Question

A two-and-a-half-year-old child accidentally got injured by cactus thorns, leaving multiple small holes. Some of the thorns have been pulled out, but there are still some sticking out. Is the cactus thorn poisonous? How should it be handled?

Answer

The thorns of the cactus itself do not contain poison. When the skin is injured by cactus thorns, there may be varying degrees of redness and swelling, which is due to bacteria that may be attached to the thorns causing a localized mild infection, rather than a toxic reaction. After being injured by cactus thorns, it is important to avoid rubbing the injured area to prevent the thorn heads from breaking off. You can try blowing on or using a hair dryer to blow away the thorns that have not penetrated the skin or those that have penetrated shallowly. For larger thorns, they can be carefully removed with pliers. Additionally, rolling a rice ball over the injured area can help clear away small thorns.