Suppose something goes wrong and you actually do get cut or get a glass splinter. How do you deal with that, especially if it’s in your foot? How are you supposed to remove a glass splinter?
The good news is that we’re here to help. We’ll give you some advice on how to remove a glass splinter from your foot in the paragraphs below.
1. Sterilizing
When dealing with any kind of injury, and especially an injury where the skin is punctured, it’s important to clean the wound and any medical instruments you’re using.
The best way to do this is with alcohol. Alcohol works as a great antiseptic.
Alcohol destroys bacteria through the process of denaturation. Simply put, the alcohol is capable of bonding with bacteria on a cellular level.
Alcohol weakens the amino acids that make up the bacteria so that they dissolve in water. Since alcohol also has liquid properties, the bacteria ends up being dissolved from the inside out.
2. Moving the Glass Splinter to the Surface
You need to move the glass to the surface of your skin, if it isn’t there already. If you can see it, just clean some tweezers and pull it out.
If you can’t, there are methods that might help. It is important to note that most splinters aren’t dangerous, and if it doesn’t hurt or hinder your movement, it may be better to just let it come out on its own.
If it does hurt, you may want to start by applying pressure. Push against the bottom of your foot, and be careful not to push the skin together. This may just make things worse.
Some suggest using white vinegar or Epsom salts and warm water among other things. We would advise against a lot of this. Most of the evidence out there is anecdotal, and no proof exists that it works.
Some water, and saltwater, in particular, sometimes called saline, can do wonders for cleaning a wound, but you should avoid soaking wounds in liquid.
3. Adhesives and Needles
There may be a few different ways to get the shard out of your foot once it’s close to the surface. Some suggest using adhesives like glue or a mixture of baking soda and water.
Both of these will take time. You may want to wait thirty minutes or so after applying either of them.
Another method is to use a needle to carefully break the skin where the glass shard is. Once the glass shard is exposed, you can pull it out with the tweezers.
If you think it’s the best, you may also try seeking medical care. Many doctors will treat it under certain circumstances. Please don’t go to a hospital if it’s not an emergency.
How to Remove a Glass Splinter
It’s hard to say for sure how to remove a glass splinter, especially since countless home remedies can be found online. The one thing that can be said for removing a glass splinter is that the wound and any instruments you’re using should be cleaned first.
After that, if you can, try to move the shard closer to the surface of the skin to make extraction easier. All there is to do then is take the glass out. There are many suggested methods for doing this.
It’s possible that adhesives might work, or you could use a needle and a pair of tweezers.
If the wound is severe and you happen to live in Mississippi, you should visit us at State Urgent Care.