How to prevent that nasty old thigh chafe this Summer!
Come on, admit it… at one time or another, a lot of us have experienced the pain that thigh chafing can cause! The weather warms up that little bit more and BAM, our legs start to rub! But don’t worry, inner thigh chafing is a problem felt by women and men of all shapes and sizes.
Chafing is characterised by irritated sore skin on the inner thighs and will usually blister due to the combination of constant friction and excessive sweating. The first sign that chafing is occurring is a hot spot, just like with blisters on your feet. As soon as you feel a hot spot somewhere, stop and check if the area is red and irritated, take the time to address the issue before damage to the skin occurs.
So how do I prevent chafing between my legs?
1. Keep it dry
Sweating when it’s hot, or when exercising can make chafing worse. One useful trick is to keep a small tub of anti-chafing powder in your bag so you can sprinkle some on to absorb excess moisture when you’re out and about.
2. Lubricate your skin
A bit of lubrication will help your thighs glide past each other, rather than pulling or rubbing the skin. There are some anti chafing balms on the market that you can apply to the insides of your thighs before walking to help protect against chafing effectively. These are available at most pharmacies.
3. Reduce friction
One of the best ways to help prevent thigh chafing is also one of the simplest: wear appropriate clothing. When you’re teaming a skirt or dress with bare legs, it’s easy for your thighs to rub together, so investing in some anti-chafing shorts specially designed to stop chafing. Anti-chafing shorts will create a comfortable barrier between your thighs. Ensure you purchase them with moisture wicking fibres to ensure you remain comfortable all day long!
4. Say no to cotton
Cotton is great for lounging and everyday wear, but as soon as you work up a sweat, it will take a long time to dry and can cause painful skin irritation when it rubs. Choose synthetic fibres, preferably with moisture-wicking technology, to remove the excess moisture from your skin.
Following these four measures will ensure you remain chafe free, but you might be reading this thinking, oh no I’ve already got chafed thighs! Well, I can help you get your inner thigh skin looking smooth and help reduce the redness with three strategies.
How do you get rid of chafing fast?
1. Gently clean the affected area and dry thoroughly – Make sure you are showering daily as a build-up of sweat on the skin can cause your inner thighs to chafe. If you can’t shower and you feel a build-up of sweat use a body wipe to ensure the area is clean.
2. Wear protective clothing – Wet and damp clothing will increase chafing so ensure the garment you have removes moisture from the skin. Products with moisture-wicking technology are the most effective in doing this. As mentioned earlier, there are specific anti-chafing shorts on the market that are perfect for this. I would recommend investing in a good pair as these will be the best investment you ever make!
3. Go and see a health care professional if there is any skin damage – They can advise the best treatment to heal the affected area. You can also plan to put preventive measures in place to ensure you never experience the pain and burn from chafe again.
Ideally, it’s best to identify when chafing may occur and be prepared. Choose your product whether it be powder, lubricant or specialised anti-chafing garment. Think about the situation: are you at a sporting event and will experience chafing all day? In this case, specialised anti-chafing clothing will be best. Will you be mostly in air conditioning and the area will be fairly dry so you can visit the bathroom regularly and apply a powder or lubricant to the area to prevent the chafing? Different preventives can work in different situations or depending where your chafe points are.
If you experience inner thigh chafing regularly, well, you could wear pants all year round! But if you’re like me and you love fashion, then you probably couldn’t go without a maxi skirt or pretty dress. So how do I do this without the dreaded chafe? For permanent results the best product for anti-chafing is a specialised anti-chafing short, they are specifically designed to prevent chafing, and you won’t be putting your skin at risk when you are unable to reapply powder or lubricants.
Hopefully, some of my tips will help you combat your chafe and keep you looking fabulous and comfortable in your dresses and skirts all year round.
By Vanessa Babuin-Perera, Founder of Sonsee Woman, a hosiery, anti-chafing shorts and intimates brand catered to sizes 10-28. www.sonseewoman.com