How to Remove Cactus Needles

Co-authored by Maggie Moran

Last Updated: July 2, 2021 References Approved

Whether you’re cultivating prickly pears at home or exploring wide-open desert trails, getting pierced by a cactus plant can put a major damper on an otherwise pleasant day. Thankfully, there are plenty of different ways to remove cactus needles from your skin, hair, and clothes, cutting down the amount of discomfort you’ll have to deal with.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing Needles from Your Body

1
Take out standard cactus needles using tweezers. If you can see a cactus needle clearly, grip the end of it with a pair of tweezers and pull it out. To avoid snapping the needle, do your best to remove it in a single, straight motion.^{[1]
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- If the needle gets buried deep under your skin, locate the tip furthest away from the entry wound and gently push it out.
EXPERT TIP

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist

Get emergency medical care for needles on your face or in your mouth. Horticulturalist Maggie Moran explains, “Any needle injury to your mouth or around your face and neck requires immediate, professional medical attention. Do not attempt to remove the needles yourself. Go to an urgent care clinic or emergency room.”
2
Brush off glochids using a nylon stocking. Glochids are thin, hairlike cactus needles that are shorter and less rigid than regular cactus spines. To remove them, put on protective gardening gloves and wad up a pair of nylon pantyhose. Then, rub the hose against the affected area to pull out the glochids.^{[2]
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- When dealing with glochids, nylon hose provides all the adhesive power of duct tape without causing any unwanted skin irritation.
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3
Pull out stubborn cactus hairs with rubber cement. Using a cotton swab, tongue depressor, or other small applicator, apply a large amount of rubber cement to the pierced area. Let the adhesive dry, then pull the edges of the cement up slowly and carefully. Repeat the process multiple times to remove as many needles as possible.^{[3]
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- Your drying time will vary based on which brand of rubber cement you use.
- You may feel some slight pain as the adhesive dries. To combat this, take a standard dose of an over-the-counter painkiller like acetaminophen.
4
Dress your wound after getting the needles out. After removing the cactus needles from your skin, clean the pierced area with fresh water for 5 to 10 minutes. Once you’ve removed as much dirt and debris as you can, apply antibiotic cream to the wound and cover the entire affected area with gauze wrap or a bandage.^{[4]
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- For safety, wash your hands with antibacterial soap before cleaning the wound.
- If you see any cactus hairs in the wound site, pick them out using tweezers sterilized with antibacterial soap.
- Until the wound heals, change your bandage at least once a day or whenever it becomes dirty or wet.
5
Seek medical help if you can’t remove the needles. Visit a doctor if you can’t get cactus needles out of your arms, legs, or any other non-sensitive areas of your body. If you get cactus needles stuck in your neck, throat, or any other sensitive spots that you can’t easily remove them from, head to the emergency room as soon as possible.^{[5]
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- Leaving cactus needles in your skin for a long period of time can lead to infections.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Needles out of Your Clothes

1
Remove small cactus needles using duct tape. Small cactus hairs like to bury themselves in fabric, making them incredibly difficult to remove. However, you can usually get a large portion of them out using duct tape or a similarly strong adhesive. To do so, cover the affected area with a strip of tape, then rip the tape off. Repeat this multiple times for the best results.^{[6]
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- Do not use this method on your skin. Doing so may cause additional damage to the stabbed area.
2
Pull out large cactus needles with a comb. Unlike small needles, large cactus spines and ball-like hitchhikers are easy to remove from clothing. To do so, grab a fine-toothed comb and place it just above the needles. Then, run the comb down through the needles to brush them off.^{[7]
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- Once you’ve removed most of the needles, get rid of any stragglers using duct tape or a pair of tweezers.
- When combing, make sure to keep you hand as far away from the needles as possible.
3
Clean your clothes in a washing machine to remove leftover needles. Once you’ve removed as many needles as you can, place your clothing items in a washing machine and run them through a normal cleaning cycle. Doing so will remove any small hairs you couldn’t get out by hand.
- Do not wash your affected clothes with other garments, otherwise you may simply move the cactus needles from 1 item to another.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Removing Needles from Your Hair

1
Pull out large needles with a pair of tweezers. If large, clearly visible cactus spines get tangled up in your hair, grab them with a pair of tweezers and pull them out. These needles may be accompanied by small, hard to see cactus hairs, so put on gardening gloves to keep your hands safe.^{[8]
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- If any of the cactus spines pierced your scalp, ask a friend or family member to check for major signs of damage. If they notice any, visit a doctor immediately.
2
Remove small and stuck needles with a comb. To keep your hands safe, put on a pair of gardening gloves. Then, grab a fine-toothed comb and run it through the affected areas of your hair. This will help you remove thin, difficult to see cactus hairs as well as any stubborn hitchhikers that got tangled up in your locks.
- If you’re having a difficult time, soak your hair in warm water for about 10 minutes. This will loosen everything up and make the cactus needles easier to remove.
3
Cut your hair if you can’t remove the needles. If you can’t seem to get the cactus needles out of your hair, you may need to cut the affected areas off with scissors or shave them down using a razor. Though you might feel tempted to simply leave the needles in, doing so can lead to incredible amounts of discomfort and, if the needles reach your scalp, serious infections.

Expert Q&A

Question

Why would a cactus have needles?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

A cactus has needles to protect itself from predators. Most animals will avoid eating cacti because of the needles.
Question

What kind of cactus shoots needles?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

A jumping cholla cactus is a species whose spines will attach to anything that comes too close. This is because they have barbs all along the length of the spike.
Question

What are the needles on a cactus called?

Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.

Maggie Moran

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

The needles, spikes, or spines of cacti are often called glochidium or glochids.