Many years ago, women carried mace in their purses, but today you hear little about mace. You hear more about pepper spray, but you might wonder: What is the difference between mace and pepper spray?

The reality is that both products are for self defense purposes and both have been carried by men and women as a method to stay confident and to feel secure in any situation. However, the products work very differently.

Mace usually refers to a specific brand of product and works differently than pepper spray. Mace is designed to place a burning feeling on the assailant’s eyes or skin. It’s designed to incapacitate the assailant through the pain and discomfort enough so that you – the victim – might make a getaway. But it has no lasting effect and can’t harm the assailant.

Pepper spray refers to products that contain capsaicin as a main ingredient. The pepper spray can actually incapacitate an assailant for as many as 15 minutes, allowing you to get away and to feel secure in doing so -- that you have enough time to get away before your assailant comes looking for you.

While mace delivers a feeling of burning and discomfort on the skin, pepper spray actually works with the body’s respiratory system to create inflammation in the nose, the throat and the eyes. The assailant who’s been sprayed with pepper spray can’t see or breathe well. This slows them down considerably.

Pepper spray can vary by as much as 15 percent concentration – it is usually variable from 1 to 15 percent concentration. The form carried by law enforcement officials will usually be weaker, because this kind acts quickly on the body and wears off after 10-15 minutes, long enough for a subject to be subdued and handcuffed if necessary.

The pepper spray that the rest of us might buy is usually of a higher concentration. It can take a bit longer to set in, but also lasts longer, which can benefit you if you need to get away and feel safe while you do so.

If you decide to purchase pepper spray or mace, do some research first. Mace is not commonly sold anymore as it’s been replaced by pepper spray products, but even as you shop for pepper spray it’s important to find the right concentration and form of the product for you.