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Mace & Pepper Spray Remedies

Mace and pepper spray are often confused as one in the same, but the two defense products have very different properties. Mace is an irritant that is used in tear gas products and is most effective on people who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Pepper spray is created from an extract of hot peppers (capsaicin) and can affect individuals on drugs because it swells up the mucous membranes used for breathing, incapacitating the attacker. If you are sprayed with either, there are a few things to keep in mind.

  1. Things to Avoid

    • If you have been sprayed with mace or pepper spray, never rub your skin. This will only cause further irritation. This is especially true if you have contact lenses, which should be removed after you have cleaned you hands. Rubbing any oil-based soaps or greases on affected areas will trap mace or pepper spray particles on the skin, increasing the irritation and pain. With pepper spray especially, panic and fear will worsen the symptoms, so it is best to keep calm.

    Water and Air

    • After exposure to mace or pepper gas, washed your eyes with fresh, cool water for about 15 minutes. Affected body parts can also be rinsed with cool water or a non-oil soap product. Immediately after exposure, cool air such as a fresh breeze or a fan will help to relieve the immediate pain symptoms. Clothing that has been contaminated should also be removed, and the affected areas can be treated with water and air as well. If there is still great irritation and pain after flushing with water and exposure to cool air, consult a doctor immediately.

    Neutralizers

    • While cold water may help to relieve most symptoms of the tear gas and mace, pepper spray requires some additional attention. Capsaicin is extremely effective because even in attackers who are dulled to pain from drugs, this chemical agent of peppers stimulates tissue in such a way that triggers the brain's pain response. To relieve this, you must neutralize the agent as much as possible by treating the skin with milk, honey and baking soda paste. Another potential neutralizer is alcohol. Keep in mind these may not remove all the capsaicin from your skin, which may take dozens of washings.

    Antihistamine and Anti-Inflammatory

    • One way to plan ahead for being being exposed to pepper sprayed for law enforcement training purposes is to take certain medications to reduce the immediate symptoms. Since pepper spray causes a quick reaction of inflammation in the eyes and mucous membranes, taking anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen beforehand may reduce the reaction. Antihistamine medications can also help slow the speed of the reaction.

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