How do I remove a splinter?

Getting a splinter out cleanly without pushing it deeper, and knowing when not to attempt it yourself.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 15 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Wash the area, then pull the splinter out along the same angle it went in, using clean tweezers. If it is fully under the skin, soak in warm soapy water for ten minutes first — many splinters work their way out on their own.

Most splinters are straightforward. The mistakes that cause problems are digging around and pushing the splinter deeper, and breaking it so a fragment stays behind. Working along the entry angle avoids both.

Safety

Do not dig for a deep splinter, one under a nail, one in an eye, or one that is glass or metal — get medical help for those. See a doctor if the area becomes red, swollen, hot or painful, and check your tetanus status for any dirty or deep wound.

What you'll need

Tweezers
Soap and warm water
Magnifying glass (optional)
Sterile needle (optional)

Step by step

Wash your hands and the area with soap and water.Infection is the real risk with splinters, not the splinter itself. Clean first, always.
Look at it properly, with magnification if you have it.Work out the angle it entered at. Removing it along that line is what prevents breaking it.
Soak the area in warm soapy water for ten minutes.It softens the skin and swells it slightly, which often pushes a shallow splinter proud enough to grip.
Grip the exposed end with clean tweezers and pull along the entry angle.Steady and straight. Pulling at a different angle is what snaps splinters and leaves fragments.
For a splinter with no exposed end, ease the skin open with a sterilised needle.Sterilise with alcohol. Lift the skin over the splinter rather than digging into the flesh beneath it.
Clean the area again and cover it.Wash, dry and apply a plaster. Watch it over the next few days for signs of infection.
Leave a very small, shallow splinter alone if it will not grip.The skin sheds and many work their own way out within a few days. Digging causes more damage than the splinter.
Get medical help for the ones you should not attempt.Glass, metal, anything under a nail, anything deep, anything in or near the eye, or any wound that becomes red and swollen.

Tips

A strip of strong tape pressed on and pulled off along the entry angle lifts fine splinters and cactus spines that are too small to grip.
For very fine fibreglass or plant hairs, a thin layer of PVA glue left to dry and peeled off works well.
Check tetanus vaccination status for a dirty or deep splinter, particularly from wood, soil or rusty metal.

Common mistakes

Digging around with a needle — It pushes the splinter deeper, causes more tissue damage and raises the infection risk considerably.
Squeezing the area to force it out — It usually drives the splinter further in and breaks it. Pull along the entry line instead.
Ignoring redness and swelling afterwards — That is an infection, and it needs treating rather than watching.

Questions people ask

What happens if you leave a splinter in?

Small shallow ones often work their way out as the skin sheds. Deeper ones can cause infection or become walled off in the tissue. If it is not out within a few days or the area reddens, get it seen.

Does soaking help remove a splinter?

Yes. Ten minutes in warm soapy water softens and swells the skin, which frequently pushes a shallow splinter far enough out to grip with tweezers.