Fans of hot red pepper should know that it burns not only in the mouth, but also on the skin - you can get burned while peeling and cutting the pods. Therefore, it is better to first read on sympaty.net how to remove the burning sensation from pepper on your hands, and only then start cooking.
The burning question is how to wash pepper off your hands,
you have to decide quickly. Answer: Apply a fat-containing or alcohol-containing liquid to your hands. In folk recipes, products that are probably available in the kitchen become life-saving: cucumbers, butter, milk, salt, etc.
What to do
The burning sensation caused by peppers is caused by a powerful, naturally occurring substance called capsaicin.
So, if you come into contact with hot peppers while cooking (or under other circumstances) and feel an unbearable burning sensation, you can do the following:
1. Salt. Take a few tablespoons of salt, add a spoonful of water, rub your hands with the resulting mixture, or completely immerse them in salt. Leave in this state for ten minutes, wash off with soap and water, and apply moisturizer.
2. Fresh cucumber. Ideally, you need to prepare a paste and put your hands in it. But if the burning sensation occurs in a small area, you can apply a slice of freshly cut cucumber to the affected area.
3. Ice. Helps reduce sensitivity for a while, for example, while you are looking for a cucumber or dissolving salt.
4. Milk. You need to keep your hands in milk for 10-15 minutes, then wash it off with soap and treat the skin with any moisturizer. If there is no milk, any fermented milk product will do: kefir, yogurt, yogurt, etc.
5. An alcoholic drink with a strength of at least 40 degrees. You need to dip your hand in alcohol and hold it there for seven minutes. Then rinse and lubricate with cream.
6. Raw potatoes. It must be turned into a paste, applied to your hands for 10-15 minutes, then washed off with warm water and soap.
7. Olive oil (sunflower oil will also work). Apply to hands, wait until the unpleasant symptoms subside, and wash off with warm water and soap.
8. Liquid soap and soda. These two components need to be ground to a paste, thoroughly rub your hands with it, and wait about a quarter of an hour. Please note: this mixture is washed off with vinegar, and only then with water.
9. Lemon juice, water and vinegar in a ratio of 1:1:1. Everything is combined and applied to the affected area.
10. Another great way to remove the burning sensation from pepper on your hands is salted milk. Dilute the salt with milk and dip your hands directly into the solution. Leave for 10-15 minutes, rinse, moisturize.
Remedy for burns - we act quickly and correctly
The most important structural component of cells is proteins. Their “representatives” collagen and keratin provide physical protection to the body by forming a structural framework that maintains the shape of cells. At temperatures above 44 degrees, proteins lose their three-dimensional shape and are destroyed. This leads to damage to cells and tissues, which occurs with any, even the mildest burn.
Depending on the depth of the injury, there are several degrees of severity of the burn.
First degree burns
the most innocent ones. With them, only the upper, keratinized layer of the epidermis is damaged. Manifested by redness, pain and slight swelling. After a few days, not a trace remains of them.
Second degree burns
characterized by damage to the epidermis to the deeper, germinal layer. Lymph and, less commonly, blood from destroyed cells penetrate upward, forming blisters. These burns heal after 1–3 weeks.
For third degree burns
not only all layers of the epidermis are affected, but also the underlying dermis, in severe cases down to the subcutaneous fatty tissue. The third degree is characterized by large blisters, which often open to reveal dense white or brown tissue.
If your mouth burns
In addition, we will tell you what measures to take to relieve discomfort in the oral cavity.
Experts advise drinking one or two glasses of cold milk, dissolving the salt, slowly eating a spoonful of honey and drinking cold water; cold cream and yogurt can also perfectly stop the burning sensation (consume internally).
So that next time you don’t have to think about how to remove the burning sensation from pepper on your hands, use disposable latex gloves - this will protect you from burns.
Tags: , hands , pepper , , remove , burning , how
Observe precautions
- Avoid contact of capsaicin with the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes. To do this, when working with pepper, wear a protective mask, goggles, and latex gloves on your hands.
- Do not touch unprotected areas of skin with your hands until you have treated them, or remove gloves.
