First of all, if you suffer from dreaded thigh chafing then we feel your pain. In fact we get thigh chafing regularly and it’s especially bad in the summer when the temperatures heat up! Thigh chafing is actually a lot more common than you might think - in fact when we polled our Instagram community about whether they’re affected by thigh chafing 96% of people responded YES.
That’s because thigh chafing is a problem felt by women and men of all shapes and sizes. From athletic rugby players to petite grannies - you can suffer from thigh chafing whether you’re 200lbs or 100lbs. So here’s our guide on what thigh chafing is and what you can do to stop it from happening to you.
If you're in the hunt for clothes that can support a thigh chafing queen, make sure you download the Insyze app for daily plus size clothing recommendations. You will also be able to follow strictly plus size creators!
[Photo credit: Sometimes Glam]
What is Thigh Chafing?
When your skin rubs together, whether it’s your thighs during walking or running, or your arms alongside your body (or your nipples if you’re a runner) - this can cause repetitive friction. This friction irritates the skin and is the cause of chafing, a painful rash that can be sometimes be very sore, swollen, bleeding or crusted in severe cases.
Thigh chafing is a very common form of this irritating skin problem and is as likely to occur in professional athletes with low body fat % as in those who are obese.
That’s because thigh chafing is caused by skin rubbing on skin, not by body fat. If you are 100lbs but have narrow hips and bone structure, then you may still suffer from thigh chafing because of your natural build.
Likewise, if you’re a bodybuilder with large quads and a muscular frame, you’ll probably suffer from thigh chafing thanks to your legs being closer together due to your muscle mass.
If you have large thighs due to body fat, then this will most likely also cause you to suffer from thigh chafing - but the answer is not simply ‘lose weight’ as you wouldn’t tell a body builder just to ‘lose muscle’.
So before you get all hard on yourself over your mermaid thighs, realise that this; anyone, no matter their shape and size can get thigh chafing and if you ask most people around you - they’ve probably all had it at one point.
Don’t feel ashamed of your thigh chafing, it’s your body’s natural reaction to friction. But luckily there are various ways to manage this inconvenient and annoying problem!
How to avoid Thigh Chafing
They say prevention is better than the cure, and with thigh chafing that’s actually very true. If you can prevent thigh chafing from happening then you’ll be a much happier bunny than trying to relieve your poor skin from the rash it leaves behind!
First things first, thigh chafing is especially painful when sweat is involved. That’s because your sweat contains natural salts, which aggravate the area when the sweat dries and cause that awful burning sensation and extra irritation.
But before you take that as an excuse not to exercise - (lol - surely it wasn’t just us that thought this!) consider what you’re wearing when you become sweaty.
If you find you get thigh chafing from walking, running or other physical activity - consider wearing leggings or pants that are at least past the knee such as 3/4s 7/8s or full length.
This means you’ll have a protective layer of fabric in between the points where friction happens the most and is one of the easiest ways to prevent the painful irritation.
But what about when you’re wearing a nice summer dress or going swimming at the beach and spending all day in a costume?
It’s not practical to wear full leggings and you also don’t want to compromise on your style!
In order to prevent thigh chafing, you have to decrease the amount of friction to the skin between your thighs and there are a number of ways to do this:
How To Stop Thigh Chafing
- Keep your inner thighs as dry as possible
- Apply lubricants and balms to prevent friction
- Wear moisture wicking clothing when exercising
- Wear cycle shorts or anti-chafing underwear
As previously mentioned, wet skin can make chafing soooo much worse. So that’s why chafing happens when it’s summertime, as hot temperatures cause you to sweat and therefore cause salty burny friction.
If you’ve been swimming, towel off the area where you’re most likely to get thigh chafing and keep it as dry as possible.
Staying dry if it’s hot and sweaty are basically near impossible though and sounds like dumb advice in the summer months.
So in these cases it’s important to lubricate the area, which will stop the friction from happening as your thighs gently glide over each other.
Products such as vaseline, petroleum jelly or special anti-chafing balms can be miracle cures for chafing!
We can especially recommend this BB cream which basically stopped our chafing from happening.
The Best Products To Prevent Thigh Chafing
Luckily there are some amazing products out there that can prevent your thigh chafing from happening and ruining a perfectly nice summer day! We've compiled our favorites and the highest recommended items from our Instagram community to help you combat the dreaded chub rub.
First dress of the year with no tights or leggings means first anti-chafing gel of the year. Always protect those luscious thighs from chub rub.
— ycats (@scribblymoth) January 6, 2019
Anti-Thigh Chafing Shorts
Prevention is definitely better than the cure, so if you know you'll be wearing a beautiful summer dress or floaty skirt - then definitely pair them with some anti-chafe shorts such as these babies:
Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel
This superstar anti-chafing gel helps to prevent irritation by forming a moisture control barrier on the skin of your thighs.
The non-greasy formula is designed to feel comfortable and will not stain clothing. It's also unscented, which is great news if you have sensitive skin!
- All-day comfort
- Clinically tested for safety and effectiveness to prevent thigh chafage
- Active ingredient dimethicone acts as a skin protectant
- Also relieves chapped or cracked skin
Buy it here: Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel
Bandalettes Elastic Anti-Chafing Thigh Bands
In our opinion, these Bandelettes anti-chafing thigh bands are a really sexy way to prevent thigh chafing. Available in a wide range of colors from nude to red, black to navy, the design of these bands contains anti-slip silicone so no matter how you move they don't come off.
- Lace material – 5.5” in length
- 90% Nylon; 10% Spandex
- Slip-Resistant Silicone
- Discreet And Highly Functional At the Same Time
Buy: Bandalettes Elastic Anti-Chafing Thigh Bands
Body Glide Anti Chafe Balm
Body Glide is one of the most popular anti-thigh chafing balms out there! It acts as a barrier to the effects of friction and rubbing with a formula that claims to last all-day.
- Not oily or wet
- No Petroleum, no parabens
- Made with allergen free and plant-derived ingredients
- Vegan approved and NOT tested on animals
- Water resistant