How to Stop Thigh Chafing

The key to stopping thigh chafing is often as simple as adding a physical barrier to prevent skin-on-skin chafing between the legs. 

In this article, we’ll dive deep into some of the solutions you can explore to stop thigh chafing, as well as some of the ways to treat it if it is too late and you’re already suffering from thigh chafing. But first, we’ll explain why thigh chafing occurs in the first place.

Why Are The Inner Thighs Prone to Chafing?

The skin along the upper inner thighs is very soft and delicate (similar to the skin on your upper inner arms), and this means it can irritate more easily. The sensitive skin of the thighs also often comes in contact with each other with the repeated movement of walking, running, or cycling, when the thighs rub together.

Most of the year, our inner thighs are protected as we usually wear leggings, jeans, or pantyhose, which form a protective barrier between the thighs. But in the summer months, we often switch up our wardrobe, favoring light floaty skirts and dresses or shorts. This means the skin of the thighs can rub together repeatedly when we’re moving, and it’s this friction that causes chafing.

Summer exasperates inner thigh chafing for another reason, too: In summer, we sweat more. All sweat contains salt. And these small crystals of salt can further irritate and exasperate any chafing. The salt in our sweat is also a big contributor to the burning sensation often associated with chafing—we’re literally rubbing salt in the wounds as we move.

It’s worth noting that a person of size and shape can experience thigh chafing. But if you are a larger person, you may have more skin-on-skin rubbing, and that can make chafing worse. Perhaps, for this reason, chafing is sometimes called ‘chub rub.’ But it is an experience that many people, from pro athletes to every shape and size, may have.

But good news: You can prevent skin chafing, and you can treat it too. So this is definitely not an experience you need to resign yourself to.

How to Prevent Thigh Chafing

Prevention is almost always better than the cure, so we definitely advise taking proactive steps to prevent chafing altogether. Inner thigh chafing has become much more a part of mainstream beauty conversations in recent years, and this means there are many products to choose from to prevent thigh chafing. Let’s explore:

Discover Anti-Chafing Shorts

You can prevent thigh chafing and groin chafing with a simple product. Anti-chafing underwear works by creating a physical barrier between your thighs. Usually, they’re light shorts that are form-fitting, and you can also look for styles (like our Thigh Savers or Leakproof Thigh Savers) that include moisture absorption to help manage sweat.

Knix’s 4-inch and 6-inch mid-thigh shorts come in a range of nude and neutral shades and in sizes ranging from XS to XXXXL. They eliminate chafing, sweat, and having to sit on anything gross when you're in a dress. As one customer, Sofia, said in her review:

“Completely solved the “summer thighs” issue! No sweat, no chafing, cool to the touch! I would wear the undies everyday they are so comfortable!”

There are also products like thigh bands or compression shorts that work pretty much the same way, just have a different design.

Our leakproof anti-chafing shorts go a step further: They double-duty as leakproof underwear and thigh savers.

Explore Anti-Chafing Creams

There are many anti-chafing products that help prevent friction and combat (and treat) skin chafing. These products are designed to create a barrier that sits on top of the skin and helps reduce friction by letting the skin “glide” past other skin. If you don’t have specialty anti-chafing 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 Anti-Chafing Powder

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.

Try Anti-Perspirants or Deodorants

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. That said, the skin around your groin and inner thighs may be more sensitive. You should also avoid putting product around your vulva, where it may cause irritation and even infection.

Dress in Sweat-Wicking Clothes

Look for clothing that wicks moisture and sweat from the skin surfaces. You’ll usually find most athletic or athleisure clothing has some degree of moisture-wicking these days.

Clothes that fit the body snugly (like leggings) with minimal seams don’t tend to move a lot, so this means there’s less friction of them rubbing against your skin. And because they fit snugly, they also mean your skin is encapsulated, so there’s less skin-on-skin friction.

However, if your clothes are too tight, those tight seams and bands (like waistbands or bra bands) can dig into the skin and cause irritation. So look for products with that perfect second-skin feeling.

