If you spend enough time outdoors in Arizona or a similar climate, there’s a good chance you’ll eventually have a run in with a cactus. A mild poke on the sleeve as you walk down the trail isn’t all that serious, but if you step on a cactus or trip and place your hand on one, needles can embed quite deep in your skin.
I’ve only been treating patients for a couple of months here in Phoenix, and I’ve already had to surgically remove cactus thorn from feet, and in my discussions with colleagues and patients, it seems like a pretty common occurrence. Because of this, we want to use today’s blog to share some tips for preventing and treating cactus thorn injuries to the feet.
Preventing Cactus Thorn Injuries
Let’s begin by talking about some of the ways you can prevent cactus thorn injuries if you’ll be spending time outdoors. Some prevention tips include:
- Wear closed-toe protective shoes
- Wear long sleeves to prevent injuries to the arms
- Regularly monitor your surroundings to be aware of cacti in the area
- Stay on paths
- Stay away from areas where cacti are present
Treating Cactus Thorn Injuries
It’s not always possible to follow all of the above tips, and even when you try your best, injuries can still occur. If you step on a cactus or get thorns embedded in your foot, it’s imperative that you care for them correctly to avoid additional tissue damage or the onset of an infection. Here’s what we recommend:
Clean The Area – Clean the area with water and soap. Alcohol can further irritate the skin, so stick to the basics of water and soap.
Use A Tweezers To Remove Large Needles – Use a tweezers to remove any medium or large thorns that are embedded in your foot. Take your time and firmly grasp the barb before carefully pulling it out and disposing of the object in a waste basket.
Fine Needle Removal – Some needles, like those of the prickly pear cactus, may be too small to be removed with a tweezers. Some people attempt to remove these fine hair-like needles by applying packing tape to the area before peeling it off to see if the needles come off with the tape. Another option is to go into your craft closet and apply some glue to the area before placing a layer of gauze on top. Once the glue hardens, you can pull off the gauze and see if the small needles are freed from your skin.
Clean And Dress The Area – If you have successfully removed all the needles from the skin, it’s time to clean the area a second time. Wash the area with water and soap, and consider using cold packs or taking an antihistamine to help reduce swelling and irritation. Covering the area with a thin layer of Vaseline or Aquaphor can also help limit infection risk, but be sure to uncover the area throughout the day to allow the skin to breathe and to promote ideal healing.
Surgical Removal – If you’re struggling to get all the barbs out of your foot, seek medical attention from a foot specialist like Dr. Silverman or a similar provider in your area.
Cactus needle injuries can worsen if the barbs aren’t fully removed or an infection develops because of poor treatment techniques, so if you have any issues managing your thorn prick, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at OrthoArizona today at (602) 648-5444.