- Avoid drafts. If you are working with dry hot pepper in the kitchen, breaking or grinding it into powder, close the window and door, turn off the fan (air conditioner) to avoid moving air masses and spreading pepper dust. Humidify the air.
How to Soothe a Chili Burn
Download PDF
Download PDF
Some varieties of hot peppers, such as jalapenos, cayenne peppers and habaneros, contain high levels of capsaicin, the main ingredient in pepper spray for self-defense. Capsaicin can add flavor and heat to a dish, but it can also cause an extremely intense burning sensation that can last for minutes or even hours. Capsaicin is a naturally occurring oily substance found in all varieties of hot peppers, which we commonly call simply “chili peppers.” A burning sensation in the mouth or skin can be neutralized with various liquids, such as milk or sweetened water.
Relieving burning sensation in the mouth from hot peppers
- 1
Drink some cold milk. Instead of water, try drinking milk! The fat and oil found in dairy products will help reduce the burning sensation by dissolving the capsaicin.[1]
- Drink a glass of whole milk. Be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly first.[2] Alternatively, you can choose another dairy product such as full-fat sour cream or yogurt.
Milk acts on almost the same principle as regular soap - it liquefies capsaicin and reduces the burning sensation in the mouth. Milk contains a protein called casein, which can dissolve capsaicin. The burning sensation itself comes from capsaicinoids, which are a family of molecules found in peppers.[3] [4]
- Ice cream can also help. To achieve the goal, anything that contains a dairy product will be useful. Coconut milk is great for reducing the heat and reducing the heat of spicy spices.[5]
- 2
Do not try to get rid of the hot taste of peppers by drinking water. Believe it or not, the burning sensation will not go away if you only drink water. In fact, water will only spread capsaicin throughout the mouth and increase the burning sensation.
- Soda is mostly water, so it won't help you either. Coffee will make the situation worse because it is hot. Capsaicin is an oily mixture, which makes it capable of rejecting water.[6]
It is likely that the burning sensation on the oral mucosa and on the skin of the hands will not last the same amount of time. This is due to the interaction of capsaicin with pain receptors in the mouth as a result of a chemical reaction.
- Nerve endings begin to sound the alarm when the temperature in the mouth rises above 82 degrees, which is what actually happens under the influence of capsaicin.
- 3
Sip some alcohol-containing drink. Beer won't help since it's mostly water, but stronger spirits can relieve the burning sensation in your mouth.
- Take a few sips of vodka. Vodka will not only reduce the burning sensation, but will also perk you up, as long as you don't drink too much!
Alcohol will “put out the fire” of hot peppers in your mouth. Various types of alcohol are suitable for these purposes.
- Drink wisely. Don't drink too much, especially if you're underage, and generally avoid this method if you're driving.
- 4
Use oils to reduce the burning sensation. Apply olive or vegetable oil to your tongue to reduce the burning sensation.
- These oils, along with peanut oil, contain a lot of fat, so they are good folk remedies for burning sensations.
The fat contained in these oils helps relieve the heat from hot peppers and relieves the burning symptoms.
- This may seem strange, but you should fight hot peppers with oils rather than water, as they are much more effective at combating this problem.
- 5
Eat starch. Eat starch if hot peppers make your mouth burn. Starch will reduce the intensity of the burning sensation.
- Although starchy foods such as rice or bread will not be as effective at dissolving capsaicin as fats, oils or alcohol, they may help reduce the burning sensation slightly.
There are reasons why many hot pepper cultures are served with white rice or potatoes. This is most often done in Asian and Indian cultures.
- Eating a spoonful of sugar will also help relieve burning symptoms. Mix a tablespoon of sugar with 260 ml. water and rinse your mouth with this mixture. Alternatively, place a spoonful of honey on your tongue.
- 6
Try folk remedies. Many people find that certain vegetables and other foods are excellent remedies for a burning mouth.
- Eat cucumbers. In Thailand and Indonesia, people cope with the burning sensation in this way. Consume bananas, as they contain sugar, which will help neutralize the effects of the pepper.
