Don’t let a splinter get out of hand — a California ER doctor is sharing his simple removal hack.
Dr. Joe Whittington, who goes by Dr. Joe on TikTok, recommends getting a clean, unused medicine syringe, which doesn’t have a needle.
First, cut the tip off the syringe to create a small opening. Then, place the hole over the end of the splinter, ensuring a tight seal around the area. Slowly pull back the plunger to create suction to draw the splinter out of the skin.
“This method is effective for shallow splinters, as the vacuum created by the syringe can gently pull the splinter out without causing additional damage to the surrounding skin,” Whittington explained in his 20-second TikTok that’s drawn more than 1.1 million views this week.
Whittington reminded his 1.9 million TikTok followers to sterilize the area with the splinter before and after the suction to prevent infection.
In the comments section, TikTok users offered other splinter withdrawal methods that don’t involve a needle, safety pin or tweezers.
“Elmers glue too pour it on splinter and let it dry. Peel away. Works like a charm,” one person enthused.
“I put a hair wax strip on top of the splinter and pull it off,” another declared.
“There is a bite/venom extraction device similar to a hypodermic except that it works in reverse. I have used them for years for splinter removal — perfect!” a third added.
The American Society for Surgery of the Hand warns that not removing a wood splinter or thorn can cause the surrounding area to become red, swollen and painful.
“Skin is a physical barrier that prevents infections. Leaving a splinter in the skin makes it easier for bacteria outside of the skin to actually get under the skin,” certified nurse practitioner Ashley Jones told Live Science.
Glass, metal and plastic objects that get embedded in the skin are less likely to cause inflammation or infection because the body reacts to organic material, like from plants.
“Nine times out of 10, splinters are trivial things. But the classic scenario where things go wrong and end up in our clinic relates to vegetable matter,” Australian dermatologist Adam Sheridan explained in 2017.
“They are the ones that most often cause infection and an immune reaction,” he added. “The splinter is seen as a living foreign body and we’re designed to reject that.”
Splinters sometimes require a visit to the emergency room.
The Cleveland Clinic recommends a trip to the doc if the splinter is near the eye or under the fingernail, the skin has become red or hardened, there’s a white or yellow discharge, the splinter is deep or has broken off several times, or it’s still stuck after 10 to 15 minutes of trying to remove it.
Besides using a needle, Cleveland Clinic proposes placing a piece of sticky tape over the splinter and lifting gently, soaking the area in a mixture of Epsom salt and warm water or covering the spot with manuka honey and a bandage for a few hours.