Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Jalapeno Hands: something that actually works!

Pardon me whilst I take a quick break from my travel blogging for this important public service announcement:

I was making gazpacho today, and stupidly cut up some jalapeno pepper without wearing gloves first. I washed my hands right afterwards, but it was too late: the oils got into my skin, and my hands and fingers started burning really badly.

I "googled" burning + hands + jalapenos and found a loooong thread filled with home remedies for the charming condition known as "Jalapeno Hands", but none of them worked. (Washing my hands while holding a stainless steel spoon made it only a little better, but not much. Other stuff I tried: Dawn dishwashing soap, lemon juice, white vinegar, milk, rubbing alcohol, sanitizing gel, hydrogen peroxide, cortisone cream, burn cream, pure aloe vera.)

FINALLY, I found the solution: Calamine lotion! It's a drying solution that helps draw out the oils that cause itching and redness from exposure to poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Well guess what? It works like a charm for jalapeno oil, too!

I slathered on the Calamine lotion, letting it dry completely on my hands for about 10 minutes. Then I rinsed off with cold soapy water, and the stinging was COMPLETELY gone.

To anyone out there suffering from this same malady, get thee some pink calamine lotion!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love you. This actually worked. I tried everything else you tried while my husband ran to the pharmacy to get the glorious pink lotion you suggested, nothing worked. When he got back, I did exactly what you did and it completely WORKED!!!!!! You saved my Saturday... THANKS!

Lisa Yak said...

You're VERY welcome! I'm so glad it worked for you. Next time, we'll know to wear gloves!