How to Stop Chafing

Once chafing occurs, repeated skin-on-skin or skin-on-fabric movement will only make it worse. So the first thing you need to do is take a break and allow the skin to ‘rest.’

While this is the most sensible action, it’s not always an option. If you’re running a race, you won’t want to stop halfway because chafing starts. Or, if you’re walking or hiking, you’ll still need to get home. So rather than wait for chafing to start, you might take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place.

In this article, we’ll cover what chafing is as well as steps to both prevent and treat it. Read on!

Why Does Chafing Happen in the First Place

Before we get into how to make chafing stop, it’s worth understanding why it happens in the first place, as this is key to understanding how to prevent it and to stop it from progressing if it’s already started.

Remember that old trick where you rub two sticks together to make a fire? When you rub those dry pieces of wood back and forth against each other very quickly and repeatedly, it starts to generate heat. And because wood is so flammable that heat can quickly ignite a fire.

The same principles apply when you experience chafing. When you make any repetitive movement, the skin repeatedly rubs against itself. Over time, this creates friction which generates heat. And if the skin is delicate, it can cause irritation, small micro-tears, and even infection.

Chafing can happen anywhere on the body where there is skin-on-skin friction. But it can also occur when fabric from your clothes (especially rough seams or waistbands) rubs against your skin. Some of the more common areas to experience chafing include:

• The heels and toes (often caused by stiff shoes that haven’t been broken in)
• Inner thighs (caused by the friction of thighs rubbing 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)
• Nipple-chafing (often happens to male athletes who may experience chafing when the fabric of their top 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 folds of the skin)

Things That Make Chafing Worse

Chafing more often happens in the summer, and that’s generally because more of our skin is exposed when we wear lighter layers of clothes. But summer also adds two exacerbating factors into the mix:

• Heat/Humidity: When it’s already hot outside, the skin will naturally warm up. This means friction can quickly cause excess heat and irritation. If it’s muggy, you’ll also have dampness to contend with, and that can make your skin clammy and sticky, which will create more ‘drag’ as it rubs together.
• Sweat: Sweat contains salt, and we all tend to sweat more in hot weather. You have sweat glands all over your body. So sweat can bead and pool around your breasts, groin, back, legs, etc. And if you’re already starting to chafe in those areas, your sweat will add salt into that mix. Ever heard the adage about rubbing salt in a wound? That’s quite literally what happens, and the salt in your sweat will make the chafing sting and burn even more and even cause tears in the skin.

What to Do to Make Chafing Stop

Okay, so if chafing is happening (or if you’d rather take proactive steps to avoid it), here are some things you can do:

Change Out of Sweaty Clothes and Clean the Affected Skin

As soon as you can, get home and take off those sweaty or wet clothes. They should go straight into the laundry.

Then hop in the shower, but the key here is to be GENTLE. Keep the water temperature mild (you might even enjoy the feeling of cold or lukewarm water on your chafed skin.) And use gentle soaps (preferably fragrance-free so there are no additional irritants.) Gently apply the soap with your hands. No scrubbing, no exfoliators, no rough tugging or scratching. 

When you emerge, don’t rub the wet skin vigorously with towels; simply pat your skin dry and then just allow it to cool with some air. Hang out on your bed for a minute and let the skin calm.

Let the Skin Rest

The last thing your chafed skin needs is more rubbing or friction-causing movement, so if you can stay still for a bit and let it calm down, that’s ideal. Stay indoors for a bit and let the cool air start to calm your skin and reduce any inflammation.

Apply a Balm to Soothe the Skin

You can also reach for various products, from specialty chafing lotions to the tried and trusted petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline.) Products like coconut oil, argan oil, and aloe vera gel also have various calming, healing, and cooling properties that might soothe and calm the skin-chafing.

The best product is the one you have handy, and even a trusted moisturizer might help. But do avoid lotions with AHAs or other acids or that are heavily fragranced, as these might only further agitate your skin chafing.

Adding a moisture barrier will also help reduce friction if you do need to move around again, as the oil in these products will help the skin glide across itself rather than creating more friction, thereby helping you avoid chafing.

Wear Shorts Protect Your Inner Thighs if That’s Where You’re Chafing

If you must move around again, we suggest adding a layer around the skin-chafing where the skin rubs against itself.

As we’ve seen, one of the most common areas to experience chafing in the summer months is between the inner thighs. Thigh chafing is so common that it’s got a nickname: ‘chub rub.’ And it can quickly go from minor irritation to burning pain if you don’t take precautions. 

Anti-chafing underwear works to reduce friction by creating a physical barrier between the sensitive skin of your thighs. Usually, they’re light shorts that are form-fitting, and you can also look for styles (like our Thigh Savers) to help manage sweat. 

If you're on your period or are prone to experiencing light bladder leaks, discover Leakproof Thigh Savers. They're one of those superhero products that combines a double-whammy of benefits all the while keeping you cool, dry and chafe-free.

If chafing has already started, you should be able to stop it from progressing by wearing some thigh savers. But remember: The skin also needs a rest to heal, so try to make sure you’re giving it that chance.

…Or Add a Protective Barrier Between Your Skin and Chafing Sources

The same principle as thigh savers applies to other areas of your body that might experience chafing. After you’ve applied some soothing creams or oils, think about protecting the chafed skin from further irritation. 

For feet, this can be as simple as applying a band-aid. A sports bra can protect your nipples from chafing. Or socks can protect the delicate skin on your feet from severe chafing and reduce skin rubbing from shoes or trainers. If you experience chafing along your inner arms, try a fitted tee rather than a tank top. 

If you must keep moving, make sure the fabrics you choose are moisture-wicking or sweat-wicking to help keep the area as dry as possible.

Stay Dry with (Non-Talc) Powders

And if you’re in a race or on a hike, you can try moisture-absorbing powders that can keep you dry. While they won’t necessarily help treat existing chafing, they can absorb the sweat that might cause further irritation.

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.

Note: Talcum powder may increase the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, so avoid using this type of powder in the genital area. (source)

Sleep in Snug Clothes That Form a Skin Barrier

Bedtime can give chafed skin an opportunity to heal, but nighttime might also be when that burning sensation really kicks in and even keeps you awake. To minimize the pain, make sure you sleep in nightwear that keeps you from exacerbating chafing overnight. 

Choose leggings or shorts instead of a nightdress if you’ve got chafed thighs, for example. This will help keep the thighs from rubbing together while you sleep.

Looking to Treat Chafing or Prevent Chafing? Follow the Same Steps!

All of the steps listed above can also be used to prevent skin chafing from happening in the first place too. Indeed, it is easier always to prevent chafing than to heal it (because healing always takes time.) 

Remember that a snug protective barrier will really help prevent skin-on-skin contact and reduce friction that causes chafing. The skin barrier can also be protected by choosing materials that wick moisture. Sweat-wicking materials will absorb excess moisture and keep it away from the skin.

You can also explore the various ‘glide’ products like petroleum jelly, anti-chafe balm, or anti-chafing creams out there and see if they work for you. However, it is worth noting that these will need to be reapplied and can be messy, so sometimes adding a clothing layer is simply a more practical option.

When to See a Doctor

While painful, a little bit of chafing is generally nothing to worry about and will heal itself if not further exacerbated. 

However, keep an eye on the irritated skin because there’s always a risk of infection when skin is torn. Here are some signs that you might want to schedule a doctor’s visit:

• A wound opens up 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
• The skin is very hot or swollen
• Redness spreads beyond the point of chafing

The good news is that chafing rarely warrants a visit to the doctor, and now that you know how to prevent chafing in the first place, you’ll hopefully avoid a repeat incident. 

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.