It is hard to believe that a very small splinter could cause a tremendous amount of pain, but even the tiniest splinter can cause discomfort. Worse yet, the area can become infected if the particle is not removed and treated. Instead of struggling with ordinary eyebrow tweezers, consider
the following easy ways to remove a small sliver. Chances are it will come out without painful digging.

Before Beginning

Before attempting to remove a small splinter using any method, wash the area using warm soapy water, and dry it thoroughly with a clean paper towel. In addition, wipe the wound with an alcohol swab or hydrogen peroxide on a sterile cotton ball. The area must be clean and dry before attempting to remove a small splinter or any foreign object from the skin.

Try Tape First

Tape with extra sticky adhesive works great to remove cactus needles, and it also works incredibly well to remove a small sliver that can barely be seen without a magnifying glass. However, this method only works if the small splinter is exposed and not deep below the surface of the skin.

Apply a piece of box tape or duct tape to the area with the splinter, and pull it off in the appropriate direction to remove it. If the adhesive is strong enough, the tape will easily remove the splinter without causing pain. If necessary, try the tape several times before resorting to using tweezers or a needle.

Lighted High-Quality Tweezers

Ordinary eyebrow tweezers do not always do a good job to remove stray hairs let alone small slivers. Instead of making attempt after attempt at trying to grasp a small sliver, buy a high-quality pair of lighted tweezers with pointed tips. They do a remarkable job of grasping everything from a tiny hair to a miniscule sliver. Lighted high-quality tweezers are well-worth the price since they will last for years. A person could go through several pairs of cheap tweezers before buying high-quality tweezers that will last indefinitely. Be sure to clean the tips of the tweezers with rubbing alcohol before trying to remove a splinter.

Use a Sterile Needle to Painlessly Scrape Out a Small Sliver

If tape or a pair of high-quality tweezers will not work to remove a splinter, it might be necessary to use a needle. A small splinter cannot be removed if it is not exposed, and a needle can help make a splinter of any size easy to remove.

Before beginning, sterilize the tip of a sharp sewing needle in an open flame. The tip of the needle should turn bright red. Allow it to cool, and do not touch the tip before
attempting to remove the small sliver.

Next, use the side of the tip to scrape out the sliver. This is far less painful than using the tip of the needle to dig it out. Once the tip of the sliver is exposed, the tape or the tweezers can be used to remove it with ease.

Clean the Area after Removal

After the sliver has been removed, wash the area with warm soapy water, and apply peroxide or betadine solution. Cover it with a bandage until it begins to heal, and watch for signs of infection including redness, tenderness, swelling, or drainage.

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