If you’ve just put a staple in your hand, get ready to be the butt of everyone’s jokes for the next week. Accidentally stapling your hand is surprisingly easy to do, especially if you were working at a quick pace. Fortunately, it’s not something that’s going to require a trip to the emergency room. Though it’s painful–and shocking–when it happens, you can rest assured that it will all be over in just a few minutes.
Step 1
Wash the area with antibacterial soap. Though many people will notice the staple, freak out and pull it out immediately, washing it first can prevent infections and also lubricate the staple, making it easier to remove. You probably never noticed this until now, but staples actually have rough edges that can make it difficult to remove them from your hands.
Step 2
Hold the staple firmly. Depending on the way the staple went into your hand, this could prove difficult. If you’re having a difficult time holding on (or if you’re trying to do it with your non-dominant hand), try using some pliers to get a better grip.
Step 3
Yank it out. You need to pull it out quickly, in a straight, fluid motion. If you go too slowly, it will hurt more and you’re going to chicken out. Gather your courage, and get it over with.
Step 4
Examine the staple. You want to make sure that you’ve removed all the pieces, so look at the staple you pulled out and make sure that it looks whole. Otherwise, you may have to go to the hospital to have the rest removed.
Step 5
Wash and bandage the area. Use antibacterial soap to wash the area. Cover it up to prevent infection.
Warnings
- Though it is unlikely that you would contract tetanus from stapling your hand, you may want to get a new tetanus shot if you haven’t had one in the past five years. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned.
Photo Credit
- stapler image by Aditia Patria Warman from Fotolia.com
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