Explore
There are several home remedies that help to soothe and heal inner thigh chafing. Before applying any treatment, be sure to clean the area first. Avoid scratching itchy skin. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using petroleum jelly to help treat and prevent thigh chafing.
How do I get rid of inner thigh chafing?
You may need prescription antibiotics or antifungal medications if you have an infection that presents as inner thigh chafing. Inner thigh chafing is common. It can be caused by a number of things, including working out, running an errand on a hot day, or even sitting with legs crossed.
Do I need antibiotics for inner thigh chafing?
Apply about a teaspoon of petroleum jelly to the inside of your thighs. You can also try chafing creams and balms, such as Body Glide, or zinc oxide ointment. Everyday products that contain petroleum jelly and other moisturizers can also be used to lubricate your inner thighs.
What can I put on my inner thighs to stop itching?
You can prevent the thighs from rubbing together even more by wearing preventative clothing. Choose clothes such as trousers in breathable fabrics and avoid wearing skirts or shorts until the chafing has healed. You can also wear anti-chafing shorts or thigh bands. These will work to prevent future chafing.
How can I prevent my thighs from rubbing together?
How do you heal chafed thighs fast?
How to heal chafing quicklyGently clean the area with water.Use petroleum jelly, aloe vera, or chafing cream on any affected areas.Avoid products with any alcohol, fragrances, or irritants.Get an over the counter pain medicine like topical corticosteroid creams to reduce discomfort and minimize inflammation.
How do you get rid of chafed thighs overnight?
Overnight relief to chafing There are many simple and soothing ointment options, such as Vaseline or A&D. Even baby's diaper rash creams have worked well for some. Using it before bedtime will help it work overnight. Avoid touching or rubbing the skin in that area.
What cream is good for thigh chafing?
Best Ointment: Aquaphor Healing Ointment And while it works wonders on chafed thighs, it can also be used to heal everything from dry lips to cracked heels. No wonder it's a favorite among dermatologists, Ofodile included.
Does Vaseline help thigh chafing?
Lubricate Your Skin – A bit of lubrication will help your thighs glide past each other, rather than pulling or rubbing the skin. Apply Vaseline® Jelly to the insides of the thighs before exercising or walking to effectively help protect against chafing.
What is the best thing to put on chafed skin?
Topical corticosteroid creams can help soothe chafed skin, as can several home remedies, like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, cornstarch, zinc oxide, and petroleum jelly. If your chafed skin doesn't improve with home remedies or over-the-counter creams, be sure to follow up with your doctor.
Is hydrocortisone good for chafing?
This “can help relieve irritation,” according to Wu. If you don't have aloe vera gel, you can also try a cold washcloth compress. Use a mild cortisone cream if your chafing rash starts to get itchy. However, several of the dermatologists advised seeing a doctor if a painful rash persists for more than a week.
Can adults use diaper rash cream for chafing?
In most cases, you can treat a mild adult diaper rash at home. One of the most effective treatments is an OTC zinc oxide diaper cream. Examples of adult diaper creams include: Balmex Adult Care Rash Cream.
Is Tiger Balm good for chafing?
It comes in the same format as stick deodorant, you just pull off the cap, slide it over your skin where you're prone to chafing, and you're good to go. Other similar products include Aquaphor (Coach Jim's favorite), Tiger Balm (Megan's favorite), and good old Vaseline.
Does thigh chafing mean your fat?
Thigh chafing, dubbed “chub rub”, is often associated with being overweight. However, weight fluctuations of any type can lead to chafing. Chafing is simply caused by skin-on-skin friction. Extra weight, excess skin, pregnancy, or extra muscle can all increase the chances of thighs touching and rubbing when you walk.
Is Neosporin good for chafing?
If you do find yourself with a bad case of chafing, wash with a mild antibacterial soap and rinse immediately to prevent infection. For lighter irritation, apply a healing ointment (like Neosporin, a calming lotion, or even a diaper rash cream) and keep it covered until your skin loses the burning, blotchy redness.
Can you use baby powder for chafing?
Use petroleum jelly or baby powder on chafed areas until the skin heals. You can also use these before activities to prevent chafing in easily irritated areas, for example, on your inner thighs or upper arms before running.
Does baby oil stop chafing?
If you can't get an official anti-chafing product, there are other options that may already be in your home: all-natural deodorant, coconut oil, baby oil, Vaseline, and diaper rash creams, like Desitin, can provide protection against inner thigh chafing.
What Is Chafing & What Causes Chafed Thighs?
Chafing refers to the irritation of the skin caused by repetitive friction. This is usually generated through skin-on-skin contact of multiple body parts. It’s when that skin-on-skin friction combines with moisture where things really get ugly… And don’t even get me started on how the salt in sweat exacerbates the problem.
What Does Chafing Look Like?
Chafing will present as a mild to moderate red rash on the skin. The rash may sting or burn. In severe skin chafing cases, the rash could lead to swelling, bleeding, blisters or crusting. Chafing may be patchy, but it will not present with spots or bite-like lumps.
How Do You Treat Chafing?
Skin chafing shouldn’t be ignored. Without treatment mild chafing can get worse and lead to bleeding, infections or scarring, so don’t ignore it. In most cases, at-home chafing solutions or over-the-counter products can be used to treat chafing.
Prevent Further Chafing
Don’t let chafed thighs prevent you from enjoying your day to day life or favorite activities. Chafing is totally preventable by wearing thigh bands! If you regularly suffer from chafing it may lead to permanent scarring or discoloration on the inner thighs. Talk to a dermatologist if you continue to get thigh chafing despite preventive measures.
