I got a lye burn

[KiwiMoose]

Photographic evidence that it can happen, even after 2 1/2 years of soaping. This is on the underside of my wrist near the elbow.
I was stirring the lye solution with lots of ice in it and as the ice moved it caused a tiny drop to come flying out, which hit my arm. I couldn’t feel anything but I knew it had got me so I just wiped my arm with a wet cloth.
All good, no problem, no pain, no stress. Then this morning I was scratching my arm subconsciously because it was itchy, then had a look and saw this:

and no, you still won’t convince me to wear long sleeves when soaping. I’m a middle aged woman with ‘overheating’ issues that are exacerbated by soaping, so sleeveless it shall always be (especially as it’s still summer here).

 

[KimW]

Thanks for the reminder, though I'm sorry you were burned. When I was "overheating" I also soaped sans long sleeves, but I've always been super diligent/paranoid about noticing any splatters. Glad the burn wasn't too bad!

 

[AliOop]

Yes, I've had a few of those burns that didn't really make themselves known until later. Glad yours wasn't serious! I too am not as particular about long sleeves - I'm much more careful about my eyes and face!

 

[Anstarx]

Oops! I'm too on the short sleeve/no sleeve wagon, especially as the weather started to get warm again. Have you considered using sleeve covers though? Not sure if it's how they are called in English but they look like this↓

Mine was homemade with waterproof fabric, which was repurposed from a reusable shopping bag that broke. I got spillages pretty often so this prevents me from wiping my arms across raw soap batter. It also protects your shirt from getting stained with mica oils.

 

[TheGecko]

The story I tell with regards to lye safety came from me deciding that it was safe to take off my gloves while I was washing up. I didn't realize that I had gotten some of the soap batter UNDER my wedding rings. Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up with my ring finger hurting...like I had somehow bent it and trapped under my body while sleeping. I just set up, rubbed my finger to increase circulation then went back to sleep.

When I got up at my regular time, my finger was still hurting and I noted that it was swelling up. It took me a good thirty minutes to get my wedding rings off and then my middle finger and pinky started swelling and it was off with those rings too. Within a half hour, all three fingers looked like fat sausages!

By now, I'm thinking that maybe I got bit by a spider and maybe should head over to Urgent Care. But because I didn't have medical insurance, I got out the magnifying glass. No bite mark, but there was a small brown spot under where my wedding rings would be. I touched and man did it hurt! I then checked my wedding set and I found soap under it. I then realized what happened.

As as result, once the gloves go on when the Lye comes out and they stay on until everything is cleaned up. I then wash my hands with the gloves on, then again after they come off. And I also take my rings off before I put on my gloves.

 

[AliOop]

@Anstarx I made arm sleeves by cutting the feet off my husband's long white "tube" socks. They do work well, but they still make my arms too warm during the warmer times of year.

 

[bookreader451]

@Anstarx I made arm sleeves by cutting the feet off my husband's long white "tube" socks. They do work well, but they still make my arms too warm during the warmer times of year.

What a great idea. I just wear one of my two nasty old long sleeve soapin' shirts. I put a hole by the bottom seam to loop my thumb through so the sleeve stays tucked into the gloves.

 

[AliOop]

What a great idea. I just wear one of my two nasty old long sleeve soapin' shirts. I put a hole by the bottom seam to loop my thumb through so the sleeve stays tucked into the gloves.

That's a good idea, too! I have some older long-sleeved shirts that may get a thumbhole modification.

 

[amd]

I also take my ring off before putting on the gloves - I like my gloves really tight, so that seems to help with the fit.
I cannot bring myself to cover my arms when I soap. I've had it happen that I've had a big smear of soap on my sleeve that then spread all over the place after I was done. I'm messy and clumsy to begin with, so I've learned to pay attention to the tingle of batter on my arms and go rinse asap.

 

[Aromasuzie]

I feel your pain KiwiMoose. I've been known to stand under the A/C to cool down those flashes. Maybe we should leave soaping to colder days

 

[The_Phoenix]

I have three lines on my left inside wrist about two and three inches towards my elbow from scraping and wiping down containers during cleanup. I almost always wear long sleeves, but I also eventually scrunch the sleeves up towards my elbow...which defeats the purpose of wearing long sleeves. I do have forearm sleeves (length of my forearms, wrists to elbows) from my long-distance running days. Never thought to use those...until now!

P.S. I know of these hot flashes.

 

[CpnDouchette]

I have three lines on my left inside wrist about two and three inches towards my elbow from scraping and wiping down containers during cleanup. I almost always wear long sleeves, but I also eventually scrunch the sleeves up towards my elbow

Every. Single. Time.

Only psychopaths do washing up without rolling up their sleeves.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I just muster through the Hot Flashes' which mine hasn't gone away. Ugh The struggles are real.

 

[MarinaB]

Remember my studies at a Russian university for 5 years for my chemistry degree. Never used gloves or glasses. It was a very poor time. Survived. No one lost eyes. Although we did more dangerous reactions with pure Na or K metals.