Capsaicin, the chemical that makes peppers fiery hot, is well known in the medical world for its ability to alleviate pain. It can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, and can be found in many different products. However, creams are among the most popular. Of course, the percentage of capsaicin used in the formulation can vary from one cream to another. If you’re searching for the strongest capsaicin cream on the market, you’ll need to know a few things first.
How Capsaicin Creams Work
Before you start searching for the strongest capsaicin cream on the market, understand how they work. Most patients report that the pain relief is not instantaneous. In fact, some people must use these creams three to four times a day for up to two weeks before they see full pain relief. This is normal, and is not a sign that you need a stronger cream. Additionally, you must use it three to four times per day to see relief. Using it less often will reduce the benefits you enjoy.
Lower Concentrations Can Be Beneficial
First off, more is not always better. Understand that any cream containing this chemical will create a burning or tingling sensation in the skin. With the strongest capsaicin cream on the market, that sensation can be quite strong. You need to ask yourself if the relief you’re seeking is worth the additional discomfort.
Lower percentage concentrations at, say, 0.075%, are quite effective at treating many different conditions. For instance, it can work quite well on sore muscles and even sprains and some backaches. It is also effective at treating mild arthritis.
Moving up, you have capsaicin cream at 0.25%. While it might not seem like it, this is a significant jump from the lower percentages. If you do not find relief with a 0.075% cream, this would be the next thing to try before immediately jumping to the strongest capsaicin cream available. At 0.25%, a capsaicin cream can be very effective at treating sprains, serious muscle pain, lower back pain and even rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Most people will find that this strength is more than enough for their condition.
If you want something stronger than 0.25%, you’ll have to get away from creams and consider patches. You will also need to speak with your doctor. Patches are available for patients suffering from diabetes and HIV neuropathy that contain 8% capsaicin. However, these are available only by prescription, and they must be applied by your doctor in the office. They are not available for use at home.
Where does that leave you if you want something slightly stronger than 0.25% but either don’t want or cannot qualify for prescription patches? Perhaps the strongest capsaicin cream can be made at home using pure capsaicin and a carrier cream or oil. However, use extreme caution here, as pure capsaicin can be very harmful if it gets in your eyes, nose or mouth.