What’s the best way to remove a splinter?

Splinters are everyday injuries commonly involving a small shard of wood, glass, metal, plastic or a thorn that becomes embedded in the skin and the soft tissue underneath.

The outer skin layer, known as the epidermis, has a high level of pain receptors. The layer just underneath, called the dermis, has even more of them, potentially making such injuries very painful.

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Knowing how to remove a splinter may not be a matter of life and death. However, good technique can relieve someone from ongoing pain or subsequent complications.

There’s little in the medical literature

Despite pain relief being an important topic in health care, splinters have drawn little academic interest.

In 2004, a team of clinicians wrote that “no controlled studies have been done comparing different techniques, leaving physicians to rely on anecdotal experiences”. A 2025 search of the medical literature on splinters only reveals a long stream of case studies and anecdotal evidence.

Online sites and TikTok videos are awash with “hacks” and tips that suggest using vinegar, duct tape, glue, onion slices and banana peels among other methods. There’s limited evidence to support or refute such practices, but some of them may cause irritation of the skin, or even allergic reactions.

Ultimately, you don’t need any hacks to remove splinters. Here’s how to do this correctly and safely – and when to seek medical advice.

First, where is the splinter?

The location of the splinter is the first triage point. If an eye or eyelid splinter is suspected, you should seek urgent medical care through a general practice, urgent care clinic or emergency department. Do not attempt to flush or irrigate your eye; this needs to be done by a health practitioner with sterile saline in a controlled environment.

Splinters stuck under a fingernail or toenail, known as subungual splinters, also often require surgical removal.

Second, what is the splinter made of?

The type of splinter can also determine if you need help from a medical professional.

Care needs to be taken with glass splinters as they can break off or shatter, leaving fragments that can be difficult to remove and may cause ongoing pain, inflammation or infection.

Outdoor splinters from wood, thorns or rusty metal can also be a source of tetanus and a tetanus vaccine booster may be required. People who are immunosuppressed or who have had lymph gland surgery should seek a medical appointment, as they may need antibiotics.

What you will need to remove the splinter

If none of the above apply and you can clearly see the splinter, the best way to approach removing it is with tweezers.

If the end of the splinter is near the surface, consider using a bevelled needle (available from chemists) to gently lift the top layer of skin to expose the splinter. Be careful not to enter deeper layers of skin as this will be painful.

Before attempting removal, if the splinter isn’t from wood, soaking the impacted area in warm water may help to soften the skin. Epsom salts, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide are sometimes recommended, but there’s no scientific evidence to support their use.

Don’t soak wood splinters, as this may cause the wood to swell and make it harder to pull out.

Steps for pulling out a splinter

1. Wash your hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitiser gel.

2. Sterilise the tweezers (and needle, if using) by rubbing or dipping the tips in the same sanitiser gel. Allow the tweezers to dry and do not place them back down before use.

3. If needed, use reading glasses to magnify the splinter. This will avoid bumping the splinter (further pain) and facilitate a good grip with the tweezers. For metal splinters only, consider using nail clippers to pinch the splinter for better grip.

4. Remove the splinter following the path of entry – pull it gently back from the direction it went in.

5. Once the splinter is removed, wash the area with soap and water or an antiseptic solution. Cleaning with alcohol-based hand gel may cause stinging.

6. If the wound is bleeding, cover with a plaster or small dressing.

For splinters close to the surface, you’ll likely be able to see if the whole splinter was removed. For splinters that penetrate at a steeper angle, it may be difficult to know if you got it all out. Deep splinters may even require medical diagnostic imaging to locate them.

After removing the splinter, monitor over the next few days for ongoing pain and signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, pain or discharge. Wound infections that are left untreated can lead to sepsis, a potentially life-threatening medical condition.