Remove Fiberglass Slivers from Your Skin

Fiberglass is all around you. Fibrous wool or glass wool is used for heat and sound insulation; it is found everywhere in things like planes, boats, curtains, construction materials and some plastics. The stiff and very thin strands found in fiberglass are made up of mostly glass mixed in with other materials like wool. These slivers can be very irritating if they get under your skin. If you are going to work around fiberglass, you should know how to remove any pesky splinters.

Steps

Using Tape

1. Have good lighting and a magnifying glass available. Increase your chances of successfully removing the slivers by removing them in a well-lit area. The thin fiberglass fibers are a white or light yellow color. They can be hard to see when stuck in your skin.
2. Find a roll of heavy, sticky tape. You want a tape, like duct tape or electrical tape, that will not rip into pieces when it is pulled. You also want a tape that has a lot of glue to stick to the fiberglass splinters.
3. Do not wash the affected area. This technique works best if the tape can get a solid hold on the fiberglass splinters. Water will make the fiberglass slivers soft and harder to pull out of your skin.
4. Press the tape firmly onto the area(s) with the fiberglass slivers. Hold the tape in place for several minutes with your hand. Make sure the tape makes good contact with your skin and the fiberglass splinters.
5. Pull off the tape in one smooth motion, if you can. Ripping the tape off in a sudden or jerky fashion could take some skin with it, or create sores. This will make the fiberglass slivers even harder to remove. Grip the tape as close to your skin as possible and peel it up and away from your skin. It may be necessary for you to repeat this step several times.
   • Remember that the tape you are using is not made to be gentle on your skin. Therefore, you will have to take extra care removing it.
   • Check the area under the light or with the magnifying glass to make sure all the fiberglass is gone. Rub the area gently with clean hands to feel for anything sharp or tender. This could be a sign that you still have fiberglass in the area.
6. Wash the area with soap and water after all the fiberglass is gone. Pat the area dry. Apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin to prevent infection.
   • It is normal for bacteria or germs to be on the outer layer of our skin. However, the nicks made in your skin by the fiberglass splinters could allow germs or bacteria to get under the skin, which could lead to a skin infection.

Plucking Out the Fiberglass Slivers

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Most people have bacteria and germs on their skin. However, these germs can cause an infection if they get under the skin through the nicks made by the fiberglass splinters.
   • If the fiberglass slivers are in your hand(s), skip this step. You do not want to push the slivers deeper into your skin.
2. Gently cleanse the area you are treating with soap and water. Fiberglass splinters have a tendency to break. You do not want them to break off below the skin or be pushed deeper into your skin. Cleanse the area by letting soapy water flow over it, but don't rub or scrub the area. You could force fibers deeper into your skin.
   • Pour water into any container, rub the soap in between your wet hands, and submerge your hands in the water. Repeat until the water is soapy. If your hands are the affected area, someone will have to do this for you.
   • The same germs that are on your hands are on the skin around the fiberglass slivers. Once you begin to move the slivers around trying to remove them, there is a risk of infection if the germs get under the skin.
3. Clean your tweezers and a sharp needle with rubbing alcohol. Look for fine-tipped tweezers to make grabbing the fibers easier. Bacteria is on every object we use. The alcohol destroys these germs so that you do not put them under the skin as you try to pull out the fiberglass splinters.
   • Rubbing alcohol or ethyl alcohol kills germs by dissolving their outer protective coating; they fall apart and die.
4. Find good lighting and a magnifying glass. Increase your chances of success with removing the fiberglass splinters by working in a well-lit area. The thin fiberglass fibers are a white or light yellow color. They can be hard to see when they are in your skin.
5. Pull out the fiberglass fiber(s) gently with the tweezers. Focus on the tips of the fibers and grasp them, then pull them slowly away from your skin. Try not to push them in deeper. Use a needle if this happens or if the splinter is already completely under the skin.
   • Use a sewing needle that has been sterilized with rubbing alcohol to gently lift skin or break through skin if you can see the splinter just under the skin. Then you can use the tweezers to remove the fiberglass.
   • Do not become frustrated if it takes several attempts to get the splinters out. They can be small. If the tweezers and needle truly are not effective, try using the sticky tape method.
6. Squeeze the skin after all the fiberglass is gone. The bleeding can help wash out germs. This is another way to keep germs from getting under your skin.
7. Wash the area again with soap and water. Pat the area dry. Apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin. You do not have to cover the area you worked on with a bandage.

Monitoring the Area

1. Look for redness in the skin where the fiberglass used to be. Over time, distinguish between irritation and infection. The treatments are different.
   • The fiberglass splinters can cause your skin to become inflamed. You may develop redness along with intense itching and small superficial wounds. Nothing but time can help your wounds to heal. It will help if you avoid working around fiberglass. A steroid cream like Cortaid or a soothing substance like petroleum jelly could make your irritated skin feel better.
   • If the redness in your skin is associated with increased warmth and/or pus, this means you may have a skin infection. Seek medical attention to see if you need antibiotics.
2. Seek medical attention if the fiberglass splinters remain in your skin. Even if your skin is not irritated right now, it could begin to be bothered by the fiberglass. Let a doctor remove the fiberglass for you.
   • If you suspect that the area is infected, see a doctor as soon as possible.
3. Protect yourself from the fiberglass next time. Wear gloves or clothing that do not allow the fiberglass to be on your skin. Do not rub or scratch if you see fibers collecting on the skin. Do not touch your eyes or face while working with the fiberglass, and wear goggles and a mask to avoid fibers getting into your eyes or lungs.
   • Rubbing and scratching could cause the fiberglass fibers on top of your skin to become splinters embedded in your skin. It is best to let water run over your skin and let the fiberglass be washed off that way.
   • After you are done working with the fiberglass, wash your hands well and immediately remove your clothing for washing. Wash clothes that have been exposed to fiberglass separately from other clothing.
   • Pants and long-sleeve shirts are the best option for protecting your skin. This will lower the chances of the fiberglass irritating your skin and slivers getting into your skin.
   • Flush your eyes with cool water for at least 15 minutes if you accidentally get fiberglass slivers in them. Do not rub your eyes. Seek medical attention if the irritation continues after this wash.

Tips

• It is possible that just soaking the affected area in cool to room temperature water could make the fiberglass slivers soft enough to just slide out of your skin. Do not rub the area. Use good lighting and magnifying glass to see if you have had success with this technique. Seek medical attention if the irritation persists.

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• Fiberglass
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