Sarah CB Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Ds (9) was picking something up off the floor and had a pencil in one hand and somehow ended up with the tip of the pencil puncturing his fingernail and breaking off in it. I'm attaching the picture - hopefully it works. His finger hurts, but it's not discoloured or warm or swollen. We've tried soaking it in the hot tub and then using a nail brush to try and dislodge it. We've tried using a sharp pin around the edge of the graphite to see if we can flick it out. Neither of those attempts worked. Could use Dr. Hive - any ideas on how to get it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 If continues to hurt, or gets infected, you might want to take him in. But, if there's no blood oozing under the nail, I wouldn't worry about it at all. Most likely, it will just move up the nail as it grows, and in a few weeks, he'll be able to cut that part of the nail off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Maybe a cotton swab or something with a dot of superglue would stick enough to pull it out? That really is a freak accident though. I don't think I've ever seen that before. Ouch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I had my own freak pencil accident last year where I caught my wrist on the end of a freshly sharpened pencil in my kids stationary pot. Blood everywhere. I was convinced the end was still in as it was grey (and still is) but couldn't get it out and it has done me no harm. My only suggestion for that particular place is tweezers. I think if that doesn't help I'd be inclined to see a doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Would holding the finger in a bowl with hydrogen peroxide be enough to dissolve it, possibly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 Thanks for the ideas! I'm off to experiment on ds. Hopefully something works. I'll report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasperstone Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I know castor oil draws stuff out.Though you would need to soak cotton wool in it, and bandage it up well. And also leave it on overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 If you can't get this out soon, I would take him in for assistance. If you see any sign of infection, take it seriously. My niece had a freak pencil accident that quickly progressed and ended in a terrible infection, sepsis (I hope that's the word in trying to find, I am very tired - infection in the blood), she spent time in ICU, and had a PICC line at home for weeks. All because of stepping on a pencil. She laughs about it now, because it was a colored pencil, and, well, her foot turned that same color. But it was scary. ETA: sorry to sound so doom and gloom. Freak pencil accidents clearly scare me now. I'm sure your kiddo will be fine, and as long as it's not infected it will just grow out. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mermo Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I have a piece of graphite in the palm of my hand since I was 9. It has never been a problem. Watch for infection, bandaid with neosporin would be my choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 Ok - I have tried crazy glue. I have tried tape. I have tried letting it dissolve in hydrogen peroxide. Nothing is working. So far, no signs of infection. It isn't turning colour, swelling, or getting hot. It is still painful for ds though. I don't have epsom salts or castor oil so haven't tried either of those ideas yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I had a piece of graphite from a mechanical pencil slid in along my thumb nail. Actually, the pencil stabbed me when I reached into a drawer and when I pulled it out, the graphite remained behind. I couldn't get it out so I left it alone. The skin healed over it and it didn't bother me for ages. Then, one day, many months, if not a year, late, I noticed a sore spot and a bit of swelling. After playing around with it, I saw the piece pf graphic was poking its way back out. I pushed and played a bit and the end of the piece popped out and i was able to remove it. If it hadn't worked its own way out, it would probably still be in there. Could you buy some drawing salve, or even use vaseline and cover it with a bandage for 24-48 hours. That's what we did as kids when we had splinters. (I'm not sure how much the drawing salve helps - It always seemed to me that the wrinkly skin from being covered just made it easier to grab a hold of the object. But, at any rate, a bandaid and some salve and 48 hours of patience seems like a benign thing to try. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 If this was my kid, and I had tried the home remedies, I would head to urgent care. My DS had a tick embedded in his back to a degree that I have NEVER seen a tick get attached. I had to tale him to urgent care where they applied a topical analgesic and literally cut the tick out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 A baking soda and water paste draws out splinters - you could try that. Make the paste, put it on the pencil part, wrap with a bandaid, wait 12 to 24 hours. I've known several people to live decades with graphite and even shrapnel pieces in their bodies. I also have horrifying stories of infections and traveling foreign bodies that are life threatening. I would keep trying things but at the first sign of any kind of infection, I would take him in. Also, if it is really bothering him, I would take him to have it lanced out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasperstone Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I would buy castor oil first, as it draws even glass out. Just make sure it has a soaked piece over the nail and covered well. It needs to be left at least 12 hours. When my ds was a baby he got seaweed in his nappy after playing at the beach. A few days later his private part was oozing stuff (infection) out of it! I rang a guy we see for natural remedies first, as I didn't want to go down the antibotic path just yet. He told me to drizzle castor oil generously into the nappy area. The next morning on the tip of his private part was a piece of long hard seaweed. And the infection was gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 In case anyone is curious, I had him soak it twice a day in hydrogen peroxide and I covered it with polysporin and we bandaged it before bed each night. The piece of graphite - which was probably about 4mm long! eventually dislodged itself and moved further under his nail towards the middle. He (without telling me!) took a small brush/pick thing that dd used to clean her braces and dug it out. So glad I wasn't around for that. Half his nail has now turned white so I'm assuming it's healed underneath and that's just regular dead nail on top. It doesn't hurt anymore and it looks like we got through this without an infection or anything else going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Glad to hear good news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I'm so glad he got it out! I had no idea that it was so long. I was just picturing the little tip stuck in his nail, not going all the way into his finger. Owie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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