# Do I have to cut this hay sliver out of my finger?



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I somehow managed to get a sliver of alfalfa hay under the skin right above one of my knuckles. That was two days ago. I tried squeezing and pinching it out, but it's entirely buried in there and I can't even figure out which way it went in. I have taken a couple of hot showers since then, but the warmth didn't, I don't know, open up my skin or anything. Am I going to have to get something and cut it out? Will it eventually come out on its own? It doesn't hurt and isn't bothering me at all, except mentally LOL.

Related: I am slowly becoming one with the alfalfa hay. I got a bunch of dust in my nose when I first got it, which I think mostly came out, and then this sliver, and then I went to blow my nose with a handkerchief I had in my pocket which I had alfalfa bits on it, and I guess I inhaled while I was there because I felt one of the bits go up my nose and into the back of my throat.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

If you know how to make the area and instrument sterile I often mutilate myself to get stuff out - surface splinters etc and let my immune system figure out the rest and have done for years. But we have the NHS to fall back on (unsure about your own situation). People have come in septic over a small graze so just need to keep an eye on any symptoms that might pop up. My knee injury was quite deep and I never did go a & e but I should have and was taking my temperature throughout the two nights it didn't stop bleeding (area made it hard). So extreme writing that out but just to be safe. I'm not one to take antibiotics for any little thing unless I'm really struggling and preferably knowing what best ones to use or after a culture etc. If you have a scalpel and tweezers go at it. Pick at it with a sterile needle to make an opening but that hurts a bit more obviously.

Just the other day I dug out three bramble thorns in my palm. Sheesh it hurts there! I'd much rather top of my fingers! Personally I would have done it already without thinking. If that's playing too risky given the healthcare situation there then either wait for your body to hopefully push it out or see a doctor.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Drawing salve _might_ help...
I would try Ichthammol drawing salve...it black, gooey and stains anything it touches...beware!
You can buy it in any pharmacy department for people, or farm/tack store.
I have a economy sized tub for the horses I use on humans too _{we use a lot it seems.  }_
















Apply liberally over the entire area affected since you _not_ know which direction it went in.
Apply a loose dressing like a gauze pad and tape in place or XL band-aid can work too...
For me, that often has the foreign body moving within a day out of my body...
If it remains, you need to see a doctor for removal since unless you can actually see it it could be deeper than you should be digging with no sanitary and antiseptic environment...sepsis is real and dangerous if not deadly when ignored.
If it splinters during removal it will create a infection for foreign material in your body, that hurts!
A current Tetanus booster is advised for any and all who work in what is considered a filthy environment prone to bad things happening in those unprotected. That be horses and barn environment....
🐴...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I figured I could just get an exacto blade or a box knife and wipe it with an alcohol wipe before cutting, and that would disinfect it. I guess wipe my finger, too.

But @horselovinguy I will check out that drawing salve. Probably not a bad idea to have some on hand for the horses anyways.


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I still have a small thorn stuck in the side of my finger from a trip to Malaysia in 2003, so don’t take my advice!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

ACinATX said:


> I figured I could just get an exacto blade or a box knife and wipe it with an alcohol wipe before cutting, and that would disinfect it. I guess wipe my finger, too.
> 
> But @horselovinguy I will check out that drawing salve. Probably not a bad idea to have some on hand for the horses anyways.



that's what I would do. the body might work it out, with pus and pain, or 'incorporate ' it. Neither of which is desireable to me. snip snip, over and done!


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## Txshecat0423 (May 27, 2020)

I’m sorry, @ACinATX, but “becoming one with the alfalfa” made me laugh out loud! When I was giving the horses hay yesterday evening in that dang wind, the wind blew a huge chunk right into my mouth as I was talking to my husband. Told him I guessed I had made my forage requirement for the day 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I usually just wait a couple days and then it pops right out.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

farmpony84 said:


> I usually just wait a couple days and then it pops right out.


That's what I wanted to hear LOL. I will go ahead and order the drawing salve because why not, but maybe in the meantime I will just wake up one day and it will be gone.

Or I will have started slowly turning green.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I just use a needle and tweezers to dig out any and all splinters. Many times you can use the needle to remove some skin then squeeze it out, sometimes you gotta dig.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

You can use magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) paste to make a poultice and it will likely come out on its own in a few days.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Take a piece of bacon, put it over the hay bit and then put a couple bandaids over it. In a couple days, you can pull the bandaids and the splinter might be out on the bacon. Beats the heck out of cutting your finger up.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Take a piece of bacon, put it over the hay bit and then put a couple bandaids over it. In a couple days, you can pull the bandaids and the splinter might be out on the bacon. Beats the heck out of cutting your finger up.


Eww! I'd rather have the hay inside my finger than the bacon fermenting outside of my finger. Also the only bacon I have is vegan bacon which probably wouldn't work LOL.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

ACinATX said:


> Eww! I'd rather have the hay inside my finger than the bacon fermenting outside of my finger. Also the only bacon I have is vegan bacon which probably wouldn't work LOL.


I think it's mainly the salt. I've tried drawing salve on stuff like that but it hasn't been real successful.


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## lovetolope (Nov 20, 2021)

I've had that happen before so many times... It's really annoying! 
I always pull mine out after I've taken a long, hot shower and my fingers get all wrinkly. Makes it less painful and easier to pull out. And if you have to dig a little, your skin is softer after a shower which will make getting it out easier. 🙂


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I usually pick slivers out with a needle and tweezers, at least if they hurt. Sometimes they will get into a dead layer of skin and you don't even feel them and I suppose you could leave them, but if I don't feel it, then I might as well pick it out. I haven't had good luck letting things fester and pop out on their own and they usually hurt that way too. But that's just my experience. Not sure that's the right answer. 

