Hunan Hand
February 23rd, 2005 @ 9:52 am by TimThere’s this thing called Hunan Hand. It happens to you when you work with hot peppers. The hotness in peppers is due to a chemical called capsaicin. This chemical can get on your hands (or elsewhere), and let me tell you, it is damn hard to get off. I cut up various kinds of hot peppers for some chili the other week, and my left thumb burned for days. I could taste spicy on it for about 6 days. I tried several things to get the shit off, including Goo Gone, ethanol, and acetone, which I’m sure can’t be good for your skin. The one recommended method for cooling things off involves rinsing your hands in bleach, and I’m not sure if that’s worth it.
It finally wore off after on its own after about a week. And to think that I didn’t even get it that bad.
Posted in the mindlab
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February 23rd, 2005 @ 11:24 am
Bleach sounds like it should do the trick, since, from what I understand, the hot sensation is from acid reacting to the skin. I hear those food joints that serve dangerously hot sauces (the urban legend kind that makes you sign wavers in case you end up damaged) keep sugar around to neutralize the acid. Of course, I’m horribly at a loss when trying to find any net resources on this.
Then again, soap should work well enough in the first place….you could try diluted bleach, which shouldn’t be dangerous.
This one guy I knew down in the Indian Ocean on Réunion Island who had a ziplock bag of these extremely hot Indian peppers (of which I don’t know the English name) in the back of his car for months. The tropical sun meant that they pretty much cooked and the oils leaked out of the bag. While cleaning out the car, he found the oily spot that he had the misfortune to stick his thumb into. Misfortune of burning skin under the thumbnail (which burned for days) quickly turned into stupid folly when he stuck it in his mouth (which also burned for a good while).
February 23rd, 2005 @ 12:37 pm
This, of course, is the same stuff the police use in pepper spray. The recommended treatment for a pepper spray attack (and hence regular pepper exposure) is:
“…mineral oil followed immediately by alcohol. Some street medics refer to this procedure by the acronym “MOFIBA”.
Thoroughly wet a 4×4 pad or similar material with mineral oil. Carefully avoiding the eyes, thoroughly rub the exposed skin with mineral oil. (You can use any vegetable oil in a pinch).
Quickly wet another 4×4 pad with rubbing alcohol, and vigorously rub off the mineral oil. Be extremely careful around the eyes.”
February 23rd, 2005 @ 12:51 pm
Whatever. I kind of liked having a spicy thumb. It was a little treat that was always with me for 5 days.
On a semi-unrelated note, I also learned that one of the best drinks to have with a hot spicy meal is milk. Apparently works much better than water, etc. since it neutralizes the acid. I did see notice that sugar and alcohol help, but when I’m eating a big ass bowl of hot stuff, milk seems to be a better solution than shoveling down spoonfuls of sugar.
Dick, when you come in 2 weeks, if you want to make a big pot of chili, bring up some crazy peppers for it.
February 23rd, 2005 @ 1:46 pm
10-4 good buddy.
February 23rd, 2005 @ 6:52 pm
[...] e for my Band February 23rd, 2005 @ 6:52 pm by loki Human head for my hunan hand, oh my god, I just thought of a name for my bran new band. Posted in [...]
September 6th, 2005 @ 4:02 pm
Washing hands with lime juice and rubbing it good into the affected areas works wonderously!