Pepper spray Vs Pepper Gel

Pepper Spray Vs Pepper Gel

The most important characteristic of any pepper spray is its strength. Most pepper sprays will include a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating, which measures the relative hotness or pungency of chili pepper. This number can range anywhere from 100,000 SHUs to 2,500,000 SHUs! Pepper gel typically has much less capsaicin and usually ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 SHUs in strength.

One of the ways to increase the strength of a pepper gel is to use a "super-strength" base. In this case, the capsaicin is more concentrated in the gel, which provides significantly more burning heat, compared to most other types of pepper spray. The majority of pepper gels provide less than 3-5% strength acceleration due to this method.

Effects on Skin

The primary difference between these two types is that pepper spray burns through clothing and targets your attacker's eyes and mucous membranes while the pepper gel limits its effects to the skin. There are some medical studies that have observed that using pepper spray can lead to blindness in dogs and other animals due to damage to their eyes (vision).

Self Defense Efficiency

Pepper spray is a more serious self-defense option than pepper gel. Pepper spray can cause eye irritation, breathing difficulty, and respiratory problems. It's also been used as an animal repellent, tear gas in warfare situations, or as a form of punishment to control rioters.

Pepper gel doesn't carry the same risks because it uses formulations that differ from those of capsaicin or oleoresin capsicum. Additionally, the internet offers several instructions on how to wash pepper spray off skin and clothes after using it as one of the self defense weapons while no such instructions exist for pepper gel.

Pepper gel is applied to the assailant's skin, and is intended to restrict movement. It won't cause injury or pain and can be removed easily with soap and water. Pepper spray causes a burning sensation that lasts for up to 30 minutes (depending on the formula), irritating eyes, pain and swelling in airways, and in rare cases, temporary blindness.

Pepper spray can prevent people from breathing for a few minutes if used at close range. However, pepper spray use isn't com mon in self-defense situations because of its risks of causing serious harm or death to the user or bystanders. Additionally, pepper spray is not safe for animals and is not used as a control measure for livestock.

Effectiveness

Pepper spray has been used in self-defense situations with excellent results. The Center for Forensic Sciences in Philadelphia found that victims who were sprayed directly by a subject's spraying arm sustained significantly less pain from being sprayed than those directly sprayed by their assailant's hands or feet.

In other self-defense scenarios, pepper spray may have been the only weapon capable of stopping an attacker from overpowering the victim, and it could be used to disorient the assailant. Pepper gel, or OC products containing pepper gel, are legal in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia. Pepper spray is legal in most states but has been banned in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. However, it's important to note that the laws regulating both pepper spray and pepper gel vary widely by state.