Chafing is an

irritation Irritation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant. Irritants are typically thought of as chemical age ...

of skin caused by

friction Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction: *Dry friction is a force that opposes the relative lateral motion of t ...

, moisture or irritating fabric. Prolonged rubbing on the skin may result in skin sting or burn, and development of a mild, red rash; and in severe cases may include swelling, bleeding, or crusting. It often results from body parts that rub against each other or against clothing. It commonly occurs on the inner thighs and buttocks, and nipples, groin, feet, and armpits can also chafe, although there it is less common. Severe chafing is known as

friction burn A friction burn is a form of abrasion caused by the friction of skin rubbing against a surface. A friction burn may also be referred to as skinning, chafing, or a term named for the surface causing the burn such as rope burn, carpet burn or ...

Causes

Repeated rubbing, especially combined with moisture, cause chafing. Chafing may be caused by clothing rubbing against the skin. Chafing can also be caused by improper or overly loose fitting clothing generating extra friction. Wearing a skirt, especially in hot or humid weather, may cause chafing in the upper thighs. Wearing leggings or pants can protect thighs from such rubbing. Ill-fitting clothes can cause chafing; repeatedly rubbing against sleeves, bra straps, or waistband may cause chafing. A watch strap may also cause chafing. Obesity is commonly thought to be a cause of thigh chafing, and in some cases losing body fat may help the issue, but the problem is just as noticeable in athletes with well developed

quadriceps The quadriceps femoris muscle (, also called the quadriceps extensor, quadriceps or quads) is a large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the sole extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large ...

and people with tight bone structures. Chafing is quite prevalent among long distance athletes such as

cyclists Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

runners due to the extensive time periods during which the skin is in irritating conditions. Chafing may be caused by the salt and residue left behind after sweat evaporates. If sweat dries and exercise is resumed, the salt may intensify the friction and cause further irritation. Other contributing factors include hot weather, sensitive skin, sand from the beach getting into problem areas, and prior skin irritation. Nursing mothers may develop chafed nipples from breastfeeding, and prolonged exposure to urine or feces and not enough air flow can cause chafing on bottoms, such as from diapers. Other ways of chafing includes repeatedly blowing the nose when having a cold or wearing a face mask.

Prevention and treatment

Staying dry may keep skin from the developing further chafing, although this can be difficult in hot weather and requires avoiding exercise. After a workout, a wash removes sweat and its salt which causes chafing. The use of products such as

baby powder Baby powder is an astringent powder used for preventing diaper rash and for cosmetic uses. It may be composed of talc (in which case it is also called talcum powder) or corn starch. It may also contain additional ingredients like fragrances. Ba ...

potato flour Flour is a powder made by grinding raw grains, roots, beans, nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cult ...

antiperspirant A deodorant is a substance applied to the body to prevent or mask body odor due to bacterial breakdown of perspiration or vaginal secretions, for example in the armpits, groin, or feet. A subclass of deodorants, called antiperspirants, prevents s ...

may help with keeping problem areas dry. An alternative to staying dry is lubricating the skin with

petroleum jelly Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum, soft paraffin, or multi-hydrocarbon, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons (with carbon numbers mainly higher than 25), originally promoted as a topical ointment for its h ...

or other

lubricants A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, t ...

to reduce friction and allow body parts to glide. In many cases, however, especially those involving the upper thighs, clothing is the biggest culprit.

Cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...

clothes should be avoided as should anything with large seams. Sports focused underwear and clothing made from

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petro ...

spandex Spandex, Lycra, or elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is a polyether-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1958 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia, US. The ge ...

may reduce or entirely solve the issue in some cases. Problems caused by salt residue from evaporated sweat can be solved by using

wet wipes A wet wipe, also known as a wet towel or a moist towelette, disposable wipe, disinfecting wipe, or a baby wipe (in specific circumstances) is a small to medium-sized moistened piece of plastic or cloth that either comes folded and individually ...

to clean problem areas before resuming exercise. Once the cause of the irritation is removed, the affected skin area will normally heal in a few days. Severe cases (friction burn) may become infected and require medical attention. They may also leave scars upon healing.

External links

{{Medical resources , DiseasesDB = , ICD10 = {{ICD10, Xxx.x , ICD9 = {{ICD9, xxx , ICDO = , OMIM = , MedlinePlus = , MeSH = , GeneReviewsNBK = , GeneReviewsName = , Orphanet = Skin conditions resulting from physical factors