Mudd says. Younger children already tend to have soft skin, so if you do soak, you should only need to do it for a few minutes. If the splinter has entered the skin fairly horizontally and part of it is sticking out, a pair of tweezers and a needle wiped down with rubbing alcohol can be helpful in getting it out. In a situation where the entire splinter is underneath the skin, a sterilized needle may be the best tool. Mudd cautions, because that can put pressure on the splinter and cause it to break into fragments.
Prevent infection. If you are successful in removing the splinter, wash the affected area with soap, put some antibiotic ointment or Vaseline over it, and cover it with a bandage. The CDC recommends that children receive their childhood tetanus series including the DTaP immunizations at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years old, in addition to a Tdap immunization at 11 to 12 years old.
A tetanus booster is required every 10 years after this to help boost waning immunity. Or does a splinter need to come out at all? Skip Ribbon Commands. Skip to main content. Turn off Animations. Turn on Animations. Our Sponsors Log in Register. Log in Register. Ages and Stages. Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size. Splinters and Other Foreign Bodies in the Skin. Page Content.
Definition A foreign body FB eg, splinter, fishhook, sliver of glass is embedded in the skin. Symptoms of a Foreign Body in the Skin Pain : Most tiny slivers eg, cactus spine in the superficial skin do not cause much pain. Deeper or perpendicular FBs are usually painful to pressure. FBs in the foot are very painful with weight bearing.
Fiberglass spicules. The result can be pain, swelling and redness - or sometimes worse. Rose thorns, for instance, may be coated with a fungus called Sporothrix and many a gardener has discovered the pitfalls of pruning the popular flower. The lumps occur in a pattern known as sporotrichoid spread, which follows the line of vessels in your body's lymphatic system, which has a role in fighting infection. These sores do not heal unless they are treated with anti-fungal medicine.
They may last for years and can sometimes drain small amounts of pus. Splinters from plants are also more likely to carry bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or golden staph, Dr Sheridan says. If this is the case, a splinter in the foot might result in a visible red streak up the leg around 24 hours later — again a result of inflammation in the lymph vessels. If you develop fever and chills, that's likely a sign of a severe bacterial infection. Leave a thorn or splinter of wood in your body for a few months, and it's likely to disintegrate and further stimulate your body's immune response.
And any infection left untreated can spread and cause septicaemia or blood poisoning. While it's hard to be definitive, Dr Sheridan's general rule of thumb is that if a splinter is easy to get out, you should get it out, regardless of what it's made of. But if it's in the surface, and you can get it out fairly easily without breaking it up, "go for it". If you can't get it out, it's in deep, or you think the splinter is vegetable matter, Dr Sheridan advises seeing your GP — ideally within 48 to 72 hours, before any infection has time to take hold.
You can probably be a bit more relaxed if you think the splinter is a bit of glass, metal or plastic, Dr Sheridan says, but it's a good idea to keep an eye on it. And bear in mind that splinters of any kind can be risky for anyone with medical conditions including diabetes, lowered immunity or diseased blood vessels.
Whatever the cause, a deep splinter that's caused infection may need to be cut out under local anaesthetic, followed by careful washing of the area.
You may also require medication to ensure the infection doesn't continue to spread, even after the splinter is gone. Movement of your body can see a splinter "work its way out". The action of immune cells migrating to the area also achieves this result, although this can cause localised pain. The natural process of cells in the surface skin layer being pushed out and replaced can eject a splinter too.
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