PlanetMace Blog

Understanding (Mace) Pepper Spray and How it Works

Pepper spray is one of the most enduring self defense products on the market, and although further developments in the self defense spray industry have included synthetic materials such as those contained in the brand compound ‘Mace’, there has been little improvement on the actual active ingredient that is most effective and most common in most self defense sprays. Pepper spray comes from the plant Oleoresin capsicum, or pepper as we know it, and from it is derived a concentrated extract known as Capsaicin, which is the oily resin that actively irritates the body’s mucus membranes to render an attacker harmless.

Despite it’s enduring proven track record for effectively protecting average citizens from unruly violent attackers, there are some limitations to pepper spray, and understanding the means by which pepper spray is most effective is an integral part of adequately preparing yourself and your loved ones to defend themselves in the event of an attack.

There are a few considerations to take into perspective when preparing yourself and your loved ones to defend themselves, here’s a few recommendations from the experts on how pepper spray works and which peppery spray products are right for you:

* Choose a canister size that fits your lifestyle: unless you’re a police officer likely to face mobs or gangs on a repetitive basis a simple .5oz keychain size pepper spray canister is most likely enough to get you out of a single or double attacker situation, while no more than a 2 oz. can should be necessary. Remember, having quick access to your pepper spray in a moment of emergency is the most vital aspect of choosing a product, so having a product that is too bulky or a hassle to carry is not a good idea

* The higher the concentration, the longer you have to get away from an attacker. While police may choose to carry pepper spray products that have only 2-5% pepper spray, this is largely due to the fact that they must process a criminal after they have been subdued, and lengthy recovery periods slow down the administrative process. But for the average citizen, solutions of 10-15% will ensure a getaway period of up to 45 minutes or longer, giving you plenty of time to get yourself to safety and go get the authorities.

* Getting a product with ink or dye added to the pepper spray will increase the odds of identifying your attacker later on. Don’t worry about sticking around to detain your assailant: get yourself and your family to safety and let the authorities handle tracking down the suspect: of course, with a giant green blotch on their face, they should be easy to apprehend.