How to Treat a Hot Pepper Burn

After making your famous chili or smokin' hot salsa, your hands may feel like you roasted them over a Bunsen burner. Once capsicum oil meets skin, it can be very difficult to stop the burning. A few simple steps will turn down the heat.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Wear rubber gloves the oil can seep through latex gloves.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly with dish soap to get all the oil off your hands. Use a fingernail brush to scrub nails with dish soap.
3. Take an over the counter pain killer as directed.
4. Soak fingers/hands in a bowl of cold milk. The fat in the milk helps soothe hands better than ice water.
5. Apply an ointment to treat and soothe burns such as aloe vera or hydro cortisone cream.
6. Repeat the milk soak as needed. It will not harm your hands, so do not hesitate to soak as often as necessary
7. Put on gloves to clean the area where you cut the peppers. Use a cleanser with bleach to rid your counter tops, cutting boards and knives of any residual oil.

Tips & Warnings

• It is possible to have an allergic reaction to the pepper oil. An antihistamine or other over the counter allergy pill may help.
• Other recommended soaks: vinegar, vegetable oil, tomato juice/sauce/paste, yogurt, baking powder paste and waterless hand cleanser.
• A swab of rubbing alcohol may also help.
• Do not touch anything until you have washed your hands. Even after washing, your hands avoid your eyes and other sensitive areas.