splinter/thorn in finger

[ceridwen]

Just a quick query - I've had some sort of splinter/thorn from a plant in my thumb for a few days and its irritating - any ideas on quick/easy method to remove it please?

Thanks.

[lindsey toffee girl]

Use a needle and scrap along it not with the sharp end of the needle though with the side of it, then get some savalon on your hand

[McKneff]

it needs doing soon, they can go septic pretty quickly

[ceridwen]

ooh...whoops....not a cheering thought....but thanks for that....the "septic" possibility that is.....

All further suggestions welcome purlease....

...some might say that serves me right for doing a bit of guerilla gardening...which is how come the thorn/splinter and me "got acquainted"...oh well....:cool:

[McKneff]

Please dont wait for suggestions, gardening thorns etc can give you a lot worse than septic but i didnt want to alarm you too much - do it now - an ice cube on it for a couple of minutes before hand really does help

[ceridwen]

Reet...just off to look out an icecube tray and see whether I can find some room to cram it in the freezer....

Ta.

[Finefoot]

You can soak it in really salty water to try to draw it out. When was your last tetanus jab?

[McKneff]

Doesnt need to be an ice cube, just grab anything frozen out of the freezer

oh dear -I was trying so hard not to mention the word 'tetanus':p

Was that a scottish reet or a geordie reet

[lindsey toffee girl]

let us know when you,ve done it

[got-it-spend-it]

I find if I cover a splinter with a plaster for an hour or so its much easier to get out as the skin goes softer around it.

[Mojisola]

We have a tub of magnesium sulphate paste in the house for problems like this. It draws out the splinter so you don't have to dig it out. Available at most chemists.

[ceridwen]

Thanks all...sorted now due to various suggestions. I've duly made note to self "wear leather gloves when doing owt like this in future"....

[Pennylane]

Your'e lucky then! :j I was pricked by hawthorn about 4 weeks ago and am on my third lot of antibiotics and am getting 2nd tetanus jab next week. I am also being sent to hospital to have a scan to see what's going on in finger. It is hot, swollen and throbs sometimes.

I have been out and bought the thickest gardening gloves I can find now!!;)

[ceridwen]

Crikey Penny - just as well it wasnt hawthorn in my case then. Hope you soon get this sorted out.