Eat chocolate. The high fat content in most bars helps the capsaicin molecules dissolve in the mouth. Milk chocolate contains more fat and casein than dark chocolate, so it will help you cope with the situation much faster.
- Apply a soft corn tortilla to the affected area (lips, mouth). Just take a bite and it will help reduce the burning sensation.
- White toothpaste will greatly relieve the burning sensation from the habanero. It will help relieve the burning sensation in the mouth from hot peppers. Eat a slice of lemon, drink juice, or both (lemon and juice); the acid will dissolve the oily substance.
Relieving the burning sensation of hot peppers on the skin
- 1
Wash your hands and other areas of your skin with liquid soap. You can use solid soap, but liquid soap will dissolve the hot pepper oils more effectively. Many people experience a burning sensation on their skin if it comes into contact with hot pepper oil.
- You can also periodically dip your fingers in a mixture of water and bleach (in a ratio of 5 to 1) while cutting hot peppers.
Bleach converts capsaicin into a water-soluble salt. In the future, you can simply wash your hands with water.
- Be careful not to let the bleach get on the pepper. Wash your hands with soap after chopping the peppers.
- 2
Use alcohol to reduce the burning sensation on your hands or other areas of the body. Hot pepper oil and capsaicin, which cause burning, dissolve in alcohol.
- Clean your hands with alcohol. Even if you use other methods to relieve the burning sensation, you can also pre-wipe your hands with alcohol to disinfect them.[7]
Stop by a bar and grab a strong alcoholic drink, such as vodka. Rub it on your hands or other parts of your body to relieve the burning sensation.
- You can also make a paste from baking soda and water. Apply it to your hands and let it dry, then rinse with water.
- 3
Place your hands in a bowl of milk. Take very cold milk. Try adding ice cubes to a bowl. Regular ice water will also help relieve the burning sensation, but it will not be as effective as milk.
- Some people claim that the burning sensation from hot peppers can be quite painful and can last for several hours, so it's understandable that you'd want to take action immediately.
Try adding flour to a bowl of milk to make a glove-like mask. Leave the mask on for a few minutes, then rinse your hands under running water.
- Clean your hands with rubbing alcohol before dipping them into cold milk. The colder the milk, the better.[8]
- 4
Apply the oil to your hands and other affected areas. The hot pepper oils will be dissolved by the other oils, which will help reduce the burning sensation.[9] You can also apply Vaseline on your hands.
- Apply a small amount of any vegetable or olive oil to your hands before chopping hot peppers or after you feel the burning sensation.[10]
Do not use too much oil as this can make your hands slippery and make it very uncomfortable to hold the knife. Avoid touching other people, especially children, as this may transfer the hot pepper oils to their skin.
- Lightly oil your hands to prevent burning. The oil will also help reduce the burning sensation after you touch the hot pepper. Dip your hands in vegetable or olive oil.[11]
- 5
Relieve the burning sensation in your eyes from hot peppers. Sometimes people make the huge mistake of rubbing their eyes while cutting hot peppers. This can cause an unbearable burning sensation.
- First of all, it is better to avoid this. However, if this does happen, milk lotions will help you.[12]
Take a cotton pad or paper towel and soak it in milk. Then apply a compress to your eyes.
- You may need to repeat the procedure several times to feel relief, as you will still experience a burning sensation for a while. Contact your doctor if the burning persists or affects your vision in any way.
- If the burning sensation does not go away, you can make a bandage of cotton pads soaked in milk and wear it for several hours. Use clamps and gauze for this.
Preventing the burning sensation of hot peppers
- 1
Wear gloves. You can get what's called "hot pepper burn" if you don't wear gloves when cooking with this ingredient.
- Your hands will begin to burn and burn unbearably, but under no circumstances should you allow contact with your eyes. It is best to wear vinyl or latex gloves.
Burning can occur from Thai chili peppers, serranos and habaneros.[13]
- The burning sensation comes from the hot pepper oil and capsaicin contained in this product. It's even worse if you accidentally touch your eyes while wearing contact lenses. In this case, you will experience an unbearably strong burning sensation, which will cause you a lot of discomfort.
