1. First Aid Essentials Slideshow Pictures
2. First Aid Bandaging Injuries Slideshow Pictures
3. First Aid Sprains & Strains Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Clifford Spanierman, MD

Medical Editor:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

View Full Profile

Most splinters are easily removed at home without complications. On occasion, the person may need to see a doctor.

• A splinter under a fingernail may be impossible to remove at home. Unless removed, it almost always becomes infected.
• Very deep splinters may require removal by a doctor. Some splinters may be lodged so deeply that only an anesthetic injection allows for a painless removal.
• Infection is usually noted with discharge (pus), increased pain, redness, swelling, or red streaking. This could be a sign that a foreign body has not been fully removed. All foreign bodies contain large amounts of germs. Even with complete removal and adequate cleansing, infection may still develop because the protective skin barrier was broken.
• Large splinters that interfere with sensation or movement have the potential for creating deep puncture wounds, which may embed in nerves and tendons (and even blood vessels).
• With uncooperative patients, such as children, it may be difficult to restrain a child and remove a splinter. If this is the case, seek medical help.
• An area of inflammation, which was previously the site of a splinter, may be a retained fragment.

For serious bleeding or complications from infection associated with splinters or deep puncture wounds, go to a hospital's emergency department.

Must Read Articles Related to Splinters

First Aid Kits Information about what you need in a first aid kit for your home, travel, and how to gather all of the necessary supplies to be prepared for a medical emergency...learn more >>

Puncture Wound A puncture wound is caused by an object piercing the skin such as nails, glass, pins, or other sharp objects. A puncture wound can become infected if not treate...learn more >>

Tetanus Tetanus is an infectious disease caused by contamination of wounds from the bacteria Clostridium tetani, or the spores they produce that live in the soil, and a...learn more >>

See the Entire Splinters Topic Guide »