The good news is that chafing has become a real personal hygiene conversation in the last few years, and so there are more and more products to help address it (particularly thigh chafing.) This means that chafing is no longer an experience we have to tolerate in shame: With effective treatments and preventative products, we can all enjoy those hot summer days!

When It’s Already Too Late: How to Treat Thigh Chafing

Sometimes chafing just creeps up on you. The day turns suddenly hot, or you end up having to walk farther than you planned… Suddenly, you feel your skin start to tingle. Too quickly, it turns into a burning feeling. And, yup, you’ve got yourself some thigh chafing.

Don’t panic: Here’s what to do to calm and cool the situation.

Whatever You’re Doing to Create Friction: Stop

If you just keep going, the chafing will only get worse and worse. This can lead to further irritation, but it can also lead to a skin infection. So, get in a cab, hop on a bus, or take a break in a coffee shop with some AC. Basically, give your skin a rest and allow it to cool slightly.

If you can get home (and that’s ideal), quickly get out of those sweaty and wet clothes and allow your skin to start to relax and cool. 

Clean the Chafed Skin Gently

We get it: Everything feels too hot to touch. But you don’t want to let sweat sit on the chafed skin because the salt in your sweat is responsible for a lot of that irritation. So hop in a cool shower and gently run cool or lukewarm water over your thighs. This should actually feel soothing as the coolness of the water will begin to reduce inflammation and redness.

If you use soap, stick with a hypoallergenic, scent-free variety. No harsh cleansers whatsoever. And no scrubbing either; simply lather the soap or shower gel in your hands and gently apply it. When you’re done, pat the skin dry with a clean towel. Again, no harsh rubbing (that’s just adding more friction, which is what got you here in the first place).

Help the Healing Process With Balms, Oils, and Creams

A cooling and moisturizing lotion or balm will both offer relief and help the skin start to heal. It will also form a barrier to protect the skin from further irritation. You can choose a number of different products, such as:

• 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)
• Diaper rash cream (serves as a barrier cream)
• Petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline (petroleum jelly keeps the skin slick to prevent further rubbing)
• Medicated ointment

Generally, you can use whatever you have on hand, even a regular body lotion. You will likely want to reapply whatever product you choose a few times throughout the day while you’re healing. Many of these products will help the skin barrier repair. 

However, stay clear of products that are heavily fragranced or contain acids (fruit acids, lactic acid, AHAs) as they will likely feel burning on your raw skin.

Netflix and Chill (and Stay Hydrated)

If you can hang out at home for a bit and just let the skin relax and cool, that’s ideal. Letting the air circulate around your skin will help, so just chill on your bed or the couch for a while.

It’s also important to rehydrate. Remember: Chafing usually occurs when your body is hot and perspiring, so you may have lost a lot of water while chafing was occurring. Make sure to replenish that hydration by drinking lots of water. This will help your body cool, regulate its temperature and heal.

Consider What You Wear

If you do have to get dressed, make sure you’re wearing something that keeps the thighs encapsulated without causing further irritation.

I like shorts or leggings that have a second-skin fit (usually made of modal cotton or something similarly soft). Baggy tracksuits or jeans may have seams or loose fabric that exacerbates the chafing, but more fitted clothes are usually fairly seamless. 

If you need to go out: Leggings are your best bet to reduce friction and prevent chafing from worsening. Not only will they protect your thighs from rubbing together, but most athleisure has moisture-wicking properties, so you’ll stay dry and cool too.

There’s Usually No Need for a Doctor

We get it: Chafing can be P-A-I-N-F-U-L. But if you give your irritated skin a break and follow the steps above, you should heal up in a couple of days. 

But, if you notice any of the following, it is worth checking in with your healthcare provider:

• A wound opens up around the skin irritation 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

That said, it’s rare that chafing needs treatment beyond what we’ve outlined above. And remember: Always take steps to prevent chafing from happening in the first place!

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.