- 2
Use sandwich bags as gloves. Don't have any gloves on hand? It is better to make gloves from what you have in the kitchen than to have no gloves at all.
- Cover your hands with plastic sandwich bags before chopping hot peppers. They can be secured to your wrists using elastic bands.
If you don't have gloves and plastic bags, wrap your hands in paper towels; Anything will do as long as you can avoid direct contact with the hot pepper oils.
- To protect your eyes, wear safety glasses, and always wash your hands and nails thoroughly after handling hot peppers.
- 3
Eat pepper. A burning mouth is no fun, but there is evidence that hot peppers have health benefits.[14]
- When your energy is low, eat hot peppers instead of something sweet!
Even when the burning sensation in the mouth becomes less intense, the metabolic rate in your body will remain at a fairly high level for some time thanks to the capsaicin contained in pepper; in the future, liver enzymes will completely break it down.
- Capsaicin provides energy and speeds up the body's metabolism, helping you lose weight and stay healthy.[15]
Causes
Physiological factors
Burning usually occurs in people with sensitive skin, even in the absence of a pathological factor. An unpleasant symptom is provoked by wearing itchy clothing or things made of synthetic materials. Women may experience a burning sensation on their face after applying skincare or decorative cosmetics, even if these products do not cause allergies. A typical cause of tingling and burning sensations on the skin of the legs is fatigue after a long walk.
Burns
Most often, symptoms are caused by exposure to high temperature or solar radiation. Any burn is accompanied by a severe burning sensation of the skin, which begins even during the action of the damaging factor and lasts from several days to several weeks. The skin appears pink or bright red in color; with deeper lesions, blisters filled with clear or cloudy contents form.
A burning sensation constantly bothers a person. The symptom becomes more noticeable when touching the affected area, applying medicinal ointments and sprays. The discomfort is greatly aggravated if the burn area comes under warm or hot water (for example, when swimming). As healing progresses, the burning sensation subsides and is replaced by periodic tingling and itching of the skin.
Chemical and electrical burns are characterized by deep penetration of the damaging agent - right up to the hypodermis, muscles and underlying tissues. With such injuries, burning fades into the background, since the main complaint is unbearable pain in the area of the destroyed epidermis and dermis. Burning sensations in the skin occur immediately at the moment of injury, when massive tissue destruction has not yet occurred.
Burning skin
Allergy
Skin hypersensitivity reaction is the second most common cause of burning skin. The symptom is determined in predisposed people upon contact with allergens: plant pollen, cosmetics, animal hair, food. Allergic burning is combined with urticaria, itchy skin rashes in the form of papules and vesicles. Watery eyes, sneezing, and discharge of clear mucus from the nose are often associated.
A burning sensation can be one of the components of seasonal allergies (hay fever). Sometimes this symptom becomes a harbinger of an attack of bronchial asthma: in this case, unpleasant manifestations are localized in a limited area and are accompanied by the presence of red spots on the skin. Often, burning sensations accompany pseudo-allergies when taking histamine liberators (chocolate, citrus fruits, strawberries).
Contact dermatitis
Burning skin is typical of the acute erythematous form of contact dermatitis, provoked by exposure to an irritant. The patient experiences painful and burning sensations, tingling, itching in the affected area. The skin takes on a bright red tint. In the bullous version of the disease, the burning sensation is complemented by the formation of blisters filled with clear liquid. Insignificant severity of the symptom occurs in the chronic form of dermatitis.
Psoriasis
Moderate itching and burning of the skin develops with the exudative form of the disease, which is manifested by the formation of scales and pronounced weeping. A burning sensation in the affected areas is disturbing during exacerbation of psoriasis. Symptoms intensify when scratching damaged skin or bathing. As a rule, the exudative process is detected in those suffering from endocrine pathologies (diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism).
Herpes
Painful symptoms with apparently intact skin are characteristic of herpes zoster. Patients complain that the skin constantly burns, in order to reduce discomfort, they want to scratch it. Unpleasant sensations arise suddenly, last 12-24 hours, then specific vesicular rashes form at this site. In this case, severe burning pain persists until recovery, and can bother a person for a long time after the rash disappears.
