Pepper sprays are made up of Oleoresin capsicum and Oleoresin capsicum is oil based. As we all should know oil and water do not mix very well. Imagine how complicated it is to cleanse grease off of a cooking pot with water alone, it's nearly unfeasible. Water is made up of polar molecules and grease is made up of non polar molecules. Polar molecules just connect with other polar molecules, and non polar molecules only connect with other non polar molecules. As we have all tried, using water will not wash that greasy pan! The water will never bond with the grease and transmit it down the drain.
Just like grease, oleoresin capsicum oil is made of non polar molecules, while drinking water or splashing your face in it may provide immediate relief it will not take the oil or offer any permanent relief. What should you do if you are sprayed with pepper spray?
Very significant, DO NOT touch the affected area. Pepper spray is oil-based and can simply expand to other portions of the body just by touching it.
Blink briskly to produce tearing in your eyes. This could help relieve some of the pepper spray from your eyes.
Use cleansing as hand soaps, shampoo, dish soaps then rinse with water. Soaps help break up and take away the oil while water cannot.
Use a baby shampoo to help rinse the pepper spray from the eye area. Just like soap, this will help remove the oils, it can be used on sensitive areas without causing more irritation.
Emergency medical personnel usually have some form of wipes or solution to help treat the effects of pepper spray. If you carry pepper spray, it is probably a good idea to have medicated wipes that are designed to cleanse your skin if it's been exposed to pepper spray.
These wipes can prove very useful in case you are accidentally sprayed.
No comments:
Post a Comment