How to Quench the Heat From Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the compound that makes chili peppers hot. The molecule fits into the pain receptors on the skin, including in the mouth and throat. A small amount gives a pleasantly spicy punch to food, and the minor stimulation of the pain receptors triggers the production of endorphins, chemicals which cause a feeling of euphoria. In large doses, however, capsaicin is a powerful irritant --- it is the active ingredient in pepper spray. The stimulation of pain receptors irritates the nerves, causing the body to react by producing water in the form of tears, saliva and sweat. While you should avoid excessive capsaicin exposure, once it occurs, there are some ways to relieve the discomfort.

Things You'll Need

• Dairy products
• Oil
• Fatty foods
• Alcohol
• Ice water

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Drink milk. The casein in milk dissolves the capsaicin and help to clear it from your mouth. The oils in fatty foods have a similar effect. Oils and fats also work preventively by lining your mouth so that the capsaicin cannot reach the pain receptors. If your capsaicin burn is not in your mouth, soak the affected area in oil or dairy products. A 1987 study by the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center found that soaking a capsaicin burn in vegetable oil is the most effective home treatment for the irritation. You can also use milk compresses or daub on thicker dairy products.

• 2

  Drink a beer. Alcohol will also dissolve capsaicin, though the content in beer is so low that it provides little relief. Something stronger, like gargling with vodka, will help more. If the capsaicin burn is on your skin, wipe it down with an ethanol solution.

• 3

  Drink ice water. Capsaicin is insoluble in water, so drinking water will not directly affect the burn. The temperature is the important factor. When your body feels the pain from the capsaicin, it initiates an inflammatory response. Cold counteracts swelling, including inflammation caused by the chemical burn from capsaicin. In the first hour after capsaicin exposure, soaking the burn in cold water can provide comfort, but the pain returns as soon as you remove the burn from the bath.