Cayenne pepper does more than add spice and heat to foods. It also serves as a treatment for several medical conditions, sometimes used for pain relief, heart conditions and obesity. Cayenne pepper can be taken as a supplement or applied topically to your skin as a cream. Although oral cayenne pepper supplements are not reported to help fungal infections, creams or ointments containing capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper, may help relieve the itching associated with certain skin conditions. Consult a physician before attempting to treat a condition with cayenne pepper.
Cayenne Pepper Supplements
Capsaicin is the component of cayenne pepper responsible for its spicy flavor as well as its medicinal properties. When applied to your skin, it initially increases and then depletes a compound called substance P in that area of your skin. Substance P elicits a burning sensation, and, as it decreases, you experience pain relief in the area capsaicin was applied. Cayenne pepper supplements are available as dry powders you can add to food or mix into an ointment and as capsules you can take orally.
Fungus
Fungal infections can affect the outermost layer of your skin, typically in moist areas of your body, such as your groin, your feet or under your breasts. Fungus on the top layer of skin might cause no symptoms at all, while an infection in the deeper layers of your skin can lead to itching, swelling and skin changes. Depending on your genetics, you might be prone to recurrent fungal infections, because your body does not recognize the fungus as a foreign microorganism and fails to mount a sufficient immune response to eliminate it. Antifungal creams can help treat a fungal infection and prevent its recurrence. Cayenne pepper supplements, when applied topically, might also help relieve the symptoms of a fungal infection.
Treatment
Although neither the University of Maryland Medical Center nor the Langone Medical Center of New York University reports that cayenne pepper or capsaicin is a specific treatment for fungal infections, they both state capsaicin cream can relieve skin itching. Some people experience symptom relief by applying a cayenne pepper supplement, mixed into an ointment at a concentration between 0.025 and 0.075 percent, to a fungal infection. It can also help relieve any pain you might have as a result of the itching. However, do not apply cayenne pepper supplements or capsaicin to skin that is broken, blistered or cracked.
Considerations
Capsaicin applied to your skin causes an initial burning sensation that quickly subsides. Because it is not water-soluble, it can be difficult to wash off, and you should avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive body parts if you have cayenne pepper or capsaicin on your hands. Avoid using any form of cayenne pepper supplements if you are allergic to bananas, kiwi, avocado, chestnuts or latex, as you might also be allergic to cayenne.
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