With herpes simplex, the burning sensation of the skin is not so intense. Symptoms develop simultaneously with the appearance of vesicles filled with clear exudate. Patients note itching and an unpleasant tingling sensation in the affected area. The pain is moderate, unlike shingles. The burning stops when the rash heals and disappears.
Skin infections
Burning is one of the main symptoms of bacterial (impetigo, erysipelas), viral (molluscum contagiosum, HPV) or fungal (dermatophytosis, rubromycosis) skin lesions. Taking into account the etiology of the disease, burning sensations are accompanied by various local symptoms: vesicular and pustular rashes, peeling, lichenification.
Senestopathies
Pathology is observed in mental disorders: Kandinsky-Clerambault syndrome, hysterical neurosis, bipolar psychosis. Patients feel an intense burning sensation, sometimes feeling as if the whole body is “burning.” To cope with painful symptoms, the patient constantly scratches the skin and tries to apply ice. In some cases, the burning is so intense that the person rushes around the room, screaming or moaning.
Complications of pharmacotherapy
A burning sensation of the skin occurs with drug-induced dermatitis. Unpleasant symptoms develop both when drugs are applied externally (ointments, gels) and when drugs are administered orally or parenterally. Areas of rash or weeping form on the skin, which are accompanied by an unpleasant burning sensation. With each subsequent use of allergenic drugs, the affected area increases.
Rare causes
- Congenital diseases
: Hartnup disease, porphyria. - Connective tissue damage
: scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, Shulman's disease. - Vascular disorders
: rosacea, rosacea, obliterating atherosclerosis. - Malignant neoplasms
: squamous cell skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma.
Why does pepper burn?
Capsaicin is an oily substance found in some varieties of hot peppers; it is this component that gives dishes a special, specific taste. During cooking, pepper juice can get on the skin of your hands, thereby instantly causing a burning sensation and redness, which is very difficult to neutralize.
The amount of this component in all varieties of pepper is different. Thus, the more capsaicin, the stronger the burn from contact with the skin. Some of the most popular hot peppers are chili pepper, red hot pepper, and cayenne pepper.
Pepper heat units
Pepper heat units
Adviсe
- Adding sugary ingredients to your hot pepper dish (such as grated carrots, fried onions, etc.) will help reduce the heat, but the dish will still be spicy, although you won't feel it right away.
- Over time, the burning sensation should go away on its own.
- You can eat a couple of pieces of bread.
- Tomato juice or ketchup are also good options.
- Eat a saltine cracker before you drink sugar water. Salt tends to absorb water and oil, helping to reduce the burning sensation.
Treatment
Help before diagnosis
If the burning sensation is caused by a slight burn of the skin (only redness, no blisters), it can be treated with dexpanthenol sprays. Medicines quickly relieve symptoms, soothe the skin and promote its healing. If you experience severe burns, rashes or other symptoms, consult a doctor. To quickly relieve burning sensations, experts prescribe gels and sprays with a soothing and cooling effect.
Conservative therapy
Therapy is determined by the underlying disease. Often, burning skin is caused by dermatological pathologies, to eliminate which an integrated approach is practiced. For mild cases of the disease, local remedies are sufficient: lotions and wet-dry dressings for weeping, ointments and rich creams for peeling. They use medications with antiseptics and antibiotics, topical steroids, and antimycotics.
For allergic dermatoses, systemic detoxification therapy is prescribed: antihistamines, sedatives, methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection. Antifungal drugs in tablets are recommended for the treatment of common mycoses. Herpes zoster requires intravenous or oral acyclovir.
Physiotherapy methods are effective in a comprehensive treatment regimen. To eliminate rashes, accelerate skin healing and stimulate immune defense, laser therapy, magnetic therapy, and ozone therapy are prescribed. In the remission phase of chronic dermatoses, skin irradiation with ultraviolet light and mud therapy are used. With senestopathies, patients require the help of a psychiatrist.