Dolce
First things first, measure your thighs! It’s easy and only takes a minute. Click Read More or watch our video to see how you can ensure the perfect fit.
Reduce Friction With Anti-Chafing Products
Too much rubbing for whatever reason — walking, working out, or wearing your favorite tight skinny jeans — could make your inner-thigh skin weak and wear away, which leads to painful thigh chafing.
Nix the Irritating Workout Gear
If you're not wearing the right type of exercise clothing, your thighs will really pay (and we don't mean with new muscles) for all those rep moves. And who wants to spend an hour kick-boxing if you're going to leave with red, raw skin?
Limit Excessive Sweating to Protect Inner Thighs
Moisture can break down the top layer of skin leaving it chafed, irritated, and painful.
How to Treat Thigh Chafing
If you're already in pain (ugh), there are a few things you can do to ease the pain and expedite your healing process.
SHOP ANTI-CHAFE TREATMENTS
Pia Velasco Pia Velasco is the Associate Beauty Editor at Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, and Prevention magazine.
Thigh bands
Thigh bands are small elastic accessories that you wear around the width of your thighs to help prevent chafing. These work particularly well if you’re wearing a skirt or a dress where your thighs come into direct contact with one another, but you can wear them under shorts, pants, and athletic wear, too.
Thigh chafing shorts
If you’re looking for thigh bands with a little extra coverage, then thigh chafing shorts may be a more suitable option. These work the same way as thigh bands, with the added bonus of absorbing extra sweat. Thigh chafing shorts work particularly well under dresses.
Thigh chafing cream or balm
When it comes to treating newly chafed thighs, you might need more than shorts or bands to treat the symptoms. This is where thigh chafing creams and balms can come in handy.
Baby powder
Baby powder has a variety of uses for moisture prevention, including thigh chafing.
Petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly is best-known for its lubricating effects. However, it can creating a barrier to prevent friction and chafing. You may also apply petroleum jelly chafed thighs for burn relief.
Lip balm
When you’re on the go and you don’t have any anti-chafing products on hand, your favorite lip balm can save the day. Lip balm contains protective layers for your sensitive lips, and this can also protect the delicate skin of your thighs.
Deodorant
Antiperspirant can prevent sweating before it causes a problem. And deodorant often contains moisturizers to protect your skin.
Lubricant
Creams, oils, and powders can provide a layer of protection and reduce friction. You’re less likely to chafe if the skin can glide smoothly. Powder may be less effective than lotion. That’s because it can clump and make chafing worse.
Moisture-wicking clothing
Materials like cotton retain sweat and moisture and keep your skin damp. This dampness increases your risk of friction and chafing.
Properly fitting clothes
Clothes that are too big can move a lot and chafe skin by continually rubbing. Pay special attention to the fit of shoes, your shirt across your chest, and your pants at the waistline.
Soft bandages
For specific areas that flare up often, you can prevent chafing by adding a “second skin” of soft bandage. This is especially helpful on feet, inner-thighs, and nipples.
Air-drying and pads for nursing mothers
If you’re nursing, keep your nipples clean, dry, and away from any irritating fabric. Look for soft nursing bras. Some have built-in nursing pads. You can also purchase reusable or disposable pads that you can insert into your bra cups to help absorb extra moisture.
Remove wet clothes
Take your swimsuit off shortly after swimming so as not to keep the tight, wet fabric right on your skin. You should change out of other clothing that’s become saturated as soon as possible. That may include clothing that’s wet from sweat, getting stuck in a rainstorm, or wading through a river.
Tips
When skin becomes infected and begins to bleed, clean the area first with anti-bacterial soap. Apply Neosporin onto the infected area. Wait a few days to place any other natural treatment to this skin until the bleeding subsides and the area begins to heal.
About This Article
This article was co-authored by Laura Marusinec, MD. Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D.
Smear on a barrier repair cream
This skin product pulls double duty, so you can use it to both prevent and treat chafing, and it's something Mona Gohara, M.D., associate clinical professor in the department of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, recommends to her patients who struggle with this issue.
Cleanse with care
Wash inflamed areas with a gentle body wash or plain lukewarm water to soothe irritation from dried sweat and help control fungal growth. Pat dry, don’t rub—then, if you can, let the inflamed skin air out for a few moments to make sure all dampness is gone. “You might even dry the area with a fan or a blowdryer set on cool,” Dr. Rokhsar says.
Calm it with ointments
Treat chafed skin twice a day with a zinc oxide ointment (often used in diaper rash products) or a balm, such as Aquaphor Healing Ointment or Eucerin Original Healing Cream to soothe the abrasion and restore damaged skin.
Consider medical options
If chafing is from excessive sweating, you may have a condition called hyperhidrosis, which can be treated with prescription-strength aluminum chloride antiperspirants, Botox injections in the problem spots, oral meds, or MiraDry, an FDA-cleared treatment that destroys sweat glands in the underarm area.
Interrupt the friction
Applying a thick, slippery product like petroleum jelly on chafe-prone areas reduces friction and prevents abrasion. “Products with silicone, beeswax, or shea butter provide the same benefit,” says Temitayo Ogunleye, M.D., an assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.
Wear protective clothing
Moisture-trapping cotton is not your friend when it comes to chafed skin—instead, choose synthetic fabrics like polyester or Lycra, which aren’t as absorbent. Look for garments that have flat seams or are seamless, and remove any interior tags; this also helps prevent skin irritation.
