Ouch! Tiny piece of glass in my foot, how do I get it out?

[imported_Tomato]

I broke a plate last night while doing the dishes, and apparently I stepped on a tiny piece of glass which has embedded itself in the sole of my foot. It hurts to walk or put any pressure on that area, and I think the skin has actually closed over the cut (and glass). What would be the best way of getting it out?

(I just showed it to my coworker who is rummaging around for tools he could use to potentially help get it out)

EDIT:

Okay, I'm back... my coworker had a pin, two small knives, and a very dull pair of tweezers. He put some rubbing alcohol on my foot, dug around, and had to cut a flap of skin off with the knife. It hurt like HELL. After digging and carving around for awhile, he finally pulled out a TINY sliver of glass... now my foot is bandaged and sore, but the sharp piercing pain is gone when I walk. I'm going to go home and vacuum my kitchen floor, I'm afraid there may be many more of those little slivers lying around... last night after the plate broke, I just wiped up the big pieces with a piece of paper towel.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, I'll be sure to keep them in mind should this ever again (but hopefully, it won't).

 

[T2T III]

Tweezers?

 

[jagec]

It's already in too deep...just pound it in the rest of the way, and forget about it

other than that....go digging...

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Tweezers?

Nobody has them around here, I guess I'll have to wait until I go home for lunch. I only have eyebrow tweezers though, I guess I'll have to stop by the drugstore for a finer/sharper pair.

 

[dquan97]

tweezers + Xacto knife. I've pulled a strand of hair that was embedded in my foot before

 

[imported_FishTaco]

Stick out your foot then drop a spoon next to a ninja.

 

[OrByte]

steel brush.

just start goin at it!

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

7mg/kg Lidocaine w/ Epinephrine, rubber band, scalpel, forceps. :evil: I love surgery.

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: dquan97
tweezers + Xacto knife. I've pulled a strand of hair that was embedded in my foot before

OUCH. How did that get stuck in there?

I'm looking around at what I have available... would an office push-pin work as a crude Xacto knife?

 

[vshah]

soak your foot in warm water first.

 

[Megatomic]

I have to do this for my wife and kids constantly. I am now an expert. My Leatherman Wave has all the tools needed to do this job properly, also. Too bad there are several thousand miles between your foot and my knife.

 

[kage69]

Isn't that the worst? At least with wood splinters you can soak your foot and the water will soften the wood so you may be able to push it out. No such luck with glass.

The last time that happened to me I ended up 'shaving' as much skin off from around the wound as I could with a very sharp blade. If it's not too deep and you're lucky, the edge will grab onto the glass and you can drag it out. Otherwise, you're going to have to just bite down and go in after it with some tweezers or something.

Feel your pain, good luck!

 

[everman]

Walk it off.

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I have to do this for my wife and kids constantly. I am now an expert. My Leatherman Wave has all the tools needed to do this job properly, also. Too bad there are several thousand miles between your foot and my knife.

*weeps*

Ow ow ow, it really hurts... Stupid tiny piece of glass.

 

[Nyati13]

A sharp small knife, a pair of needle nose pliers, a lighter, and some rubbing alcohol. First use the lighter to torch the knife and pliers, let them cool (or not if you want to experience something really funky), and then as someone else said.. Go digging!

I pulled a hookworm larvea out of my heel once like that. (I did let the knife cool first..I ain't that stupid)

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: vshah
soak your foot in warm water first.

Thanks for the tip vshah, I will.

 

[Slvrtg277]

Pics?

 

[dnuggett]

Grab a lighter and a needle (pin). Heat the needle to sterilize it and dig away. The sole of your foot is prety tough and the first few layers of skin will come off without much pain. I stepped on a row of roofing staples about 3" long that went all the way into my heel recently. Man that was the weirdest sound when the skin popped...

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Tomato

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I have to do this for my wife and kids constantly. I am now an expert. My Leatherman Wave has all the tools needed to do this job properly, also. Too bad there are several thousand miles between your foot and my knife.

*weeps*

Ow ow ow, it really hurts... Stupid tiny piece of glass.

Sorry. Someone there has to have some kind of toolkit that can be used to get it out.

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: kage69
Isn't that the worst? At least with wood splinters you can soak your foot and the water will soften the wood so you may be able to push it out. No such luck with glass.

The last time that happened to me I ended up 'shaving' as much skin off from around the wound as I could with a very sharp blade. If it's not too deep and you're lucky, the edge will grab onto the glass and you can drag it out. Otherwise, you're going to have to just bite down and go in after it with some tweezers or something.

Feel your pain, good luck!

OUCH!!!!!!!! That sounds REALLY painful... what kind of blade did you use? A shaving razor? I hope I don't have to resort to that

 

[parody]

suck on it.


















wait, that's snakebites, sorry.

 

[imported_Tomato]

Originally posted by: dnuggett
Grab a lighter and a needle (pin). Heat the needle to sterilize it and dig away. The sole of your foot is prety tough and the first few layers of skin will come off without much pain. I stepped on a row of roofing staples about 3" long that went all the way into my heel recently. Man that was the weirdest sound when the skin popped...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good grief, you guys have been through much worse than I have... I don't know if I have the right tweezers, so I may end up using a needle/pin. 20 more minutes until lunchtime

 

[waggy]

I had one that was really deep. i wussed out and went to the doctor. he put a local on it and had to cut it out. When i tried to get it out myself i could only see small part. When he pulled it out it was huge! about 1/4inch long sliver of glass.

This is the reason i do not have glass glasses anymore.

 

[Kyteland]

If you want the serious but absolutely disgusting method of removing it, use a bread and milk poultice.

Get a bit of bread (the cheap kind works great) and get it soaked with milk. Place over the entry point and cover so it doesn't leak (like with a plastic bag and athletic tape). This will remove anything: splinters, glass, boils, infections, anything. The only downside is that is is the nastiest feeling thing and you have to leave it on for a number of hours for it to work.

My mom made me use one when I was little on a very infected ingrown toenail and it cleared it right up. I still shudder every time I think about it.

 

[parody]

bread and milk? you're kidding, right?