Slivers

Updated on April 29, 2009
S.M. asks from Madison, WI
25 answers

Hi Moms,
Today I noticed five small slivers in my four-year old's hand. I cannot seem to get them out (she really doesn't let me try that much). She pulls her hand away quickly - doesn't seem to enjoy the sight or feeling of a needle and tweezers. That's what I have used on myself. Anyway, how can I get these out (without causing trauma, please)? They are thin and pretty short. ???

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E.T.

answers from Rochester on

It sometimes works to cover the slivers with medical tape or the sticky part of a band-aid. The adhesive will adhere to the sliver and slowly pull it out. It might take a couple of days. It doesn't always work though if the slivers are in pretty deep. Good luck!

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K.C.

answers from Janesville-Beloit on

My son will not let us take them out either so we have to wait until he goes to sleep and then let "The Sandman" come get them. He finds it pretty funny that the sandman sneaks in and takes them after he goes to sleep.

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

Try using tape, duct tape or packaging tape, stick it to her fingers and then pull the direction of the slivers. it should pull the slivers right out.
Or put a piece of tomato on the sliver and wrap with a bit of gauze and tape leave overnight remove gauze and tape and the slivers will be gone. I know this sounds a little far out but it really works. I got a small piece of very brittle glass in my foot and couldn't get it out with a tweezers. The glass just kept breaking. I put a very small piece of a tomato, about the size of a dime, and the next morning it was gone. Apparently it has somthing to do with the acid on the tomato, it just pulls any kind of sliver right out.

More Answers

L.C.

answers from Janesville-Beloit on

If they are sticking out at all, you can use tape.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Minneapolis on

I have heard that placing raisins in each sliver will slowly pull them out. Good luck!

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R.D.

answers from Duluth on

Hi S.,
Try putting a dap of glue on the area with the slivers and hold her hand until the glue dries (elmer's glue, white school glue). When you peal the dried glue off the area, the slivers should come out with the glue. This should work unless the slivers are too embedded. Good luck. R.

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S.B.

answers from St. Cloud on

If they are relatively close to the surface of the skin we use a nail clippers and clip them out. They always flinch and try to pull away with anticipation of the pain, but usually say it doesn't hurt when we are done. Best wishes, S.

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S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I use band-aids. Put the sticky part of the band-aid over the area with the splinters. Change the band-aid in the morning and evening, and before you know it, they'll be gone!

Good luck!

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A.W.

answers from Duluth on

When my son was young, he had a sliver in his hand & when I had him into the Dr. for a regular checkup I asked him to take it out. He refused saying that it would be too up setting so just have him help wash the dishes. The warm water would help easing it out by itself. It worked! It may take more than one try.

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B.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

Try soaking in peroxide it may help push it out or open the pores of the skin enough to get at it better.

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E.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

Black salve... it's a lotion that you can put on and it will bring the slivers to the surface. I couldn't find it at my area health food stores so I found it online and ordered it. just google it!

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T.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi S.
this may sound wierd but it is how I get my kids and my slivers out. Take a piece of bread and add just a enough milk to make it like a paste. put it on a band aid and put the band aid on your daughters sliver leave it over night and they should come out by morning if not. repeat Good luck T.

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R.N.

answers from St. Cloud on

I would have her play in water to soak the slivers out.

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S.A.

answers from Duluth on

What has always worked for me is glue. Smear a little elmores glue over the area, let it dry and then peel the glue off. Also if the slivers are not bothering her let her "wash" the dishes or soak her hands in the bathroom sink, alot of time this will help them work out by themselves.
Good Luck!

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L.A.

answers from Lincoln on

When she is fast asleep at night, quietly sneak to her bedside with a small light, needle, and tweezers and gently do the surgery. Works for us!

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L.

answers from Minneapolis on

As suggested by others, I'd try tape. If that doesn't work or your daughter won't let you try, wait until your daughter is asleep and then use the tweezers and/or needle. My 2 year old had a splinter on foot a few weeks ago and wouldn't let us near it. We waited until she was asleep and got the splinter out easily.

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K.K.

answers from Milwaukee on

Soaking the hand in warm water several times a day will cause them to be pushed out as her skin puffs up from the water. If she won't sit with her hand in a bowl, you may have to give her several long baths a day. As long as they aren't burrowing deeper, or look infected they should work themselves out in a few days. Good Luck!

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P.H.

answers from Fargo on

Unless they are infected or bothering her... just leave them. They will come out on their own as the skin goes through it's natural sloughing. If they are thin and pretty short, it sounds like that is your best option. I always leave the ones my kids get (unless they are large and bothersome) and they dissapear within a few weeks.

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B.W.

answers from Rochester on

watkins sauve and a bandaide

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E.B.

answers from Duluth on

I have used a pumice stone or a oh, what are they called...I have one from some "party" I attended--it's the rough stick thingy used for the same purpose as a pumice stone. Anyway, I put my son in a bath and soften up his skin around the sliver and work it out. Also, if they're small, and not painful, we've left them in and just kept an eye on them. Usually they fall out and cause no problems. It's a lot better than him screaming and screaming.

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L.M.

answers from Milwaukee on

I just went through this about a month ago with my 3 year old. He would NOT let me near his 2 slivers for 2 days. Coincidentally we were at the doctor for my other son's checkup and they were more concerned with my 3 year old's slivers than anything because they were started to get red and a little infected. So please, don't leave it in...or at least monitor it closely.

I watched it for 2 days...he took long baths to try to soak it out, he actually stood and held is hand in Epson Salt water for like 45 minutes one night because he didn't want me touching it and that didn't work either. Nothing was working.

So finally I tried again to take it out. I just talked and talked and talked him through it. He would start to freak out and then I'd back off and we'd talk more about it. I let him feel like he was in control...I let him help hold the tweezers, I let him try it on me, etc. I did everything I had to...told him it would only hurt for a second like a shot but then it would feel MUCH better when they came out; I reminded him that we would have to go to the hospital if he didn't let me take them out; I bribed him with a reward if he let me take them out, etc. He was pretty good about it - it just took a lot of negotiating.

Good luck :)

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A.H.

answers from Appleton on

I haven't had to deal with this yet as a mom (thank goodness!), but when I had slivers as a child, my dad would always ice the area first. It numbed it a bit, and got me to sit still for a while so he could pull them out.

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

We've always used thin needles. Just make sure to heat it will a flame first to disinfect it.

Tweezers and bigger things like that just push on the sliver (unless it's sticking so far out you can just grab it.) The needle is relatively painless. I would have her sit opposite of you, sort of like you're in front of her, so she can't see what you're doing and you can kind of hold her down a little. Put the tv on while you do this. Or let her eat a treat with her other hand.... Some kind of distraction.

K.C.

answers from Davenport on

I've used tape to get out splinters. A small piece of duct tape works well as it protects the area and after a few hours (anywhere from overnight to a full day depending on how deep it is), the area becomes moist enough under the tape to raise the splinter up then when you take the tape off, the splinter comes with it!

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