I made a mistake with my common houseplant that caused hours of pain: ‘Don’t do this’

A man was recently tending to his houseplant when a split-second decision left him covered in painful spines.

Joe, a garden enthusiast, was repotting his cactus when he accidentally grabbed the plant to pull it up, forgetting the tips.

Hundreds of needle-sharp cactus spines, known as glochids, were immediately embedded in Joe’s hand.

‘Oops! I made a big mistake repotting a cactus,” he shared along with a photo of his injured hand. “I had to buy wax strips to get them out.”

The tiny needles look like tiny hairs, but can be dangerous if not treated immediately. Millions of people describe the feeling as ‘thousands of needles pricking you at the same time’.

Although cactus needles are not poisonous to humans or animals, leaving them in your skin can cause an infection due to the bacteria or fungi on the surface.

Needles that puncture the muscles can also cause abscesses.

Some of the safest ways to remove cactus spines is to first use sterilized tweezers to pluck out the large spines.

You can then use household glue or wax strips to remove the glochids.

If you are concerned that spikes still remain in your skin or if you experience pain or swelling, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately.

Joe isn’t the only one who has made the mistake of touching a cactus – and hundreds shared their experiences.

‘I was in a plant shop and a kid knocked over a cactus. I caught it instinctively and had spikes everywhere,” one man said. “I pulled them out one by one.”

Another revealed: ‘I always had a little cactus on the dashboard of my car. One day I braked particularly hard, he fell and my knee-jerk reaction was to catch him.”

One joked: ‘I’ve always wanted to touch a cactus to see if it really sticks and this answers my question so thank you for your sacrifice.’