Treating Burning Lips and Symptoms From Pepper Spray
Rinse your face and lips with cool water right away for 10-15 minutes to treat burning from pepper spray. Skip hot water since it makes the burning feel worse.
Cut off any clothing with spray on it instead of pulling it over your head to avoid spreading the irritant. Use mild soap to break down the oily spray, then rinse well.
For quick relief, suck on ice cubes or put cold milk or yogurt on your lips. Keep your hands down and away from your face so you don’t spread the spray around.
These first steps will help, but you’ll need to follow all the treatment steps to fully recover and avoid problems later.
Understanding Pepper Spray Burns
When pepper spray hits your skin and lips, it causes one of the worst burning feelings you’ll ever experience. The spray’s active ingredient, capsaicin, triggers your pain receptors right away, creating an intense burning that you can’t ignore.
Most people feel the pain for 20-30 minutes, but some might hurt longer. To recover quickly, you need to act fast – take off any clothes with spray on them and get to fresh air right away.
Your body will react to pepper spray in several ways. Your lips and skin will turn red and swell up, and you’ll feel intense burning and itching. While most people know pepper spray hurts your eyes, it can be just as painful on your lips.
Knowing what to expect helps you treat it better.
Don’t touch or rub your face if you get sprayed – you’ll only spread the burning to other areas. Instead, wash the spots that hurt with soap and water right away to get rid of as much spray as possible.
You can also try cooling things like cold water or milk to help with the burning and swelling.
Immediate Steps After Exposure
After exposure to pepper spray, flush your lips and face with cool, room-temperature water for at least 10-15 minutes to wash away the burning oils.
Move to fresh air right away and use mild dishwashing soap to break down the oily residue.
Take off any contaminated clothes quickly, especially those you pull over your head, to stop further skin and face irritation.
While you rinse, avoid touching or rubbing your face because this can spread the pepper spray oil and make the burning feel worse.
Flush With Cool Water
When pepper spray hits you, quickly find running cool water to rinse your burning lips. Start washing the affected areas immediately, and use a gentle stream of water to avoid spreading the spray to other parts of your face, especially your eyes.
Always use cool tap water instead of hot water, because heat makes the burning worse by activating the pepper spray’s active ingredient, capsaicin.
Keep rinsing for at least 10-15 minutes, even if you feel better before then. The long rinse helps remove the spray and reduces pain.
If your lips burn, focus on cleaning your mouth well. Rinse your mouth with lots of cool water and spit it all out to remove any leftover spray.
To feel better, try sucking on ice chips while you keep rinsing the areas that hurt. Keep the water flowing gently but steadily to wash away the spray without causing more pain.
Remove Contaminated Clothing
Remove your contaminated clothes right away after rinsing with cool water to stop the pepper spray from touching your skin longer. Don’t pull clothes over your head – cut them off instead. This keeps you from spreading the spray on your face and eyes.
If clothes are stuck to your skin, use scissors to cut around those spots carefully.
If you wear contacts, take them out right away with clean hands. Your contacts can trap pepper spray and keep irritating your eyes even after you’ve tried to clean them.
After you take off all your contaminated clothes, wash them by themselves. Don’t mix them with your other laundry or the spray could get on your clean clothes.
Follow these steps to remove contaminated clothes:
- Cut off your clothes instead of pulling them over your head
- Cut around any clothes stuck to your skin with scissors
- Take out contact lenses after cleaning your hands well
- Wash affected clothes separately
Taking these steps quickly will help you avoid more contact with the pepper spray and stop it from spreading to other parts of your body or your things.
Treating Affected Lips
Rinse your lips right away with cool water, then wash them with mild soap to remove the hot pepper oils.
Mix a small amount of dish soap with water and gently apply it to break down the oils more effectively.
Get quick relief by putting cold milk or yogurt directly on your lips – these dairy products contain casein, which helps stop the burning.
To ease the discomfort even more, suck on ice cubes or hold cold, wet cloths against your lips.
Remember to keep your hands away from other parts of your face while treating the affected area.
Immediate Relief Methods
When pepper spray hits your lips, you need to act fast to stop the burning. The chemical that causes the burn (oleoresin capsicum) responds best to quick treatment with simple solutions.
Start with cool water right away – hot water will only make the burn feel worse.
Follow these steps to get quick relief:
- Swish and spit out lots of cool water to wash away the pepper spray
- Put ice chips in your mouth to cool down the burning
- Gently rub mild soap or baby shampoo on your lips to break down the spray
- Take sips of cold milk or fruit juice to ease the pain
Your main job is to wash away and weaken the pepper spray on your lips and in your mouth. Keep your hands away from your face while treating the burn – you don’t want to spread the spray to other sensitive spots. Keep rinsing and using these treatments until the burning starts to fade.
Long-Term Lip Care
You need to take care of your lips even after pepper spray exposure wears off. Following the right steps will help your lips heal and stop any long-lasting damage.
First, wash your lips with mild soap and cool water to get rid of the oily resin. Skip hot water since it will make the burning worse.
After cleaning, put on a thin coating of petroleum jelly or lip balm. This creates a shield that protects your sensitive lips from things that could irritate them more.
To help with pain that won’t go away, try sucking on ice cubes or drinking cold milk. Watch your lips closely for bad irritation or blisters. If you see these signs, get medical help right away to prevent infection and ensure good healing.
Keep putting on lip balm throughout the day, and don’t touch or rub your lips – this can make the affected area worse and slow down healing.
Drink and Food Considerations
Seeking relief from pepper spray exposure requires careful attention to what you eat and drink. Cold milk works best to calm the burning feeling in your lips and throat.
