What Causes Chafing?

What causes chafing? Chafing is caused by friction, usually caused by one surface repeatedly rubbing against another. This could be skin-on-skin friction. Or it could be another material repeatedly rubbing against the skin.

The result of this repeated rubbing is a nasty kind of skin irritation. And while chafing, generally, isn’t a medical concern, it can still cause distracting pain levels that interrupt your day and even might keep you from a sound sleep.

Let’s look more closely at some of the causes of chafing. And then we’ll dive into some ways to prevent it and some ways to heal it when it does occur.

What Is Chafing & Why Does it Occur

Most of us have experienced chafing. It could be the universal experience of a new pair of shoes chafing your heel. Or clothing that is just too tight, causing chafing around your waistband. Or your thighs rubbing together when you’re wearing a summer dress.

Because the skin is such a delicate organ, it is very susceptible to irritation. A little bit of dryness, too much sun, or a sudden onslaught of friction, can cause all manner of irritation. 

While it may seem like no big deal for the skin to rub a seam or against other skin, when these movements are rapid and repeated, they can cause the skin to warm up and become inflamed and angry. 

Plus, several things can exacerbate or worsen chafing:

1. Stubble 

Chafing sometimes occurs on areas of the body where you have removed hair, like the armpits, bikini line, or inner thighs. The regrowth of hair (aka stubble) can be coarse, and when that stubble is part of the chafing equation, it can add to the friction of skin-on-skin chafing.

2. Heat or Humid Weather

When temperatures soar, we all tend to shed some layers of clothing. This might mean that delicate skin that is usually encapsulated in clothes is suddenly exposed. For example, you might wear tights and leggings or jeans all winter, and then suddenly, when the mercury climbs, you shed those layers and opt for floaty dresses or skirts. This means your inner thighs are more likely to chafe when it’s hot out. The same applies to foot chafing—we tend to forgo socks more in the summer.

3. Sweat or Excess Moisture

Connected with heat is sweat. Obviously, when the temperature climbs, we all perspire more, and that sticky dampness of the skin or wet clothing can cause ‘drag’ as the skin moves, which results in that friction. But the problem of sweat goes beyond dampness alone. 

Sweat also contains salt, and that salt will further irritate skin that is already getting hot and red. Salt crystals can also cause small micro-tears in the skin. And it’s often the salt in your sweat that will cause that burning sensation (you know what they say about rubbing salt in wounds!)

4. Any Pre-Existing Skin Irritations

Generally, you never want to further irritate already-irritated skin. If you have sensitive skin, you can react to many things, from ingredients in certain products to the sun. Or you may have dry skin that is itchy or flaky. Any of these pre-existing irritations can make chafing all the more painful. 

Inner Thighs, Neck, Feet—Where Does Chafing Typically Occur?

Chafing can happen almost anywhere on the body, but it’s always delicate and sensitive skin that will chafe more readily (and will hurt the most.) 

Skin-on-skin chafing can occur anywhere the skin folds or comes into contact with other skin. But skin-on-material chafing can occur pretty much any time something repeatedly rubs against your body. This could be clothing, but it might also be an object you’re carrying (for example carrying heavy boxes could cause chafing along the inner arms). Or it could be something like a seatbelt rubbing against the side of your neck.

That said, there are some body parts where skin rubbing more 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 thighs rub 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)

Who Does This Skin Irritation Happen to?

Chafing can happen to anybody. Sometimes it is portrayed as a challenge for those over a certain weight, but really anybody can experience this form of skin irritation. Indeed, if you research chafing, you will see it often afflicts professional or performance athletes, which makes total sense. After all, they’re often repeating the same movements over and over again, which would cause a lot of friction. They often wear minimal clothing, which would leave more skin exposed to rub against. And because they’re working out at the next level, they are sweating too.

But the rest of us mere mortals can experience chafing without that kind of intense workout regime. My body doesn’t tolerate the heat well, and I have very delicate skin. So on a hot day, I can feel the skin on my legs start to irritate simply walking my dog. The more delicate your skin, the easier it will be to irritate it. Case in point: Babies experience chafed skin that can result in diaper rash (again exacerbated by excess moisture).

And, of course, because chafing can happen almost anywhere on the body, it has a lot less to do with size and a lot more to do with how delicate your skin is and what you’re exposing it to. Wear thick, stiff leather shoes on bare feet, and you’ll discover NOBODY is immune to chafing!

How to Prevent Chafing

You can find a detailed answer to how to prevent skin chafing here, but below are some of the main highlights:

1. Prevent Thigh Chafing with Thigh Savers

One of the most common areas to experience chafing in the summer months is between the inner thighs. And it can quickly go from minor irritation to a burning pain if you don’t take precautions to reduce friction. But you can prevent chafing of the thigh and groin chafing with a simple product.

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

2. Choose Moisture Wicking Clothes With a Snug Fit

Because sweat is such a major contributor to the irritation caused by chafing, wearing moisture-wicking clothing will help prevent chafing by trapping sweat away from your skin.

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 make chafing worse. So look for that perfect fit.

3. Explore the Balms and Anti-Chafing Creams on the Market

There are many anti-chafing products hitting the market to help prevent friction and combat (and treat) skin chafing. Often packaged like deodorant sticks, these products are designed to create a barrier that sits on top of the skin, so the skin “glides” rather than the skin rubs.

If you don’t have these products handy, you can even try good old petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) to create a skin barrier, and it’s worth noting that petroleum jelly can also be used to treat chafed skin.

4. Stay Dry with (Non-Talc) Powders

If sweat is a major source of bother, moisture-absorbing powders can keep you dry by absorbing excess sweat moisture. 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.

How to Treat Skin Chafing 

You can read more in-depth about how to treat chafing here. But some summary suggestions include:

• Clean and dry the skin gently (lukewarm water, fragrance-free cleansers, and pat dry). Avoid scrubbing or vigorously rubbing the chafed area
• Apply whichever of the following is your tried and trusted treatment for skin irritation (or is just at hand) repeatedly until the skin heals:

• 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)
• Apply petroleum jelly, aka Vaseline (petroleum jelly keeps the skin slick to prevent further rubbing)
• Medicated ointment

• If the chafing is particularly painful, you can try applying an ice pack wrapped in cloth

Should You See Your Doctor About Skin Chafing?

Good news: Skin chafing does not usually require a visit to the doctor, whether it’s thigh chafing or another kind of chafing rash. If you’re still experiencing pain or irritation days later due to severe chafing, it might be worth a trip to the doctor:

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

But generally, a little bit of rest and TLC, and you should be back to normal in a few days!

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.