Chafing

Chafing

Now here's a condition that really rubs you the wrong way. You buy a wash-and-wear outfit to make your life a little easier, or you decide to get your body into shape with a new exercise program--and what happens? Your skin gets all irritated and sore.

Mild chafing happens to everyone, and usually just applying baby powder or talc to the problem area will help keep your skin happy. Another easy prevention technique is to wear a soft fabric like cotton rather than a more abrasive synthetic blend or a rough wool. But if your hide can't seem to hide from chafing, here's what to do.

Zap it with zinc. "Zinc oxide, the white paste that lifeguards put on their noses, is wonderful for treating chafing--it's simple and inexpensive," says dermatologist John F. Romano, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine at The New York Hospital--Cornell Medical Center in New York City. "Just apply a thin layer on the area where you tend to chafe. If you have trouble removing the zinc oxide because that area is hairy, apply a little olive oil or mineral oil and wipe it off."

Smear on petroleum jelly. Another simple and inexpensive remedy is petroleum jelly. "It's best to apply the jelly before you exercise," says D'Anne, Kleinsmith, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist at William Beaumont Hospital near Detroit. The petroleum jelly protects the area from friction.

And there might be some areas that need special attention. "Runners frequently complain that their nipples get chafed by a shirt in the up-and-down motion. I advise my patients to spread some petroleum jelly over their nipples before running," says Dr. Kleinsmith. For even more protection, cover each nipple with a small adhesive bandage.

Put away the panty hose. Women who are prone to chafing should definitely avoid wearing panty hose, according to Dr. Kleinsmith. "Panty hose don't allow the skin in your upper thighs to breathe," she says.

Men: Switch to boxers. Men who get chafing around the waist, crotch and upper thighs might want to try wearing boxer shorts. Tighter-fitting jockey underwear is more likely to cause chafing around the waist and thighs.

Wash before you wear. Be sure to wash any new clothes before you wear them, says Richard H. Strauss, M.D., a sports medicine doctor at Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus. Washing sometimes softens fabric enough to lessen abrasion. It also removes dyes and sizing (chemicals used to add crispness and luster to new clothes) that can irritate skin in some people, says Dr. Romano. Washing is especially important when you wear dyed exercise clothes, Dr. Romano points out. The skin absorbs dye as you sweat--and that's something you want to avoid.

Wrap it up. People who are overweight or who have big thighs are more likely to have chafing, but there's a way to find relief. Wrap elastic bandages around the portions of the legs that rub, suggests Tom Barringer, M.D., a family physician in Charlotte, North Carolina, who is a fitness runner. For any vigorous exercise, wrap elastic bandages around each thigh or wear cycling-style shorts, which come down farther on the thigh and are tighter than regular shorts. That will shield the skin on the inside of your thighs. But be sure the elastic bandage is secure, so it does not move across the skin.

Don't forget skin folds. Applying an over-the-counter cream like Micatin, mixed with a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, in between skin folds can also help overweight people cure chafing. "Skin folds are prime areas for chafing because they're moist and there's a lot of friction from movement," says Nicholas J. Lowe, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine and director of the Skin Research Foundation of California in Santa Monica.