How to Remove a Splinter

Splinters can be painful. To remove one properly:

  • Wash your hands and the splinter site with soap and water.

  • Sterilize tweezers and a needle by dropping them in boiling water for 10 minutes or heating them over the flame of a match or lighter and cleaning away the carbon.

  • Use the needle to gently expose the splinter.

  • Grasp the splinter firmly with the tweezers and pull it out. Try to pull at the same angle the splinter entered the skin.

  • Rinse the area with water and gently dry it. Apply an antibacterial ointment.

  • Cover the site with a bandage.

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