What to do if your hands itch after eating yam

Yam is a very good food ingredient with high nutritional value. It can strengthen the spleen and nourish the lungs. However, many people’s hands will itch when cutting yam. Many people don’t know what causes this, nor do they know how to prevent itchy hands. So, next, the editor will tell you why your hands will itch when cutting yam? What should I do if my hands feel itchy when cutting yam?

Why do my hands itch when cutting yam?

Yam contains saponin, and after peeling, there will be a kind of mucus. The protein and diosgenin in it will irritate the skin and cause allergies.

Since yam mucus contains saponins, which may cause allergies, contact dermatitis may occur after human skin contact. The most common symptom is itchy hands. In severe cases, symptoms such as redness, swelling, and tingling may occur.

The time when allergic symptoms appear often varies slightly. Some people react quickly and feel itchy when cutting their hands; others take some time to react. This is why many people feel their hands itchy when peeling and cutting yams themselves. At present, there are indeed many clinical cases of contact dermatitis caused by yam.

The good news is that saponins, which are prone to allergies, are relatively heat-sensitive. Therefore, if you are afraid of allergies, after peeling or cutting the yam, you can wash your hands, and then dry them over the fire to relieve the itching.

Of course, you can also prevent it from happening: before handling the yam, you might as well wear rubber gloves or put a plastic bag on your hands, and then peel or cut it. This will prevent contact with substances that may cause allergies, and you don’t have to worry about itchy hands.

How to prevent it

1. Before peeling, wear gloves or put on a plastic bag to avoid touching the mucus.

2. Put on gloves, wash the dirt off the yam, and put it in hot water to blanch it. After the mucus of the yam is broken down, you can easily peel off the skin with a knife.

3. Before peeling, apply some vinegar on your hands and then peel, it won’t itch.

How to stop itching

1. Soak in hot water (a temperature that you can bear, best not warm water, which has little effect) for a few minutes to effectively relieve itching.

2. The effect will be better if you rub it with table salt and then soak it in hot water. Be sure to soak it instead of washing it, as washing will not be effective.

3. The effect is very good if you rub it in rice water.

4. When you get vinegar on your hands, remember not to wash them immediately. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, it’s best to be patient. Washing it off immediately will not work and the itching will continue. The editor has tried it and if time permits, the editor strongly recommends washing your hands as late as possible, which can completely stop the itching. This principle should be the effect of acid-base neutralization reaction.

5. I also encountered this when I was peeling taro when I was a child. My mother said to roast it over the fire, turn your palms over and over to heat your hands and decompose the plant alkali that has penetrated into your hands. This is indeed very effective, but you must be careful not to get burned.

6. If the above methods are not allowed, you can also try washing with soap.

From this, we know how to prevent our hands from itching when cutting yam. Even if we accidentally get them stained, we know how to deal with the itching. Finally, the editor reminds everyone that some people will become itchy due to yam and cause allergies. They need to apply allergy-resistant medicine or go to the hospital for treatment by a doctor.