How to Stop the Burning from Hot Peppers

If you found this article, you are probably in immediate need of answers, uninterested in amusing little paragraphs of hot pepper facts or loads of information on possible hot pepper relief remedies. So here is the best remedy:

1. MILK

There are all sorts of remedies for pepper juice in the eyes, or on the skin, or in the mouth. Milk is the best solution to alleviate the pain and to eliminate the capsaicin oils. Whole milk with all of the fat in it, is best. The fat in milk absorbs the hot pepper oils.

You can fill a shot glass with milk, lower your head, place the glass over your eye and tilt your head back.

No shot glass? Grab a jug of milk and dump quantities over your eye until you feel relieved or run out of milk.

Soak a paper towel in milk and compress it against your eye.

If your skin is burning, soak your hands in some milk. Then you can make a paste out of milk and baking soda and coat your skin with it. Leave it on all night if you have unrelenting pain.

No baking soda? TOOTHPASTE is said to be an effective salve for treating pepper burns and irritations.

Is your mouth on fire? Swish milk around for as long as needed. Water does not have the fats to absorb the oil and just spreads the capsaicin around.

Out of milk? Try YOGURT or ICE CREAM.

If you are lactose intolerant and milk is not an option you can try some other less effective remedies:

2. TOMATO JUICE

3. LEMON JUICE

Many people believe that the acid in these juices counteracts with the alkaline properties of capsaicin. My personal experiences have taught me to run to the neighbor's house in search of milk.

The alcohol does not quickly relieve burning skin but is effective in removing the oils from the skin.

If you thought that latex gloves would protect your skin, you may be wrong. Some people claim that the pepper oils will go right through the latex and penetrate the skin. You must wear rubber gloves. Latex does contain rubber but not in the correct form or density to protect you from the capsaicin.

Habanero peppers (also known as, Scotch Bonnets or Bonney peppers), recently lost their title as the hottest peppers in the world and need handled with extreme caution. The famed habanero is about 60 - 70 times hotter than the jalapeño. The heat of the habanero is rated at 300,000 - 500,000 scoville units. There are some extremely hot "bird peppers" that are 50 times hotter than the jalapeño -- officially known as the Pequin pepper. Recently in New Mexico, researchers discovered a pepper rated at 1,000,000 scoville units, named Bhut Jolokia.

The capsaicin oils can remain on your skin for many hours. You can hurt others by touching doorknobs and faucets. If you haven't effectively removed the oils from your hands and visit the bathroom -- even hours later -- you will learn your lesson the hard way. No lemon, lime or tomato juice to clean hands, try some vinegar.

And always remember, what goes in must come out!

Works Cited:

American Society for Horticultural Science (2007, October 28). World's Hottest Chile Pepper Discovered. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 5, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/10/071026162420.htm