How Long Does Chafing Take To Heal?

Chafing usually heals in a few days, provided you can rest up and avoid additional friction. It may take up to a week to heal if the chafing is more severe. Healing will be complete when the skin barrier has fully repaired itself.

Like any skin irritation, healing times can differ person-to-person depending on the general health of the individual and their skin. Some people may heal overnight, and some may take longer.

The body part and severity of the chafing also factor into healing times. But there are some steps you can take to encourage the healing process to happen faster. Let’s explore.

How to Speed Up Healing of Chafed Skin

While there are no guaranteed ways to heal chafing overnight, you can certainly help (or hinder) the healing process by taking some easy steps. You’ll probably have everything you need at hand too—either in your medicine cabinet or your pantry.

1. Reduce Friction: Stop the Motion that Caused Chafing

Chafing can happen to anybody. It is caused by repeated rubbing, which creates friction. That rubbing can be:

• Skin-on-skin rubbing: This happens when limbs rub together (like the inner thighs rubbing when you walk or run) or because there are folds in the skin which create friction when you move.
• Material-on-skin chafing: A chafing rash can also be caused by materials rubbing against the skin. It could be a starched collar on the neck, a thick seam on ill-fitting clothes, or a too-tight waistband. 

Chafing can also happen almost anywhere on the body, though there are some body parts with sensitive skin where chafing commonly occurs. These include:

• The heels and toes (often caused by stiff shoes that haven’t been broken in. Sometimes, you'll have to treat blisters as a result of this kind of chafing)
• Inner thigh chafing (caused by the friction when the thigh skin rubs together and often exacerbated by groin sweat or stubble from bikini hair removal)
• Beneath the boobs (often caused by too-tight or too-loose underwire bras that rub against the rib cage; can also be exacerbated by boob sweat)
• The collar or neck (often caused by a stiff, starched collar or even a seatbelt or cross-body purse strap for some people)
• Nipple-chafing (often happens to male athletes who may experience chafing when the fabric of their running vest rubs against the nipples. Less common in women as sports bras are usually worn)
• Inner arm or armpit chafing (another area where the skin is delicate and friction can easily happen between the skin folds)

No matter where your body is chafed, the essential first step is to remove the source of friction. This usually means you have to stop the motion that is causing the repeated rubbing. While athletes may find this hard to do (especially mid-competition), for the rest of us, this usually means getting indoors and canceling plans for the rest of the day.

2. Clean the Chafed Skin

Once you get indoors, you’ll likely want to plonk yourself down on the sofa to cool down. Depending on where the chafing is, every step might cause pain. Sorry — but you’re going to have to do a few things first, or else the chafing will continue to irritate you and could even become infected!

Sweat and chafing go hand-in-hand. 

• First, sweat creates a damp, sticky skin surface that is more likely to ‘drag’ when it rubs. This means your skin won’t glide over the surface of whatever is causing the chafing. Instead, it pulls. 
• Second, sweat contains salt. And salt can be irritating to inflamed skin. In fact, that’s often where a lot of the burning sensation of chafing comes from. Those tiny salt crystals can also cause micro-tears to the skin, and while they might not be individually visible to the eye, that will cause red skin and inflammation.

So, first: Remove your sweaty and wet clothes and throw them straight in the laundry hamper. Then take yourself to the shower. You need clean skin before you do anything else, and a cool/lukewarm shower will actually offer some relief to your hot, inflamed skin.

Stay away from harsh and scented cleaners and scrubbers/loofahs/sponges. Instead, simply lather some mild soap (preferably scent-free and hypoallergenic) with your hands and gently clean the affected area. Rinse well.

3. Gently Dry the Skin

When you emerge from the shower, you will want to avoid inflicting further friction on the affected area. So, instead of a vigorous towel-dry, simply pat the area dry. If even that much touch feels too much, you can lounge on top of a towel until you air dry.

4. Apply (and Reapply) Healing Cream, Ointment, or Balm

Odds are you have some products at hand that will help chafing begin to heal. These products work in a few ways:

• Prevention of further damage: They protect the skin from further rubbing by helping it glide (indeed, some can also be used to prevent chafing in the first place)
• Healing: They help add moisture back into the skin, which will help the skin barrier begin to repair itself
• Pain management: They have other properties, like cooling, anti-inflammatory, and even numbing properties, that will help reduce pain.

You have many options here (even a good basic moisturizer is better than nothing). Here are some popular choices:

• Aloe vera gel (aloe vera is known for its cooling properties, especially when used on sunburn)
• Argan oil (nutrient-rich and has anti-inflammatory properties)
• Coconut oil (coconut oil reduces inflammation and helps heal wounds)
• Shea butter (contains vitamins A, E, and F, antioxidant vitamins that promote circulation and healthy skin cell growth)
• Diaper rash cream (serves as a barrier cream)
• Petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline (petroleum jelly keeps the skin slick to prevent further rubbing)
• Medicated ointment

Whichever you choose, reapply it at regular intervals so that the skin doesn’t dry out.

Word to the wise: Avoid heavily scented lotions or creams that might aggravate your raw skin. Also, avoid lotions with acids like AHAs, lactic acid, or fruit acids, as these will likely cause a burning sensation on inflamed and raw skin.

