Removing Splinters: A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the nail of my pinky. Actually, I didn't realize it was a splinter. I just thought that something poked me under the...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the nail of my pinky. Actually, I didn't realize it was a splinter. I just thought that something poked me under the nail. I tried several techniques to remove it, but nothing worked. Then I remembered that when I was a kid, we always had something called drawing salve. I went to the drug store and bought a tube of it under its modern name - ichthammol. I put it on my finger, covered it with a couple of band-aids, and waited a day.

My finger stopped hurting shortly after applying it. I removed the band-aids just now, and was able to pull the splinter out with a pair of tweezers. There was barely any wood sticking out from under the nail, but it came out easily, and it didn't hurt at all.

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

jerryc41 wrote:

A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the n... (show quote)

Thanks for the hint, Jerry.

chuckrem Loc: Katy, Tx

Good to know!

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

jerryc41 wrote:

A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the n... (show quote)

Glad it's better. My memory of "ichthammol" goes back many years.
Mark

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

I use a sewing needle...carefully!!! or put a elastoplast or self sealing band-aid over it and wet it thoroughly with water. leave overnight. next morning you take off the dressing and you have a very soft white bit of skin (maybe even the splinter stuck to the band-aid.) so that you can see it more easily and successfully dig it out with a sharp needle.

a rub with an whetted alum stick and a plaster also works for those squeamish about digging around using a sharp needle.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Never heard of that but now I know something new.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

jerryc41 wrote:

A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the n... (show quote)

I think that before there was Ichthammol Ointment, there was a slightly more drastically way of removing a splinter. Remove the injured finger with a hacksaw. So sorry, I mean that the person should wear gloves and sand down the wood with an electric belt sander.

bigalw Loc: Essex - UK

I've never heard of that ointment/salve or that type of remedy, but I will check over here in the UK to see if it's available

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

jerryc41 wrote:

A couple of days ago, I got a splinter under the n... (show quote)

We used PRID Salve, a nasty looking brown ointment seemed to work very well.

sourdough58 Loc: Maine

The I was a kid I wore pacs ( rubber boots ) year round summer no socks winter wool socks anyway after stepping on a nail it would leave a bit of rubber and bits of rust in my foot, my Mom would take a thin sliver of salt pork and tape it over the hole the next day she would remove it and show me the stuff that was in my foot splinter, rust, rubber boot whatever there on the salt pork, the old-timer way.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Manglesphoto wrote:

We used PRID Salve, a nasty looking brown ointment seemed to work very well.

Basically the same thing.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Scruples wrote:

I think that before there was Ichthammol Ointment, there was a slightly more drastically way of removing a splinter. Remove the injured finger with a hacksaw. So sorry, I mean that the person should wear gloves and sand down the wood with an electric belt sander.

I tried pulling the fingernail off, but there wasn't enough to grip.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

G Brown wrote:

I use a sewing needle...carefully!!! or put a elastoplast or self sealing band-aid over it and wet it thoroughly with water. leave overnight. next morning you take off the dressing and you have a very soft white bit of skin (maybe even the splinter stuck to the band-aid.) so that you can see it more easily and successfully dig it out with a sharp needle.

a rub with an whetted alum stick and a plaster also works for those squeamish about digging around using a sharp needle.

That works fine if you can get at the splinter. With it stuck under my nail, there wasn't enough showing to work with.

Dannj

Wow...drawing salve! Haven’t heard of that in years. I think I remember soaking my finger in something...peroxide?...that remove splinters.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I had forgotten about that remedy.