How to Counter the Effects of Pepper Spray

The burning and stinging effects of pepper spray occur as a result of the skin coming in contact with the oily substance known as oleoresin capsicum. This ingredient, which is found in chili peppers, is used to make pepper spray. Like the oils in hot peppers, when your skin or clothing accidentally come in contact with pepper spray, you can easily transfer the oil further. In order to counter the effects of the oleoresin capsicum in the pepper spray, you must work to remove the oil-based substance, which will lessen your discomfort.

Things You'll Need

• Cold cream
• Towels
• Saline solution
• Honey
• Whole milk
• Bowl
• Clean cotton cloths

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Instructions

• 1

  Contact lenses can absorb the oils from pepper spray and should be thrown away.

  Remove your glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them, and were sprayed near the eyes. Discard your contact lenses, as it's very difficult to get the oleoresin capsicum off the lenses. Wash your eyeglasses and hands with cold cream, then rinse with cool water and dry with a clean towel.

• 2

  Flush out your eyes with saline solution. Squirt enough in your eyes so it's dripping out, causing the pepper spray to be washed out of your eyes. Blink your eyes on and off for 20 to 30 minutes to remove any pepper spray that remains.

• 3

  Honey provides relief after being sprayed with pepper spray.

  Soothe the burning sensation on your skin by gently smoothing honey over it. Apply the honey with your fingertips and allow it to remain on the skin for at least 20 to 30 minutes before flushing the skin with cool water. According to Raleigh Chiropractic, massaging honey into pepper-sprayed skin helps reduce the pain.

• 4

  Pour whole milk into a bowl and soak your pepper-sprayed skin in the milk to cool it off, soaking the affected areas as long as you desire. Wet clean cloths with milk as well and lay them on sprayed areas that would be difficult to soak in a bowl. While skim milk, breast milk, 1 percent and 2 percent milk can be used, whole milk is most effective for relieving pain from a pepper spray burn, according to Raleigh Chiropractic.

• 5

  Rinse the whole milk from your skin with cool water, then wash your skin with cold cream to remove some of the oleoresin capsicum and cool the burning sensation. Rinse again with water to remove the cold cream, then gently pat your skin dry.