Hot pepper must be handled properly when using it as an ingredient in dishes. It contains a substance called capsaicin, which makes peppers a potent irritant on the tongue, eyes or skin. Hot pepper burns on hands can be alleviated through a few simple remedies.
Hot Pepper Burns Care: Preventive Tips
- Wear disposable gloves that can prevent direct contact with the hot pepper.Choose vinyl gloves or latex surgical gloves.
- Before cutting hot peppers with bare hands, apply non-stick coating to the hands to neutralize the strong substance as it bonds with the fat. Yogurt or sour cream can be used as hand lotion for this purpose.
- Prepare the hot peppers properly by removing the seeds and the ribs, which contain the highest amount of capsaicin. It is important to dispose of these things in the right way so that children or pets won’t be able to come in contact with the hot substance.
- More importantly, while handling hot peppers, avoid touching the eyes or mouth to prevent burns.
Hot Pepper Burns Treatment and Remedy
- Clean the hands first with soap and water to remove all traces of the substance.
- To lessen the burning sensation, dip the hands in water with ice as quick relief.
- Another soothing treatment for burns caused by hot pepper is applying olive oil on the hands. Let the oil stay on the skin for a few hours before washing it off.
- Tomatoes have acid that can neutralize the burning sensation. Rub the hands with freshly cut tomatoes so that the juice pours out from the fruit. If there is no fresh tomato in stock, tomato paste can be used as alternative.
- One of the most effective remedies followed by a lot of people is using baking soda. Create a thick paste by mixing water and baking soda. Apply the mixture directly onto the affected skin. Allows the paste to dry up completely before rinsing it off. Alternately, rubbing the hands with the baking soda may also help.
- Milk is yet another popular home remedy for hot pepper burns. Dip the hands in a bowl of cold milk. Though the relief does not last long, nonetheless it can be soothing to the skin.
- Lemon juice or vinegar are also used to relieve the hands of hot pepper burns, by applying these substances directly on the skin for some 10 to 15 minutes