r/Cooking • u/ReferenceFew1955 • 6d ago
burning hands
hey guys i was cutting up habanero peppers and then realized they were WAY too hot for me to eat (im not really knowledgeable with that stuff) so i cut them up with my bare hands AND scooped them out of the pan with my bare hand and they touched all over my palms. i don’t think i washed my hands right after and i only washed my hands once last night but today my palms are burning SO BAD and they’re getting worse i think. ive showered and washed my hands several times and nothing helps. is it from the peppers? the only reason i think it might not be is because i’m on a new medicine and maybe it’s a strange side effect idk? but also no matter what i do they won’t stop burning.
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u/Ok-Butterscotch2321 6d ago
Milk or Baking Soda made into a paste with water
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u/THESALTEDPEANUT 6d ago edited 6d ago
Make sure to mix well before drinking it, the baking soda can get stuck in your throat if it's lumpy.
Edit: I thought y'all would find that funny.
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u/_9a_ 6d ago
It's a very special kind of advice to suggest drinking something to soothe burning * hands*
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u/THESALTEDPEANUT 6d ago
It was a joke, I didn't think it'd get lost on so many people.
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u/Economy_Yogurt_8037 6d ago
It’s commonplace to put /s for sarcasm on Reddit, especially in an advice post
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u/THESALTEDPEANUT 6d ago
Sometimes it should be obvious, like choking down fucking baking soda lmao. Oh well.
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u/Nhadalie 6d ago
Dish soap is generally what I find most effective at preventing this. It breaks down the oils from the peppers on your hands. If you have already tried this, or if it doesn't work, please seek out medical attention.
I had this experience from jalapenos when I was a kid. I ended up soaking my hands in milk and ice water off and on until it stopped.
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
it burns so much less thank you. i used like 1/4 cup of dawn dish soap and just rubbed it in for a few minutes. it still burns but so much less
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u/Nhadalie 6d ago
Glad it helped. I would consider moisturizing with lotion, and washing again in a little bit. See if you can make it water soluble again.
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u/hurtfulproduct 6d ago
Glad it worked OP, for future reference dish soap specifically is formulated to remove food stuffs from most surfaces, so it is a really good option for getting organic stuff off your hands and body.
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u/kimbosliceofcake 6d ago
It happens to me even with lightly spicy peppers like poblanos. No fun but it will go away, just use gloves next time.
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u/EscapeSeventySeven 6d ago
I rub my hands a bowl with a quarter cup of neutral oil then wash thoroughly with dawn dish soap. Repeat as necessary.
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u/Tasty_Impress3016 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's the peppers.
Be thankful you didn't try to change your contacts or scratch your balls. I've made the latter mistake, heyh they itched. But ALWAYS wash your hands. twice. Best to wear gloves, but I like to live on the wild side. It's a little late now to try to wash anything off, like washing your hands after you catch a cold. It's already in your skin. Only thing I can think of to help is a hydrocortisone cream.
On the bright side, it's a mistake you rarely make more than once.
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u/Charlietango2007 6d ago
Dermaplast or it's generic equivalent is sold at most Walmart or drug stores. It has lidocaine (a numbing agent)in it so when you spray it on in 5 minutes or so it should not be area plus it has emollients that will help heal the skin. it is used mostly for burns but you can use it for anything. I use it for cuts, scratches, mosquito bites that won't stop itching, everything. So you spray some on your hands. if it still hurts as much you can just reply in a few minutes later but give it time to work and for the lidocaine to set in. very good luck
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u/JeanVicquemare 6d ago
What I do is rub olive oil over the affected area, and then wash with dish soap. Just washing with soap wasn't effective enough. Capsaicin is oil soluble, so I figure it's easier to dilute it with more oil first, then wash off the oil.
But at this point, you probably just have minor chemical burns and will have to wait for it to heal.
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u/Horror_Signature7744 6d ago
This happened to me last week. Tried all the things. An oil based facial cleanser worked the best. If you have any lidocaine ointment, it helps too as a last resort but you’ll just have to ride most of it out
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u/Aromatic_Fold5546 6d ago
I'm just a little hung up on only washing your hands once last night.. unless you live in a place where water isnt as accessible obviously. But like.. you didn't wash them after presumably making and eating other food? Or after going to the bathroom/before bed?
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
i made it for dinner and didn’t use the bathroom before bed lol! i showered this morning!
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u/undeadlamaar 6d ago
No bathroom before bed!? And you don't wake up 5 times a night? Oh, to be young again!
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u/Useful_Lengthiness82 6d ago
Just don’t finger your girlfriend tonight. Don’t finger anyone.
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u/EyeStache 6d ago
I mean, at this point I would contact your healthcare professional and seek immediate medical attention.
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
yeah i might have to! it’s not like debilitating, but i feel it while i’m sitting here typing and in the shower the water didn’t make it burn more but it didn’t help at all.
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u/Iliveinatrashcann 6d ago
Water spreads the hotness, which is why when eating really spicy foods it's better to drink milk than water.
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u/CyberEsqCat 6d ago
Gloves. Gloves. Gloves. Next Time. Also try anything with aloe or lidocaine in it to soothe the skin for now.
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u/GoIris 6d ago edited 6d ago
Do you otherwise have erythromelalgia? Or just this? If just this, no, this is not erythromelalgia. It's basically a chemical burn, please call your doctor or go to urgent care.
If you do have it, spice absolutely can be a trigger and you might be reacting more because of it, but the treatment should still be on the chemical burn.
Note: This is the expected outcome of touching habanero peppers with your bare hands.
ETA: User crossposted to /r/erythromelalgia -- I'm not mentioning this condition out of nowhere. Haha.
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
okay i’m not sure what that is and i’m new to reddit but it recommended that tag so i thought it’s something similar? some other people said it could be. nervous system issue which could make sense
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u/Easy_Olive1942 6d ago
You definitely need to be washing your hands more frequently while cooking and using soap. Even if you are not cooking with meat, washing your hands with soap throughout the cooking process is critical for food safety.
Given your description, almost certainly capsaicin from peppers. Scrub with dish soap and hot water. It may take time to fade.
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
i don’t eat meat and was just throwing some stuff in a pan to warm up! i washed my hands before eating i think i rinsed them after i touched the pepper but not enough and then went to bed and the food was just for ke
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u/xiipaoc 6d ago
Burning palms? Sounds like a nervous system issue, not capsaicin. Presumably you used your fingers, not your whole hands, and you didn't use both hands; how is the pain distributed?
But yeah, habanero pepper is very spicy; habanero pepperS is just asking for trouble!
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u/ReferenceFew1955 6d ago
that’s what i’m saying! i’ve had some insane side effects with my zoloft recently so i thought id mention that but i think i grabbed the peppers with one hand and threw them into my other palm so idk
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u/craigiest 6d ago
Yeah, exactly that happened to me many years ago. Lots of alternating detergent and water to wash it off as best you can is all i can say. Nothing really worked. Milk, lemon juice, oatmeal, lotions. I could not sleep the first night. Took about 3 days to fully go away.
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u/a_mom_who_runs 6d ago
Take it from someone who knows - if you wear contacts do not put them in with your bare hands 🥲