splinters

My DD has two small splinters in her foot I noticed three days ago. My DH says they will work themselves out on their own. I had never heard this before. They are not infected or red yet, but do I heat a nettle and get them out or leave them alone?

 

I always thought i needed to get dd's out but my dh said the same thing and I have always left them alone and they do work themselves out. As long as they are not red or infected.

 

We typically dig them out. Poor Brandon had about 20 little splinters on the tops of his feet and lower part of his legs while we were on vacation. He got them while crawling on a wood deck. He didn't like having to get them out (he actually fell asleep from screaming so much he had only had a 30min nap so he was super tired). My mom told us they would work themselves out, but a few were getting red so we had to get them out.

 

Trevor had one and I watched it for a couple of days although it drove me crazy to not do anything about it. As soon as the foot turned red around the splinter, I gave the skin a squeeze and it came right out. The splinter was a bit wet but no pus and the redness was gone by bedtime.

I wouldn't go in after them, though. You'd only increase the risk of infection.

 

With my oldest we've always gotten them out. I guess I never realized they would work them selves out. :unknw: We always have her soak her hand in warm water or in the bathtub and that usually helps to loosen the skin around it. I would worry about leaving it in and risking infection.

 

If they are poking out enough then I will pull them out. If it is red then I try to dig it out but if I cant get it right away I just leave it. It will work itself out whether it gets infected or not. I think honestly that if it doesnt come out the body will just absorb it.

 

I have always dug them out. I let the kid pick a stuffed animal to squeeze while I am taking it out. Some antibiotic ointment & a bandaid of their choice & it is all done.

I did read somewhere that if you put the peel of a banana on the splinter it will soak it up. Haven't tried it though.

 

I've always pulled splinters out. Mostly because the couple of times it has happened to my kids, they have been really bothered by the sensation of having something stuck under their skin. I never even thought to let them work themselves out. I sterilize tweezers, get the splinter out and then apply neosporin and a bandaid.