Get Glass out of Your Foot
Slivers of glass are never fun to deal with, especially when you've gotten some stuck in your foot. If you're not up for a trip to the doctor over a minor injury, you can attempt to remove the glass yourself at home. But remember, a trip to the doctor never will hurt you if you need it.
Contents
Steps
Gently Forcing the Glass to the Surface
- Apply pressure to the area. Without pinching or squeezing, apply a firm rubbing pressure to the area around the location of the glass. This will help to slowly move the glass towards the surface of your foot, making it easier to extract.
- Use epsom salts and warm water. Fill a small tub or bowl with warm/hot water (to your liking) and add a cup of epsom salts. Stir the mixture until the salts have completely dissolved, and then place your foot in the water. Let your foot soak for 20-30 minutes; the heat will cause your skin to swell slightly which will make the glass move to the surface, and the epsom salts will aid in drawing out the glass.
- Dab on some castor oil. Castor oil is a great at-home remedy for a small piece of glass lodged in your foot, as it works to naturally draw the glass to the surface of your skin. Heavily soak a gauze pad or cotton ball in castor oil and hold/tape it to your foot over the location of the glass. Leave the castor oil on your foot to soak as long as you can; the longer you let it set, the further out the glass will come.
- Swab on some white glue. White school glue dries quickly and pulls up whatever is stuck underneath of it, making it perfect for pulling out glass. Wipe some white glue onto your foot just over the location of the glass. Allow the glue to dry completely, and then peel it off from the edges working inwards. The glass should stick to the glue (if it was near the surface) and peel outwards with it. The glue may not remove it completely, but will hopefully move it a bit closer to the surface.
Extracting the Glass
- Clean the area. Rinse your foot in cold water to remove any glass that might be stuck on the outside of the skin along with any debris or dirt. Use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine to clean the area where the glass is located. Pour some onto a cotton swab and rub the area around your foot to disinfect it.
- Prepare your tweezers. Find a pair of tweezers with a sharp point, and disinfect them prior to extracting the glass. Put them in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes to kill any bacteria that might be present and could infect your foot. Pat the tweezers dry with a clean towel when you’re finished boiling them, and allow them to cool.
- Get your foot in position. Sit in such a way so that you can see the bottom of your foot clearly, or have a friend set up to help you extract the glass. Move to an area with good lighting or place a lamp/flashlight near your foot so that you can clearly see the extraction point/glass.
- Use the tweezers to pull out the glass. Gently tug in the glass in your foot to try to remove it. You may need to pinch the skin or dig just a bit to try to remove the glass; however, do not insert the tweezers into your foot or cause further damage and pain by damaging the skin.
- If you cannot remove the glass, visit a doctor and have it removed professionally. You could cause serious damage or cause an infection if you try too hard to pull it out.
- Wrap the area with a bandage. Apply a small bandage or gauze to the area once the glass is removed to quell any bleeding that may occur. You can add a bit of antiseptic cream to help prevent infection as well. Dispose of the glass safely, and you’re finished!
Tips
- If you aren't terribly flexible, it will likely be much easier to extract the glass with the help of a friend.
- Make sure to remember to not wear tight shoes for a bit afterwards.
- There will be pain after the glass is extracted, so be sure to not apply as much pressure on the foot as you would normally do when walking, running, etc.
- If the glass is trapped underneath the skin, visit a doctor.
Warnings
- If the piece of glass is large, has made a wound that is wide, deep or bleeding heavily, or cannot be removed completely seek medical attention promptly.
Things You'll Need
- Tweezers
- Disinfectant
- Hot Water
- Epsom Salts
- Castor Oil
- White Glue
- Bandage
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