Capsaicin

Info the writers here might consider, and about which I would enjoy knowing what your think of pepper / soap / capsaicin scenes.
I just experimented on myself by holding a bar of Ivory in my teeth for two minutes. Never tried or was subject to soaping.
My self-soaping trial was prompted by a communication with a friend who became aware, many years ago, of a real father who put hot chili on his children's tongues for swearing. He claimed that in his rough neighborhood his children swore, very much less, than any kids on the block.
I know chili; I lived in the southwest US for many years. Although my tolerance for hot grew greatly in those years, many chile (a NM spelling) aka hot sauces vastly exceeded my limit.
I decided to search for chili ingredients on-line.
Wow. Capsaicin is THE ingredient that makes the peppers hot! A further note, for those of you who might use capsaicin spanked bottom rubs in your stories: Capsaicin is measured on the Scoville Scale, expressed as Scoville Heat Units (SHU). You could make the capsaicin rub mild to searing.

I've mentioned Scoville units in my short story 'Spicy Food'.

If treating bottoms with a capsaicin rub interests you, I've heard that 'Tiger Balm' and 'Icy Hot' also give interesting results. Also, look up 'ginger figging' on the internet.

Capsaicin/icy hot/figging are all interesting concepts I've considered integrating. I can never quite find a good way for them to fit. Maybe they're just a bit too ritualistic or unnecessary after an already sound spanking. Perhaps I'll give it a second thought. Mouth soaping though I do enjoy writing about, since soap is typically more readily available and the concept is more widespread.

When it comes to figging, I've never been able to use in any story that was not set in a mock Victorian Era.

I've experienced figging several times and written about it once. My experiences were frankly disappointing and contradicted the general information behind its use. For me at least, it did not stop me from clenching. The burn of ginger is simply not severe enough to counter the pain from a hard smack or switch cut. ( the switch we have is very 'cane like'.)

The most severe 'burn' I've experienced is indeed from a capsaicin-based ointment, Capzasin-HP. It is truly agonizing and the burn keeps getting worse even when you think it's reached its limit. Even capsaicin oils can be really bad, and even produce blisters on sensitive people. Still, the trouble with these things is not experiencing them but writing about them.

I have found that adding other elements of ANY kind to a spanking story is risky, whether for turning readers off or away, or worse, having a story rejected due to content. ( A long while back I had a story rejected for content even though it was loaded with spanking because the main elements focused more on chastity than punishment. Not complaining, I get it, but it does illustrate my point.) So, there simply are more reasons NOT to include things like ginger plugs or scenes with ointments being rubbed onto sensitive body parts, than to add them in.

Popular stories here rarely if ever involve spanking as a part of a BDSM scene between consenting couples. Instead, the top 10, 20, 50, or hell 1000, are about spankings as punishment to a deserving miscreant, and burning ointments are WAY more BDSM than standard punishment........ as are butt plugs, chastity devices, foot worship, nipple clips, and all those other delicious goodies that make a lot of traditional spanking folks cringe.

K. D. Pierre makes a good point. However,I wonder what is the acceptance level for plots with leather cuffs for wrist and ankles are seen by the reader in spanking stories. Also, one hung spread eagle in a delivery van or tractor trailer. Plus the utilization of a bondage swing.' They all give a semblance of helplessness which may make the spankee's submission easier to accept in adult role play.