I've had a couple of slivers I didn't even know were there that sort of encapsulated and I picked them out much later as a hard bump in my skin, like "what the heck IS that? Oh, looks like a sliver." Not sure that helps!


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## wvfarrier (Sep 13, 2021)

Oh for the love of pete....just take a small razor and make a slit on top of the sliver, grab with tweezers then disinfect. Ya'll crack me up.


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## CaliforniaDreaming (May 8, 2011)

Got any tomatoes?

true faxs. The enzymes in the tomato draw out woody fibers. I once got a nasty big splinter under my finger nail when I reached against the back wall of my hay shed to pick up a flake of hay. Did a Google search and saw something about tomatoes. Cut a slice, wrapped it over my hand and maybe about 20 minutes later, could pull the splinter out without mutilating myself.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

CaliforniaDreaming said:


> Got any tomatoes?
> 
> true faxs. The enzymes in the tomato draw out woody fibers. I once got a nasty big splinter under my finger nail when I reached against the back wall of my hay shed to pick up a flake of hay. Did a Google search and saw something about tomatoes. Cut a slice, wrapped it over my hand and maybe about 20 minutes later, could pull the splinter out without mutilating myself.


OK this I will try. I have some of our "New Year's" tomatoes that I picked, just sitting out and going bad. I can cut up one of them.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Yeah I would probably get a sharp tweezers (diamond ends) and an alcohol swab, and dig it out. 
_shrug_


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## BethR (Feb 17, 2021)

AC, I am an absolute FREAK about getting splinters out…the thought of a foreign object that might fester under my skin just makes me go Chernobyl. And as a former landscaper and present gardener, believe me when I say I’ve dealt with a lot of ‘em.
And I won’t stop until it’s out.
I generally use a sterilized needle and tweezers, but if that darn piece of alfalfa is really deep , you may need a very sharp xacto knife. Pinch your finger HARD beforehand to minimize pain. After the offending object is pulled out, soak it in hydrogen peroxide, then use neosporin and cover it with a bandaid.
When I worked for my last employer, we were gusssying up his sister’s property. I was trimming a pyracantha and one of those wicked thorns went deep into my finger. I asked the boss’s sis for a needle and tweezers, but that sucker was in DEEP and it was a long process. She kept insisting on taking me to emergency, but I told her, no, I can get it. 
And get it out I did, but not before I dripped so much blood that she passed out 😟


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## AJ Yammie (Dec 20, 2020)

I either use a knife and just cut a slit over the top or I get clean nail clippers and Kida dig out the skin around it or pinch it with the nail clippers and pull, it pulls out the skin in the same area and kinda hurts but works


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

farmpony84 said:


> I usually just wait a couple days and then it pops right out.


A few days ago, I was loading hay into the barn. When I got ready for bed, I realized I had a hay splinter in the bottom of my big toe. It only hurt when I was walking barefooted, so I ignored it. I figured in a few days, the hay would disintegrate and be gone. It did. It's gone.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Take a piece of bacon, put it over the hay bit and then put a couple bandaids over it. In a couple days, you can pull the bandaids and the splinter might be out on the bacon. Beats the heck out of cutting your finger up.



then go out and pet the dogs. Ignore their interest in the bacon. this is not their bacon.

Hold your bacon-wrapped finger closely over a garlic and ginger infused oil pan, pretty hot. add chopped onions. sliced pineapple. . stir fry hot. add some corn starch and toss over some steamed rice. Voila! sweet and sour bacon finger!!!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Take a piece of bacon, put it over the hay bit and then put a couple bandaids over it. In a couple days, you can pull the bandaids and the splinter might be out on the bacon. Beats the heck out of cutting your finger up.


That's what mom always put on our boils when we were kids. She only used a fat section, no wasting the meaty part! She was in charge of those, dad on the other hand was in charge of splinters and thorns. Since we always went barefoot stepping on thorns was a common occurrence. You prayed you could get it out before dad discovered it. He took whatever means necessary to get it out right now. Pffft...a needle & tweezers ain't nuthin'!


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## lb27312 (Aug 25, 2018)

Yep just the FAT!! @Dreamcatcher Arabians I can't believe you mentioned that! I spent many of times with bacon fat on my foot from stepping on a sticker! I was always running barefoot in my youth and would always get a thorn in my foot!! When it couldn't be gotten out with tweezers then put bacon fat on it! Thanks for the memories!!!


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## puff (Jan 18, 2021)

You can dig it out now or wait until it festers and really hurts.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I always go in with a needle in a situation like this. I pour a little hydrogen peroxide on the needle first, then start seeing if I can tear the skin over the foreign object, one layer at a time, until I can get it exposed enough to pull out. Then I pour more hydrogen peroxide over the wound. 

Hopefully you got it out by now! Hay can be pretty nasty and pointy! 

The things we go through for our horses... ever look down at your bloody hands and have a sudden panic attack because you think your horse is bleeding? Then realize it's just your blood? And actually feel relieved that it's not your horse? Happens to me all the time. Especially in the cold when my hands are numb anyway.


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

Being someone that works outside and having horses and other livestock I just dig them out, I've done it so many times, just a think less thing for me I guess.I get a needle and go threw the layers of skin until its out.
Never had Alfalfa hay as a splinter but other hay yes along with wood splinters, sticker burrs, wire.


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