University of California-San Diego Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, USA.
"Hunan hand" is a contact dermatitis resulting from the direct handling of chili peppers containing capsaicin. Capsaicin also is found in an over-the-counter topical agent for treatment of postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy, and arthritis. We present the case of a patient with capsaicin-induced dermatitis and discuss the pathophysiology, therapy, and current uses of capsaicin.