Burning one's hands while handling or chopping chilies, peppers and capsicums, is a very common phenomenon. This burning sensation is due to the presence of a substance known as capsaicin in these vegetables. Thus it is important to take care when handling them. Wearing rubber gloves when chopping peppers would help in preventing this situation, as the thickness of the material will act as a barrier, thus preventing the capsaicin from contacting the skin. You could also use latex gloves, but they may not prove to be that helpful as the capsaicin could penetrate the material and burn the skin. Whenever you are faced with this kind of a situation, the first thing to do is wash your hands thoroughly with chilled water. The water will help in soothing the skin. It is important to get the capsaicin off the skin and therefore you should use a strong detergent or liquid dish washing soap to rinse your hands. Shampoos and bathing soaps are generally mild and hence may not successful in getting rid of the capsaicin totally.
Here are a few home remedies that can help in relieving the burning sensation. Rub ice cubes on your hands, this will cool and sooth the skin. As an alternative, soak your hands in a bowl of ice cold water for a few minutes. This will also help in reducing the burning sensation. Capsaicin is known to be fat soluble. This simply means that the application of any oily substance such as a moisturizer, Vaseline or even vegetable oil will help in getting it off your skin. Massage a generous quantity of any of these three items, 2-3 times a day; it will prevent the situation from aggravating while also helping the skin to heal faster.
Soaking your hands in a bowl of chilled milk is also considered to be effective, for this particular problem. Blend one ripe tomato to form a thick paste. Mix together a tablespoon of this paste with a teaspoon each of water and vegetable oil. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool. Once the mixture cools, massage a liberal quantity on your hands for a few minutes. Wash the application off after 15 minutes with chilled water. lemon juice could also be used for this kind of a burn. Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice onto your hands and leave it on for 15-20 minutes, after which wash the application off with cold water.
answered by G M