How To Stop Jalapeno Burning Skin

So,  you did it! You thought you could handle hot peppers without gloves, and now you’re in a lot of pain. If you’re wondering how to stop jalapeno burning skin, you’re not alone. This is one of the biggest questions people have once they realize that a Jalapeno Pepper has the power to cause their skin to literally feel as though it’s burning off. 

It’s no wonder that people (especially men) love the taste of hot peppers. The hot taste will have you coming back for more, but don’t underestimate the burning sensation that will happen on your hands when that juice touches your skin. This is also true for growing your own hot peppers and picking them from the garden as well. 

Gardners will agree that growing hot peppers and preserving them and canning them are one of the biggest ways that a hot pepper burn happens. If you’re not careful, eating jalapenos and also working with them from the garden are the quickest ways to get hot pepper hands if you don’t take precautionary measures. 

Related: canning tips for beginners

How to prevent jalapeno hands

The easiest way to prevent Jalapeno Hands is to always wear gloves. It can really be as simple as that. Your gloves will prevent the hot pepper oil from getting in contact with your skin which will then prevent hot pepper hands from becoming an issue.

Depending on how sensitive your hands are, and how many spicy peppers you’re handling, you’ll need to double up on gloves and change them often as well. Even better, look for chemical resistant food-grade gloves, to be sure!

Ansell Touch n Tuff 92-675 Disposable Nitrile Gloves Chemical Protection, Latex-Free, Powder-Free Glove for Food Preparation, Mechanics or DIY Applications, Blue, Size Medium, Box of 100 Units3 Pack TruChef Cut Resistant Gloves – Maximum Level 5 Protection, Food Grade, 3 Fun Colors To Prevent Cross Contamination, Fits Both Hands, Size Large

How To Stop Jalapeno Burning Skin

Even though it’s easy to prevent, let’s talk about what happens when the hot pepper burn is already happening on your skin. There are actually many different methods that you can use to see if the burning can be stopped or lessened. 

It’s also important to note that you need to be very careful when you’re touching jalapenos or other hot peppers to be certain that you then don’t touch your eyes or other parts of your body. The burning sensation from the peppers may not happen right away and it would be horrible to touch your eyes and not realize the severity of the situation. 

How to treat burning skin from chili peppers

Chili Pepper burns are not fun, either. Once that burning sensation starts, you just might drive yourself crazy trying to figure out how to make it stop. 

One way to try to stop the burning feeling from happening is to use rubbing alcohol on the spot that the pepper juice is on. Just take a towel or napkin and rub it on. Then wash your hands with warm water and soap. It should help to alleviate a bit of that burning sensation, if even for a short time. 

Home remedies to try for hot pepper hands

Capsaicin oil from the pepper is what is causing that feeling of a chemical burn on your hands. (Now you know why they use it in pepper spray, right?!) Most times, the pain will subside after a few hours, but when you’re feeling your hands literally burning, who has time to wait that long? 

There are many home remedies that you can try to see if it will help. Some of the most popular ways to try to ease the burning are: 

• Dawn dish soap and cold water 
• rubbing apple cider vinegar on the spot 
• lemon juice 
• aloe vera
• cold milk and vaseline (soak hands in cold milk then rub vaseline on at the end) 
• olive oil or vegetable oil 
• baking soda

Keep in mind that these home remedies might work but should be done sparingly. Soaking the hands in a dairy product that is cold like cold milk, sour cream, or anything similar in texture and cool as well can be a temporary way to alleviate some of the pain. 

These same home remedies are often used when there is a chili burn or hot sauce burn as well. This is why many people have dairy products on hand when they’re eating a chili pepper or other hot pepper. 

If dairy products cannot be used for allergy purposes, there are still many great home remedies on the list to choose from. 

Frequently asked questions about handling hot peppers

Below are some of the top questions asked when it comes to how to handle hot peppers. 

What makes hot peppers hot?

Surprisingly, not all peppers are hot. Just because a pepper is supposed to be hot doesn’t mean that it will grow to be that way. There are many times that jalapenos are mild at best.

What makes a pepper hot is Capsaicin which is found in most hot peppers and it creates a burning sensation to basically anything that it comes in contact with. This burning feeling can be spread to other parts of the body if the hands are rubbing or touching other areas. 

What’s the hottest part of jalapeno peppers?

Most people think that the hottest part of a jalapeno pepper is actually the pepper itself or the seeds but that just isn’t the case. The hottest part of a jalapeno pepper is actually the white membrane that is found on the inside surrounding the seeds of the jalapeno. 

How long does capsaicin stay on the skin?

While capsaicin typically only stays on the skin for a few hours, it can also last for weeks. Be aware of this because even after washing your hands, there’s a chance that it’s still on the skin.

Also, it’s important to note that washing your hands in hot water actually doesn’t help but can make it worse. 

Can capsaicin actually burn you?

There can be complications that make it feel like it’s burning you and going to be severe but most times, it just takes time for that feeling to stop. If you’re worried that you’re actually getting burnt or having a chemical reaction or issue, call your doctor and seek medical help. 

The biggest thing to keep in mind when dealing with hot peppers is that you need to be careful and always wear your gloves. Having that extra barrier between your hands and the pepper juice is just the easiest step to take to help you not have so much pain later on down the road. 

Do you have any other home remedies or tips on how to stop jalapeno burning skin?

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