Hands On Women

Jalapenos are extremely high in capsaicin which irritates the skin. When somebody cuts up jalapenos without wearing gloves, they suffer the consequences. The very best way to avoid skin irritation is to wear gloves while cutting the peppers, but there are a couple of alternatives. Whether you are using gloves or not you must be extremely careful about touching your eyes, face, or any exposed skin. Doing so will result in a painful burning; most of your skin is not as calloused as your hands, so what may be a slight burning on your hands could be unbearable on your face.

If you either do not have gloves to use, or have some strange aversion to using them, then good luck! One of the smartest things you can do is have a plate full of baking soda next to you while chopping the peppers. After every couple of peppers you chop, cover your hands with the baking soda, let it sit for a bit and then wash your hands with dish soap to get the baking soda off. This will help prevent some of the burning sensation, but not eliminate it entirely.

If your hands or other part of your body is burning there are a number of steps that you can take to try to remove the burning feeling. If one does not work try something else; these are all methods that have worked for people in the past.

	Some people have said that rubbing alcohol has helped them, but for many people this does not work.
	Honey has proven helpful to a number of people suffering from jalapeno burns: slather the affected area with honey and allow it to sit. If this provides relief then leave the honey on for 20-30 minutes before washing it off. Reapply if necessary.
	Many dish soaps are designed to remove and trap oils, so one thing you can try is washing your hands with a good dish soap. Be careful to not splash any other part of your body, as the water will have capsaicin in it and will burn whatever part of your body it touches once the water dries.
	Baking soda is the most widely accepted cure for pepper burns. Either cake it on dry and rinse off, or make a paste and apply it to the affected area. Repeat as many times as necessary.
	Milk, be it fresh, powdered, or even condensed in a can, may be able to alleviate symptoms.
	If symptoms persist it may be best to take an allergy medicine like Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, or Benadryl, to name a few. Follow the instructions on the bottle to the letter, and it may alleviate some symptoms.

Sources

Bon Appetit

Tip King

Jalapeno Delights