Chafing! How to prevent it with anti-chafing balms?

When you’ve experienced skin chafing, you’ll understand how irritating (physically and mentally) it actually is.

What is skin chafing?

Skin chafing is an annoying skin condition that can affect anyone at anytime and anywhere on the body. It’s when the skin rubs together or on the fabric of your clothes. Chafing can happen anywhere on the body, but it’s mainly on the thighs, underarms, nipple or groin area. Under favourable circumstances, typically on hot and humid days, although it can also happen during dry and cold weather. Whether you are just casually walking around or doing exercise, if your skin creates enough friction, (add a little bit of sweat or moisture), then you get chafing. A sign of chafing (besides being uncomfortable) are little red bumps and red rashes.

Personally I am not a fan of chafing (actually, I don’t know who actually is?). I usually get it when it’s hot, and when I’m running, my thighs stick together and I get this painful rash. It almost makes me stop exercising on hot days because of this.

How to prevent chafing?

There are two ways to stop chafing. First option is the obvious one, which is by creating a physical barrier by wearing moisture-wicking clothes to stop skin-to-skin and skin-to-fabric chafing. Obvious right? But when it’s hot and humid, wearing loose fitting clothes is preferable. (For me it is, at least when I’m running, usually prefer shorts).

So what the other option then? Anti-chaffing topical products!

Anti-chafing products where you apply to the chafing-prone areas are the biggest lifesavers! These products are usually waterless (anhydrous) and either in a balm or cream format. Being waterless is beneficial as it allows extended glide and creates a barrier on the skin, which doesn’t get absorbed as quickly. Compared to water which just absorbs into the skin. Although choosing the oil (or emollient) that has long playtime is the most important for them to work. From a formulations chemist point of view. It’s what makes these types of products good and effective.

Now let’s look at some popular anti-chaffing products.

Popular anti-chaffing balm / cream

There are some popular anti-chaffing products, some I’ve tried. They are mainly all based around similar ingredients and same format-a stick balm.

Tried & tested: Vaseline

Vaseline aka Petroleum Jelly or Petrolatum. I love using Vaseline for when my skin is extremely dry and as a protective ointment for broken skin and lips. So I thought why not give it a go at preventing chafing. I’ve read it a great at anti-chafing for your thighs for runners. Which makes sense because it is an occlusive ingredient that has superb barrier protection, great slip and non-sticky greasy skin feel. Perfect, right? Yes, it did work to a certain extent for me. After 15 mins of running in summer (on multiple days), the Vaseline absorbed into my skin and my thighs started to chafe uncomfortably.

Its a pretty good as an after-chafing product though.

Point proven: Vaseline does absorb into the skin (at least on the top layers of the skin), slowly but surely.

To be Tried & tested: Body Glide

The Original Anti Chafe Balm is the one I am trying now. My review will be posted shortly… stay tuned!

What do you think? Helpful?