How to Avoid Chafing this Summer (2024)

Knowing how to avoid chafing is important, because while having tree-trunk legs is a blessing, every rose has its thorn. And in this case, it’s the rosy-red irritation you experience when your thick-and-juicy legs rub up on each other. There’s nothing enjoyable about this sweaty, skin-on-skin contact. It makes walking awkward, and it makes summer annoying rather than enjoyable (or any season of the year, really).

Typically, chafing happens when you’re not wearing pants. Rather, when you’re wearing shorts, or a kilt, or a teeny-weeny speedo, or anything of the sort that allows your thighs to get frisky and friction-y on each other. You probably recognize the sensation after a long walk in the heat, or at the gym; it’s a good argument in favor of compression shorts. However, chafing can happen in a tight pair of jeans, too, or whenever else your thighs rub against any thick, unforgiving material.

Regardless of how you typically experience chafing, there are some universal ways to prevent it, and to treat it quickly.

1. Wear moisture-wicking underwear

While you’re probably inclined to wear cotton underwear on a normal day at the office, it doesn’t dry quickly enough to keep you comfortable. It soaks your sweat, then forces you to stew in it all day. This is a perfect storm for chafing. To avoid this, make the switch to polyester boxer briefs. Look for ones that specifically announce themselves as “moisture or sweat wicking”. This means that their fabrics pull the sweat away from the skin and help it evaporate through the other side, so that you dry quicker and don’t stew in your own soup. I think it’s important to get the boxer briefs too (rather than briefs or boxers), because they hug you a few inches down the leg (unlike briefs) and never bunch (unlike boxers), which prevents both excess rubbing and moisture.

2. Put powder in your pants

The best way to prevent moisture is a powder or starch. Powders absorb sweat and oil without drying out the skin, plus they nix odor and work as a lubricant for your upper thighs. I prefer using a powder when I wear pants (as opposed to a powder-based cream when I wear shorts, which you’ll see in the next tip). Since the powder absorbs moisture, it eliminates any threat of chafing in the first place. It’s just a little messy if you’re wearing shorts, because it tends to sprinkle out the bottom.

There’s a lot of speculation on how safe talc-based powders are—it’s believed that talc might be carcinogenic, and it’s easy to find alternatives to talcum powders, especially in the form of tapioca and cornstarch.

3. Lather on some anti-chafe cream or stick

If you're wondering how to avoid chafing, you should also stock up on powder-based creams and lubricating roll-on sticks. The powder creams dry into a chalky film over top the skin, and are easier to distribute than powder itself (especially when you need to target a specific spot, like the thighs). Roll-on sticks often use ingredients like coconut oil to create a skin-friendly layer on the skin, that both shields and lubricates the thighs (but doesn’t make it slick or slimy; it too dries into place). This allows for friction minus any wear on the skin. Both solutions are especially good if you’re working out with shorts that otherwise ride up inside the leg.

4. Exercise in performance trunks

You want to avoid any thigh rubbing while you exercise. This is easy if you’re running, but once you start walking, your shorter stride will close the gap. So, whether you wear compression trunks or performance shorts with a trunk lining, you should choose something that prevents skin-on-skin contact.

5. Have body wipes at the ready

It never hurts to tote an extra body wipe or twom on the days you anticipate potential chafing. By wiping away the salty, sweaty buildup on your thighs and around your groin, you can prevent more than just chafing—you’ll also reduce the odds of getting bacterial or fungal infections, as well as swamp crotch.

6. Apply healing cream when you sleep

Part of preventing chafe is done while you sleep, in that you can promote healthy, strong skin (as well as recovery from any chafing that day) with an ultra-nourishing cream. Since your skin cells regenerate overnight and promote skin healing far more rapidly than during the day, this is a good time to fortify the skin and prevent any damage the following day. Look for a zinc-oxide and vitamin-rich blend that creates a barrier over top the skin, and wear some white trunks or old shorts too, since the product can transfer to your bed sheets.