Splinters — Removal and Care

What to do

Wash your hands and the skin around the splinter with soap and water.
Clean tweezers (and a needle if needed) with soap and hot water or an antiseptic wipe.
If the splinter end is sticking out, grasp it firmly with the tweezers and pull it out steadily along the same angle it went in.
If it lies just under the skin surface, you can open the skin over one end with the cleaned needle point, then lift it out with tweezers. Keep any digging minimal — stop if it is deep or painful.
Once out, squeeze the area gently to encourage a little bleeding (which helps flush debris), wash again, and cover with a small dressing if needed.
Check the area over the next days for infection signs, and make sure tetanus vaccination is up to date for dirty wounds.

What NOT to do

Do not dig deeply or repeatedly — you cause more damage than the splinter.
Do not attempt removal of splinters under a fingernail, in the eye, or deeply embedded — these need professional care.
Do not ignore a splinter that is followed by spreading redness, swelling or pain.
Do not use unsterile pins or needles from a drawer without cleaning them.

When to get medical care

Seek medical care for splinters that are deep, under a nail, in or near the eye, made of glass or metal and not fully removed, in the face, or for any splinter site that becomes red, swollen, painful or produces pus. People with diabetes or weakened immunity should have foot splinters assessed.

Related procedures & tests

Wound debridement

Related symptoms

Painful red skin

Frequently asked questions

What if part of the splinter breaks off inside?

Small retained fragments often work their way out, but if the area becomes painful, red or swollen, or you know material remains (especially glass), get it assessed — clinicians can locate fragments with good lighting, magnification and sometimes imaging.

Can a splinter cause tetanus?

Any skin-breaking wound carries a theoretical tetanus risk, greater with dirty, soil-contaminated injuries. If your vaccinations are not up to date (usually a booster within 10 years for dirty wounds), ask a clinician or pharmacist for advice.

In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.