Deeply Embedded Splinter.

[Tilly2]

This is a bit trivial compared to some of the questions in this section.

I have a splinter in the palm of my hand which has been there for years. Intermittently it drives me bonkers and itches to distraction. I have been applying mag. sulphate paste for the last few days and I can now feel a slight lump under my skin but can't see anything.

Will the mag sulphate work eventually? Will the splinter come out? Do I need to break the surface of the skin to get it to work?

[Sqad]

" Been there for years" so forget the Mag Sulph.

Yes....you will have to break the skin to get it out.

Either leave it there, remove it yourself or go to the GP

[Sqad]

Sorry Tilly..I may have misread your question.......the Mag Sulph will NOT work even if your broke the skin.

[Tilly2]

Thank you, sqad. I can't do it myself, I'm squeamish!. It seems a trivial thing to go to the GP with. The mag. sulph won't work, you say, so it looks like I need to leave it alone and put up with the itch.

[Sqad]

;-)

[Old_Geezer]

I've heard of bullets working their way out years after the individual got shot, so I'd suspect it was possible. But no idea how long it'd take if it ever did.

You say there's a lump, is that from what you applied, or are you saying it's gradually working it's way to the surface ? Either way the quickest solution must be a small op.

[Tilly2]

I have been able to feel something, (lump is a huge exaggeration on my part) since I've been using the paste. I did feel that it was working it's way out.

[tonyav]

I seem to remember a drawing ointment from when I was a kid, it was known as '' Black Jack '' don't know what it's medical name was though ( maybe it was mag sulphate, I don't know ).

[LyndaB]

I love rooting splinters out!

[Tilly2]

Don't remember 'Black Jack' Tony, apart from the sweets. Magnesium sulphate is a white paste. It is sold as a drawing cream. Perhaps it only works on boils.

[sara3]

I have 2 small pieces of metal embedded in the tip of one finger, they've been there for years. My gp said they would be encapsulated, so it seems they're staying put!

[Tilly2]

Can you come and do mine, Lynda?

[Tilly2]

Do they irritate you sara?

[LyndaB]

I would, but I'm flying off on holiday tomorrow and I have a million and one things to do today. So of course, here I am on AB lol

[tonyav]

Righto Tilly I'll be round with my pliers !.

[sara3]

They don't Tilly, but they're black and quite visible. I used to try to dig them out but I think they're too deep.

[Tilly2]

I've got pliers, Tony. You can use mine.

[Nibble]

OH has had a small rose thorn embedded in the back of her hand for years near the knuckle. It was deep but never surfaced, the skin grew over it. Doesn't bother her at all, but you can still see it below the skin.

[tonyav]

Righto Tilly I bet yours are unused lol.

[Tilly2]

This is a rose thorn. In fact there are two. One of them doesn't bother me. The other one does.

Tony, I used my pliers on Friday to unwind the filter at the bottom of my now defunct washing machine. So there!

[friedgreentomato]

I had what I though was a wart on my thumb pad for years, last year I was looking at it, and noticed a black bit in it- pulled it out and it was a sting (I vagually remember being stung by a wasp)

Anyways with the sting pulled out the 'wart' disapeared!!