Oh the burn!

[oakley]

I had such a memorable burn last year that i've been using a barrier hand wax. Basically a gardeners formula of beeswax and oil.(a bit like chapstick) Plus good gloves. And a good hand cleaner...

A friend gifted his unexpected bumper pepper crop so i prepped to smoke them for the freezer. I tried all of the above like avocado oil, vinegar, etc, then soaked in a zip-lock of ice cubes and greek yogurt. That basically numbed my hand enough to continue searching on the web. By bedtime it has subsided enough to sleep. 24hours later it still had some minor tolerable heat but not painful.

This is a great hand cleaner that i was out of and finally just ordered a case a few weeks ago from amazon. I use protection now but often prep raw handed if just a few. This dry soap with a bit of oil should do it for a minor burn.

[Starlight]

Cool! Olive oil and dish soap and bees wax and oil sure sounds better than acne medicine and nail polish.

I'll check into those gloves too. The ones I have have no latex, powder or vinyl. They are like plastic wrap I guess.

I tried smearing some mayo on last night. Didn't do anything except get mayo smeared on things when I forgot about my hand.

I learned the hard way several years ago that hot pepper seeds can burn even when dried. Had gloves on and bagging up Scorpion seeds for somebody and phone rang. Took the gloves off and didn't even think about the fact that I was still holding the seeds in the palm of my hand. My hand started sweating and next thing I knew my palm was burning. Still carry a white scar mark from them few seeds.

Worth... For real. Too funny! : ) I probably should think about wearing a pair of them science type glasses. I have to take my glasses off when working cuz they always sliding down my nose and my face right up there trying to see what I am doing.

Have a bunch of peppers about ready to be picked, but think I am going to leave them on the vine for a bit longer til I know my hand is healed good and I feel a bit braver. What is that old saying about once burned twice shy. : )

[dmforcier]

I've handled some of the worlds hottest peppers, and while I frequently experience Hunan Hands (you actually get used to it over time, believe it or not) I have never experienced or seen anything like blistering, much less scarring. What the heck are you growing??

Btw, the seeds themselves have next to no capsaicin. It is concentrated in the placental tissue in which the seed developed inside the pod. If chile people cleaned their seeds like tomato people, such things wouldn't happen.

Another btw: If you are wearing readers, check around for magnifying safety glasses. Like regular safety glasses, but with magnifying lenses like readers. Sure makes working in a shop a bunch easier for old squints like me.

[Starlight]

I grow sweet, hots and super hots. Every year I try bells , but they don't like me. I haven't given up hope of one day being able to grow some nice big bells, even if I only get one pepper.

My hands are very sensitive to alot of things. Happened from awhile back when they got burned.

I always try to make sure I have the little bits of tissue off, but on some seeds that are tiny. It very hard to do. Is there some easy way to remove it other than trying to do it by hand?

[AlittleSalt]

Star, we grew some pinot noir bell peppers that did grow large. They were our first Bells to grow to full size. They are hybrids and I think you can only get them from Burpee? https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...r+bell+peppers They are fun to watch turn different colors and they taste really good. (We thought they did)

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Star, we grew some pinot noir bell peppers that did grow large. They were our first Bells to grow to full size. They are hybrids and I think you can only get them from Burpee? https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...r+bell+peppers They are fun to watch turn different colors and they taste really good. (We thought they did)

Cool! Hadn't seen those before. Gonna get some and give them a try. I just love the taste of a bell pepper to munch on. I get tired of having to buy them, especially having to pay almost $4 bucks for a pepper during the winter months.

[kchd..]

Starlight, I like to behead my peppers (cut the cap off) and pull out the majority of the seeds & placenta whole. I hold onto the stem. I place the whole thing upside down on a plate and let it dry for a day or so. Then I'll return and scrape / pry / flick seeds off with the tip of my knife. I let those seeds lay out and dry for a week. It all involves minimal touching. Another option is to dry the cap completely, then place the whole thing inside a ziplock and massage the seeds off the cap thru the plastic bag.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by kchd..

Starlight, I like to behead my peppers (cut the cap off) and pull out the majority of the seeds & placenta whole. I hold onto the stem. I place the whole thing upside down on a plate and let it dry for a day or so. Then I'll return and scrape / pry / flick seeds off with the tip of my knife. I let those seeds lay out and dry for a week. It all involves minimal touching. Another option is to dry the cap completely, then place the whole thing inside a ziplock and massage the seeds off the cap thru the plastic bag.

Thanks! I'll give that a try. I been taking the seeds off as soon as I open the pod. I'll let em sit a while and see how that goes. For me the Habanero types are the worst for getting the membranes off of the seeds.

[dmforcier]

Originally Posted by Starlight

I grow sweet, hots and super hots. Every year I try bells , but they don't like me. I haven't given up hope of one day being able to grow some nice big bells, even if I only get one pepper.

Bells don't like me either. Fine. I don't like them.

Originally Posted by Starlight

My hands are very sensitive to alot of things. Happened from awhile back when they got burned.

Ah! That explains everything. A good friend of mine was burned when his Top Fuel dragster crashed at 200 mph back in the day, his feet especially. Most folks would think that when a wound heals, it heals and you're back as you were. T'ain't so with bad burns.

Originally Posted by Starlight

I always try to make sure I have the little bits of tissue off, but on some seeds that are tiny. It very hard to do. Is there some easy way to remove it other than trying to do it by hand?

Well, I don't even try. With the peppers that have the conical seed bed I do as Katy does - cut out the cone and let it dry. But not all peppers are like that. And even though they dry, the placenta is still there, just shriveled.

Why not try the OxyClean method as used on tomato seeds before drying? That should disrupt the placental tissues so that the dried seeds are much "cleaner".