A couple months ago, I got what felt like a splinter in the tip of my index finger.   Tried numerous times to get it out without apparent success as I still had some pain when pressing on something.  Mid-December, I had my semi-annual dermatology appointment and the doctor took a scalpel and scraped away at it.  But that did not appear to work.   So every couple of days, I dug back in.  Today I pulled out a 1/4-3/8" long splinter that must have gone straight in.   Wow, I'm glad it's finally out.

Think I have heard that glue will do it also. Just cannot remember what kind

Yeah, Gerald, I tried that a couple of times without success this time.  It has worked before though.

Just how would you use glue to remove a buried splinter? Since I try to dig out a few each year it might be useful to know.

The glue dries and if it has maintained a bond pealing the glue off also removes the splinter.

The glue has to adhere itself to the splinter so probably wouldn't work if you can't see it. 

My usual technique is to grab a pair of nail clippers.   You can cut away the top layer of skin and either scrape or pull the splinter out.

Tough ones are those you can feel but can't see. 

Biggest splinter came from testing for smooth with the lathe turning.  Easy an eighth inch thick, went from the tip of my index finger past the second joint, 2" long.  Pulled it out and it hardly bled  The next day there was no pain.  I thought it was going to be a sore finger for a couple weeks.

Had one went through my finger in a leather glove once.  Had to pull it out to get the glove off.  Didn't cause any other problems either.

It's those invisible little buggers from the chinese drywall screws that get me.

Glass/fiberglass splinters are even worse!

1 hour ago, FrederickH said:

Glass/fiberglass splinters are even worse!

Fixed a broken side in a friend's aquarium once, the old style with the stainless frames. As I was seating the glass in the black cement, a splinter separated along one edge, and went about an inch into a finger tip! Pulled it out, and it healed. About 8 months later, the finger swelled up like a balloon, and the doctor cut it open to remove the glass. This was repeated twice at roughly yearly intervals, then the last time I just squeezed the end as hard as I could, and out popped the pus along with the remaining glass. I don't repair ANY glass any more!

Edited January 8, 20215 yr by HARO50

Had one from a piece of plywood that I had just sanded to make it smooth.  It was small and I could not see it.  Waited for a week or so hoping it would rise, but didn't happen.  End of finger turned red and sore.  Went to the doctor. She sliced off my finger as if it was a hood or trunk lid.  Just a little sticker and when she sewed me back up, all went well.  After a few days, no pain, no open wound.  She was good.  

 

To read the stories above, you folks make me cringe.  I can feel the pain.  Hope all get well soon.  When I was a child, there were 2 ways to clear up a sore.  One was a charcoal poltice wrapped around the injured area.  Another was to use plaster to withdraw any splinter or pus.  I have used the charcoal (high temperature) with good success.  

24 minutes ago, FlGatorwood said:

Had one from a piece of plywood that I had just sanded to make it smooth.  It was small and I could not see it.  Waited for a week or so hoping it would rise, but didn't happen.  End of finger turned red and sore.  Went to the doctor. She sliced off my finger as if it was a hood or trunk lid.  Just a little sticker and when she sewed me back up, all went well.  After a few days, no pain, no open wound.  She was good.  

 

To read the stories above, you folks make me cringe.  I can feel the pain.  Hope all get well soon.  When I was a child, there were 2 ways to clear up a sore.  One was a charcoal poltice wrapped around the injured area.  Another was to use plaster to withdraw any splinter or pus.  I have used the charcoal (high temperature) with good success.  

You remind me of a COUPLE cures from old folks. Kerosene for wounds and coal tar liquid for almost all skin problems. Now and aside since as a Pharmacist many old compounded rxs from Dermatologists has Coal Tar as an ingredient

2 hours ago, Gerald said:

Kerosene for wounds

 

Mechanics know this one well.   

Another old remedy from ignorant and poor folks like us was kerosene (coal oil) and turpentine for flu and such.  I don't how they lived as long as they did.  

13 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

I don't how they lived as long as they did.  

 

What I find interesting in walking through old historical graveyards is that way back when people usually died young (30's) or quite old (70-80's).  Very few in the middle.  Survival of the fittest I reckon!

I read the paper where I grew up in Tennessee.  So many of the folks I went to school with are now in those sacred spots.  And, their children.  Anthony Burger was a child while I was in high school.  He played for Gaither Singers and has been gone about 5 years or so.  He didn't make it to 50.  My dad checked out age 66, his dad went to his rest at age 70 and I am past that by almost 3 years.  My doctor told me that we inherit most of our fathers genes.  If that is true, I am truly blessed.  

14 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

My doctor told me that we inherit most of our fathers genes.  If that is true, I am truly blessed.  

 

That does not bode well for me   At 68, I am the oldest of all the family on my father's side.  No male on my father's side, that I know of, has made it to 70.  I do thank the Good Lord for every day he gives me. 

I shared a birthday with my dad.  He passed away at 60 - no health issues known because he never went to the dr.  Was doing the evening milking when he had a heart attack.  My 60th birthday was pretty rough...