5.  Consider Your Clothing

Chafed skin needs a break from the movements that cause friction. If you can, now is a good time to chill out.

But you can also treat chafing by thinking about what you wear. Here are some good considerations:

• Create a physical barrier around the chafed skin: To prevent further skin-on-skin chafing, wear clothes that are soft and fitted and encapsulate the affected skin. For example, if you have inner thigh-chafing, you need to minimize friction between your thighs at this point, so choose fitted clothing that will create a physical barrier to prevent the thighs from rubbing together. Leggings are a good choice for daywear or try some anti-chafing underwear. On your period? Try our Leakproof Thigh Savers. They can absorb around 3 tsp of blood, urine, or sweat. If you’re turning in for the night, opt for pajamas rather than a night dress.
• Sweat-wicking materials are key: If you’re going back outside or will be moving around, sweat-wicking materials will keep the skin dry. Athletic leggings and fitted athleisure tops are usually made of this kind of material. This will prevent salty sweat from agitating the skin, thereby giving it a chance to heal.
• Choose soft materials: Cotton, modal cotton, and soft sweat-wicking materials will feel cool and comfortable next to the skin. Avoid anything hard or scratchy, like thick denim that hasn’t yet been broken in or wool.
• Watch out for seams: Athleisure wear usually has offset seams to prevent the seams from causing chafing. But thick protruding seams (on joggers, jeans, and bulky sweaters) may only aggravate chafing further. So, look for products that are seam-free or have offset seams. 

6. Stay Cool, Rest Up, and Rehydrate

Chafing usually happens when your body is hot and sweaty, so try to stay cool for the rest of the day and even the following days. Rest up and allow your body to heal. If you must move around, make sure you’re wearing clothes that will minimize friction.

Also, don’t forget that the body needs to be well-hydrated for the skin to heal and retain moisture, so drink plenty of water.

Does Chafing Ever Require Medical Attention?

If you’re in serious pain, you can absolutely consider taking an over-the-counter painkiller (always follow the dosage guidelines.) Ice packs can also bring additional relief; just make sure you’re wrapping the ice pack in something (an old tea towel or pillowcase is ideal) before pressing it against the skin.

You might also wonder if you need to visit the doctor. The answer to this is usually ‘no.’ However, there are some exceptions, and here are some clear signs you might want to have a doctor take a look:

• A wound opens up around the chafed area and doesn’t scab over in a few days (assuming it’s not further exacerbated)
• You notice blood or pus coming from a chafing wound or cracked skin
• The skin is very hot or swollen
• Redness spreads beyond the point of chafing

That said, chafing does not usually require medical attention, and it’s simply a matter of going easy while the skin heals.

Factors That Make Chafing Worse & Lengthen Healing Time

We already discussed the role that sweat plays in chafing. But there are other factors that make chafing worse and could mean a longer healing time:

Stubble (Inner Thighs and Armpits)

Depending on the body part, hair removal will mean hair regrowth, and that regrowth is often coarse to the touch. On body parts like the armpits, legs, and crotch, stubble can make chafing all the more irritating.

Dry or Irritated Skin (All Body Parts)

Healthy, moisturized, and strong skin is no guarantee that you won’t experience chafing. But if your skin is already rough and dry or even irritated, you’ll definitely speed up the chafing process and be at greater risk of skin infection.

We all tend to be hard on our skin, exposing it to the elements, harsh products, scrubbing, and chemicals. Remember to give your skin some love too!

It’s Easier to Prevent Chafing in the First Place

Chafing can take a bit of time to heal, so it’s often a case of learning the hard way that it’s better to avoid it in the first place. Good news: You can help prevent chafing with clothes like our Thigh Savers and Leakproof Thigh Savers (no need for undies; they can be worn commando!).

Also, think about choices that will minimize sweat and moisture, which we saw can really exacerbate skin chafing. Look for:

• Clothes like our Leakstrong Leakproof Thigh Savers help absorb moisture and light period spotting 
• Non-talc anti-chafing powders that can be applied to absorb moisture naturally and reduce friction
• Anti-chafing cream - there are lots of options out there designed to help the skin 'glide,' and your trusted petroleum jelly can even work!
• Antiperspirants and deodorants that can be applied in other places than the armpits

It takes a little bit of foresight, but you might save yourself a tonne of trouble if you plan ahead in the case of skin chafing! 

FAQs on Chafed Skin 

How Do You Heal Chafing Fast?

To heal chafing quickly, clean the affected area, apply lubricating substances like petroleum jelly or aloe vera, wear moisture-wicking clothing, and prevent further friction. These steps help create a protective barrier, reduce irritation, and promote faster healing of chafed skin.

Does Chafing Go Away on Its Own?

Chafing can heal within a couple of days if the problem is addressed promptly and the necessary steps (removing any friction-causing clothes, adding a moisturizer or lubricant, and keeping the area clean and dry). However, if left untreated, chafing can worsen and take longer to heal, potentially leading to more severe symptoms like bleeding, blistering, or infections.

What Are the Stages of Chafing?

Chafing typically progresses through stages starting with redness and pain, followed by a burning sensation and potentially flaky and red spots as it heals. In severe cases, chafing can lead to swelling, blistering, bleeding, or crusting.

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We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. 

We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.