To start treating exposure, take off any clothes with pepper spray on them and rinse your skin well with water. Take small sips of milk slowly to let it soothe the burning areas. Keep drinking water often too – it helps reduce throat irritation and keeps you hydrated while you recover.
Some foods and drinks can help you feel better, while others can make things worse. Cool dairy products like yogurt or ice cream can give you quick relief. But you need to be careful about what you consume.
Don’t drink or eat:
- Hot drinks that might make the burning worse
- Spicy foods that could irritate your mouth and throat
- Acidic drinks like orange juice or soda
- Alcohol, which can make swelling worse
Pay attention to how your body reacts and choose your food and drinks wisely. If you feel a lot of pain, stick to cold milk and water. Wait until you feel better before trying other foods or drinks that might irritate your system.
Specialized Sprays
Take Down OC Relief Decontamination Spray provides rapid relief from the burning effects of pepper spray exposure through its specialized formulation. The spray works by neutralizing the capsaicin molecules responsible for the intense burning sensation, while simultaneously cooling and soothing affected skin and mucous membranes.
Its pH-balanced solution helps restore the skin’s natural chemistry disrupted by OC exposure, and its unique blend of natural ingredients, including aloe vera and mineral compounds, reduces inflammation and irritation.
When applied promptly after exposure, the spray creates a protective barrier that prevents capsaicin from further binding to pain receptors, effectively diminishing the burning sensation within minutes. The fine mist application allows for even coverage of affected areas and can be safely used on face, eyes, and other sensitive regions impacted by pepper spray.
Medical Warning Signs
Watch for these warning signs after pepper spray exposure – they mean you need to see a doctor right away. If your eyes keep hurting, your vision gets blurry, or your eyes won’t stop watering, don’t delay getting help.
| Warning Sign | Symptoms | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Eye Issues | Blurred vision, excessive tearing | Seek immediate care |
| Breathing Problems | Wheezing, severe coughing | Get urgent medical help |
| Skin Reactions | Blistering, severe burns | Visit healthcare provider |
Take extra care if you have asthma or COPD since breathing problems can get serious quickly. Call 911 if you struggle to breathe or feel chest pain after getting sprayed. You should also see a doctor if your skin stays irritated even after you clean it. Watch out for throat problems too – if you have trouble swallowing or your voice changes for more than a few hours, something might be wrong.
When it comes to pepper spray reactions, it’s always safer to get checked out if you’re worried. Don’t try to tough it out if you notice these serious symptoms.
Recovery Timeline
You’ll want to know how long the burning sensation will last while you watch for warning signs. Most people recover from pepper spray exposure within 1-2 hours, though this can vary from person to person.
After you clean the spray off properly, the worst symptoms – especially the intense burning on your lips and skin – will start feeling much better within 10 minutes. Medical providers can better help you if you clearly describe your symptoms during this early stage.
Your symptoms should improve in this order:
- Burning on lips and skin: 20-30 minutes
- Severe pain and discomfort: Major relief within 10 minutes
- Breathing problems (coughing, trouble breathing): 30-60 minutes
- Skin problems (redness, swelling): Several hours
Most symptoms will clear up on their own within 1-2 hours after you clean the affected areas well. Your skin might stay irritated longer than other areas. How quickly you recover depends on how much spray hit you and how soon you started treatment.
You should see a doctor if you still feel very uncomfortable after 2 hours, even after cleaning the spray off well, to make sure there aren’t any problems.
Prevention and Self Protection
Protective equipment and smart precautions provide the best defense against pepper spray. When you expect possible pepper spray exposure, wear proper goggles to protect yourself. Regular eyeglasses or sunglasses won’t protect you enough.
Use ski or swim goggles that seal tightly around your eyes to block the spray. When using pepper spray, release it in short bursts to avoid spraying yourself and save the contents.
Face masks help reduce mouth exposure to pepper spray, but they won’t protect your eyes. You need both goggles and a mask for better protection. If you handle pepper spray, follow safety rules to avoid spraying yourself by accident.
Keep your hands away from your face and wash them well after touching the spray.
Store pepper spray safely where children can’t see or reach it. This prevents accidents and injuries. Remember, using the right protective gear and handling pepper spray carefully will best protect you from its painful effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Helps Pepper Spray Burns?
Relieve pepper spray burns by washing with mild soap and cool water first. Apply cold compresses, cooling gels, or aloe vera to reduce the burning sensation. Soaking in milk, spreading baking soda paste, or using soothing creams will ease your discomfort. Taking antihistamines can help decrease swelling and pain.
Can Pepper Spray Burn Your Lips?
Pepper spray will severely burn your lips and cause instant pain, swelling, and a strong burning feeling. Your lips will become very sensitive, and you might have an allergic reaction when the spray’s chemicals touch your lip tissue. Stay away from pepper spray and handle it with extreme care.
How Long Does Pepper Spray Burn Last?
Pepper spray burns typically last 20-30 minutes, but you might feel the effects longer based on how much spray hit you, how sensitive your skin is, and how strong the spray was. Some people can feel the burning for several hours. Acting quickly to treat the affected areas will help you recover faster.
What Neutralizes Pepper Spray?
Milk, soap and water, or saline solution can neutralize pepper spray quickly. To get relief, wash the affected areas well and put cold milk on them with a cloth. The milk helps break down capsaicin, the oil that makes pepper spray burn. Cold water also helps, but milk works better because it contains proteins that bind to the burning oils. Keep washing the area until you feel better, and make sure to change your clothes if they got hit with the spray too.