What starts off innocently as your skin rubs on something else—be it more skin, jogging shorts, or the underside of a bra—can quickly become more sinister. Take the example of a marathon runner who, as he crosses the finish line, is more pained by his raw nipples against his T-shirt than by his tired joints. With just a few rubs—or in the case of the runner, 26 miles’ worth—a little friction can make skin red, hot, inflamed, and in severe cases, even bleed. So when something rubs you the wrong way—and leaves a rash—find alternatives. Try these strategies.
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Choose Natural Fabrics
No matter what your sport, synthetic uniforms may be more durable, but when it comes to chafing, cotton is the fabric of choice.
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Wash Before You Wear
Wash any new exercise clothes before you wear them. Washing sometimes softens the fabric enough to lessen abrasion.
Wrap It Up
People who are overweight or who have big thighs, which makes chafing more likely, may find relief by wrapping elastic bandages around the portions of their legs that rub, says Barringer. These bandages will shield the skin when your thighs rub together, and instead of skin against skin, the rubbing will be fabric against fabric. But be sure that the elastic bandages are secure so that they don’t move across the skin.
Wear Tights
A pair of athletic tights or Lycra cycling shorts are snug, yet they stretch and cause no friction against the skin, says Barringer.
Grease Your Body
If you’re experiencing chafing from clothing, Audrey Kunin, MD, recommends trying a silicone or cyclomethicone gel. You can apply it between your thighs, under your arms, or beneath a sports bra—wherever clothing rubs, she says.
Roll On Relief
Most running stores carry sticks of roll-on lubricant that you can rub on before an activity that may lead to raw skin. “These work quite well,” says Randy Wexler, MD.
Keep Your Skin Dry
If excess moisture is the source of the irritation you are experiencing, try to keep the area as dry as possible, Kunin says. “Dry the area that is chafing, be it skin folds or your breasts, with a hair dryer on the cool setting to circulate some air there whenever possible,” she says.
Smooth Things Out
Cornstarch gives a double whammy to chafing—it keeps skin dry and helps heal the irritated area, says Georgianna Donadio, PhD. So sprinkle on the cornstarch to prevent and treat chafing. For extra lubrication and protection, Donadio suggests smearing a little petroleum jelly over the cornstarch.
Find Powder Power
Your mother may have used this remedy when you were a child. An old tried-and-true treatment for chafing, baby powder works as a lubricant, just the way petroleum jelly does. It helps the skin slip past other skin without the friction that can lead to a rash, says Kunin. If you don’t like powdery floors, sprinkle the powder into the middle of a large, soft, white handkerchief, and tie the corners. Then, use the sack of powder like a powder puff. It will leave powder on you, and most importantly, not on the floor.
Block It With A Bandage
Simply block the rub with an adhesive bandage. Runners, for example, use bandages over nipples to prevent rubbing.
Fight Yeast Infections
“If there is a lot of rubbing under the breasts or along the thighs, there could be a yeast infection going on, which can cause the skin to break down,” Dr. Kunin says. “Try an over-the-counter anti-yeast medicated powder to see if it clears it up,” she says.
Lose Weight
Overweight people may find chafing a regular problem, says Kunin, as skin folds rub together. (Here's are 50 ways to get started when you have a lot of weight to lose.)
A Doctor's Advice On Chafing
Tom Barringer, MD, cautions that the coarser the cloth in an outfit, the more likely it will chafe. “I’ve run up to 50 miles a week at times, depending on my schedule. And I’ve found that when clothing chafes, sometimes the best thing to do is just toss it out and try something else,” he says.
Panel Of Advisors
Tom Barringer, MD, is a family physician in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Georgianna Donadio, PhD, is director of the National Institute of Whole Health, a holistic certification program for medical professionals.
Audrey Kunin, MD, is a cosmetic dermatologist in Kansas City, Missouri, the founder of the dermatology education websiteDERMAdoctor, and the author of The DermaDoctor SkinStruction Manual.
Randy Wexler, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.
