How to Remedy Bra Chafing

Chafing can happen almost anywhere on the body. There are two ways chafing occurs:

• Skin-on-skin chafing: This occurs when the skin rubs together, creating friction and heat. Sweat exacerbates skin-on-skin chafing. Common areas this kind of chafing can occur include the inner thighs, beneath the breasts, armpits, and anywhere there are skin folds.
• Material-on-skin chafing: This occurs when materials repeatedly rub across the skin, causing friction and skin irritation. Sensitive skin will always chafe faster. Common areas for this kind of chafing include the feet (chafing caused by shoes), the neck (purse straps, seatbelts, etc.), and the breasts (chafing caused by underwire and too-tight bras.)

What Causes Skin Chafing Around the Breasts?

The main cause of bra-chafing is an ill-fitting bra. This can mean that the bra is the wrong size (too small or too big.) But it may also mean that your bra is just the wrong shape or style for you.

Common areas bras can cause chafing include:

• Under the breasts: A too-tight underwire can be exacerbated by the sweat that sometimes occurs beneath the breasts.
• Along the sides: The reinforced seams along the sides of the bra are there to keep your breasts in place and stop them from falling out to the sides. However, if they’re too tight or the skin is particularly sensitive, they may cause chafing.
• Shoulder straps: Again, straps that are too tight will sometimes cause redness which could lead to chafing.

No matter where it occurs on your body, chafing will always be exacerbated by sweat. Sweat causes two challenges: First, it creates a damp, sticky skin surface that is more likely to ‘drag’ when it rubs. 

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, they will cause red skin and inflammation.

So, on days when you’re sweaty, skin chafing is more likely to occur. This is why it’s such a concern for athletes (in addition to the fact they’re often repeating the same movements for prolonged periods of time.)

How to Treat Chafed Skin Around the Breasts

Skin chafing can be a very painful skin irritation. The sensation starts as a feeling of heat, but it can quickly turn into a burning and prickly sensation that makes movement painful. Because chafing is caused by repeated rubbing, it is important to remove the source of chafing right away.

Because chafing is caused by repeated rubbing, it is important to remove the source of chafing right away. If this is your bra, you should try to get home and get out of that bra as soon as you can. The longer you continue to wear it, the worse the chafing will become (and - not to be alarmist - bad skin chafing can lead to skin infection).

So, if you have bra chafing, follow these steps:

1. Hop in the Shower to Clean the Chafed Skin

Damp, clammy skin can also be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause yeast infections and other skin infections. So, the first thing you should do is get out of those sweaty and wet clothes. Hope in the shower and wash all that sweat away.

When it comes to washing, this is a time to keep the temperature lower. Cool water will probably feel really nice against your hot, inflamed skin and will immediately start to reduce the swelling. Also, choose a gentle soap (scent-free, hypoallergenic if possible) and lather it up with your hands instead of using abrasive scrubbers like sponges or loofahs. Gentle is key.

And ‘gentle’ carries on outside the shower too. Pat your skin dry instead of rubbing the skin aggressively. But do make sure you try the area around your breasts carefully, particularly the area beneath your breasts, which sometimes gets less air.

2. Apply a Soothing Product to Help Bra Chafing Heal

Dry, clean skin will heal over time by itself. But there are a number of products that can be applied to irritated skin to treat sports bra chafing or other forms of chafing:

• 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

You’ll likely have to reapply whatever product you choose every few hours to soothe the friction burn caused by skin chafing. If you’re in considerable pain, ice packs can also bring additional relief.

3. Swap Your Bra for Something Softer

Chafed skin needs a break from the movements that cause friction. If you can, now is a good time to chill out. Don’t put the bra you were wearing back on! Instead, swap into something softer. A pullover bra in modal cotton will be gentle, or a tank top with a built-in bra. 

If you must wear a bra, ensure it fits you properly. If you can, choose a wireless bra over an underwire bra or sports bra.

How to Avoid Skin Chafing Around the Breasts

Wouldn’t it be better if you could simply avoid chafing around the breasts altogether? Good news: There are steps you can take to prevent breast chafing. These include:

Make Sure Your Everyday Bra or Sports Bra Fits

An ill-fitting bra, especially too tight, can squeeze and compress your breasts. You might notice red marks around the band or underwire. But you might also just feel too constricted, and this may cause the sensitive skin of the breasts to react.

Here are some of the giveaways that your bra is the wrong fit for you:

• Your straps slide off your shoulders even after you’ve tightened them
• You shift around in your cups
• Your breasts bulge out of your cup or sides
• The band rides up your back
• The underwire hurts your ribcage
• Your bra leaves painful marks on your skin
• You’re plain uncomfortable

The wrong size or fit of bra will ruin your day. You’ll feel uncomfortable, maybe even sore, and just want to get home so you can rip the damn thing off. On the other hand, a well-fitting and supportive bra will reduce friction and even add a protective barrier to prevent chafing.

At Knix, we really wanted to help more women avoid this experience altogether. As an online retailer, we know it can be especially daunting to make a bra purchase online. That’s why we developed our virtual fit program. Learn more about it today and book your appointment!

Choose a Wireless Bra

Wireless bras simply win on comfort. Many women who find underwire bras uncomfortable are wearing the wrong size. But even when you’re wearing the right size, underwires are more prone to dig into your ribs and generally feel more constricting than wireless bras. This can be a source of skin irritation. Wireless is consistently considered the most comfortable choice.

Underwires have been known to cause allergic reactions and rashes in some wearers. If metal is irritating or your skin is especially sensitive, you may find the delicate skin under your breasts is irritated by the underwire.

Look for a Bra (Like a Sports Bra) That is Sweat-Wicking

Sports bras are usually made of high-performance athletic materials that have moisture-wicking properties. While boob sweat is a normal and natural by-product of exercise or hotter days, it can also cause irritation. A bra designed for sports can help keep you dry.

However, a sports bra often fits more snugly than your everyday bra. So with your sports bra, it's really important to make sure the fit is perfect in order to prevent skin chafing.

Prevent Chafing With Anti-Chafing Cream

There are many anti-chafing products that help prevent friction and combat skin rubbing and soothe chafed skin. These products are designed to create a barrier that sits on top of the skin. If you don’t have these products handy, you can even try good old petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) to create a skin barrier (yes, petroleum jelly is good for both treating chafing and preventing it!)

Minimize Excess Moisture and Sweat With (Non-Talc) Powders

We now know all about the sweat-chafing connection, so it’s also good to think about products that will minimize and absorb sweat, like moisture-absorbing powders. Look for non-talc all-natural products with ingredients like kaolin or cornstarch to absorb moisture. Other ingredients, like aloe and lavender, can cool, soothe and have antibacterial properties.

Manage Boob Sweat

Antiperspirants work by temporarily plugging your sweat glands, so they are very effective at preventing sweat. Many of us use antiperspirants for underarm sweat (though people increasingly switch to natural deodorants for various health reasons connected with aluminum - the chief ingredient used to plug those glands). 

But whether you are for or against them, antiperspirants can offer an effective solution to sweat. And you can use antiperspirant on other body parts too. 

Does Chafing Ever Require a Doctor?

You might also wonder if you need to visit the doctor. Most often, the answer to this is ‘no.’ However, there are some exceptions and times when you should definitely seek out medical advice:

• 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

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.