Chafing, chub rub, skin rubbing—whatever you want to call it—is miserable. If it occurs on vacation, it can disrupt your plans. Even if you can push on, the repeated friction will likely worsen and cause more pain. As a large girl with big thighs, I'm very prone to chafing and have tried every remedy in the book. I'm here to share how to heal chafing quickly based on my real-life experiences and what has worked for me and other plus-sized travelers.
What causes chafing?
Chafing occurs when there is a repeated rubbing of skin. Excess weight makes you more likely to suffer, and for heavier people, chafing commonly occurs on the inner thighs. Underarm and nipple chafing are also possible. The cause of chafing is friction; some things, like tight clothing or hot and humid weather, can make you more susceptible to friction.
Treating chafing quickly: What's worked for me
The very first thing to do when chafing occurs is to reduce friction. This isn't always possible if you're in the middle of a theme park, for example, but it's really important to stop the skin-on-skin rubbing as quickly as possible. I'll usually cut my plans short if it becomes too uncomfortable and lay or sit down with my legs wide open so that my legs are no longer touching.
That will stop things from worsening, but now you'll need to treat the chafed skin to get back on your feet as quickly as possible. Below are some specific treatments that have worked for me.
Clean with mild soap
Once it's comfortable enough, shower as quickly as you can. This will remove any excess moisture from sweat and clean the chafed area thoroughly. Avoid harsh soaps and use something specifically for sensitive skin. It's vital to keep the affected area dry, so be sure to dry off properly so that you don't make the chafing worse.
Apply petroleum jelly or another unscented skin lubricant
Apply petroleum jelly or aloe vera gel to the friction burn. These are the two most effective treatments for inner thigh chafing because they help to reduce inflammation. Any other moisturizing balm would also likely work, but avoiding anything scented is important. Scented creams or things like shea butter will cause further irritation. Many guides will recommend shea butter, but I found it to actually make chafing worse.
Here are some specific products I've tried to soothe irritated skin from chafing and had some success with:
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Balm (My personal favorite)
- Boudreaux's Butt Paste (It's technically diaper rash cream but worked great on my inner thighs)
- Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Protect your skin
One of the best ways to treat chafing is to protect the affected area until the skin heals. Anti-chafing shorts are a great preventative measure (more on that below), but they can also be a godsend after skin irritation occurs and during the healing process. Buy a good-fitting pair of anti-chafing shorts and wear them until the friction burns are gone—these are my favorites.
Chafing is a common skin irritation, but in cases of severe chafing, a skin infection can occur. If you suspect you have an infection or a particularly severe case of chasing, you must seek medical treatment. The remedies in this post are for milder cases.
How to prevent chafing in future
I appreciate that you're probably reading this because you already have chafed skin. I'm confident that some of the tips I've provided above will help soothe your skin chafing quickly, but we need to discuss how to prevent chafing in the future.
As a large person, thigh chafing can be inevitable in some scenarios, like when wearing ill-fitting clothes or wet clothes if it unexpectedly rains. But you can prevent chafing in most cases with proper planning ahead. I strongly suggest doing so, especially when traveling. There's nothing worse than your body ruining your trip. Below, I've listed some things that have worked wonders for me in preventing chafing.
Anti-chafing products
Thigh chafing is so common that products have been designed specifically to stop it. Anti-chafing sticks are my personal favorite, but anti-chafing cream is also available.
Here are some of my favorite anti-chafing sticks:
- Gold Bond Friction Defense (My number one choice)
- Run Guard Anti Chafing Stick
Wear properly fitting clothes
Tight or poorly fitting clothes are one of the main reasons chafing occurs. If your underwear doesn't fit correctly or the crotch area in your pants is too low, this can very quickly cause skin irritation between your thighs. A pair of anti-chafing shorts can go a long way, too, especially under dresses.
Moisturize regularly
I've found that moisturizing my skin more regularly has helped to prevent chafing. Dry skin chafes more and can quickly become more irritated than if it was well moisturized. You might not think of moisturizing your inner thighs as part of your regular routine, but it has helped treat and prevent chafing.
