general intoxication.