Chafing occurs when your skin rubs against coarse clothing or other skin repeatedly. It might cause irritation, redness, and pain, when it goes on long enough. This gets uncomfortable condition gets worse with persistent sweating and being overweight. Excessive dryness, cold, heat, humidity, and excessive pressure tend to exacerbate the condition.
Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
The most common parts of the body that are affected by chafing include groin, thighs, neck, underarms, and the nipples. People who are overweight, exercise regularly, and those with sensitive skin are more prone to experiencing the discomfort of chafing than others. Chafing leaves your skin with rashes, red marks, sore patches, which are painful and leave you with a burning sensation. These, if not treated at the right time, will worsen. Additionally, the chafed patches of skin sting badly when they come into contact with water.
Suggested read: All you need to know about bringing down swelling due to an injury from home remedies
Home remedies for chafing
While chafing isn’t life-threatening, it can cause serious discomfort and unpleasantness, which could eventually lead to broken skin, followed by an infection. To avoid further complications, try these simple, easy to follow home remedies for chafing that actually bring you some much-needed relief. Take a look:
1. Aloe vera
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Aloe vera is an amazing ingredient that helps cure several skin problems, including chafing. It helps soothe skin that has been irritated by chafing. Additionally, it helps speed up the healing process and reduce the risk of infection. Also, it helps bring down pain and inflammation by stimulating skin cell repair.
Remedies
- Slice open an aloe vera leaf and scoop out the fresh gel into a clean bowl. Apply this directly on the chafed area, letting it get absorbed into the skin. Repeat this remedy thrice a day for best results.
- In a clean bowl, mix together a quarter cup of aloe vera juice, 10 drops of lavender essential oil, and 1 cup of brewed green tea. Either use a bottle with a nozzle to spray this on the chafed skin, or dab it using a clean cotton ball. Use this remedy twice a day to help treat chafing effectively.
2. Baking soda
Baking soda is nothing but sodium bicarbonate and it helps reduce itching and the pain that chafing brings with it. Additionally, thanks to its healing properties, it helps treat chafing quickly, while helping reduce the risk of infection from broken skin.
Remedy
- In a clean bowl, mix 1 part baking soda and 3 parts of water. Add a few drops of lavender oil to this and mix well. Apply this on the chafed area and wait for 5 minutes before rinsing it off with cool water. Repeat this remedy once a day for a few days till the chafed skin heals.
Tip: Do not leave baking soda on your skin for too long since it might cause further irritation.
3. Calendula
Calendula is known to be another effective remedy to treat chafing. It is rich in flavonoids that helps protect the skin from any damage caused by free radicals. Additionally, it speeds up the healing process.
Remedies
- Dab a few drops of calendula oil directly on the affected area, thrice a day to treat chafing effectively.
- In a saucepan, bring to a boil one-third cup each of dried calendula flowers, green tea, and dried chamomile, along with 8 cups of water. Take it off the heat and let it cool down. Strain this and add it to a lukewarm bath. Soak your body in it for about 20 minutes, before rinsing off with plain water. Repeat this remedy once a day for a few days to speed up the healing process.
4. Cold compress
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Cold compress is one of the easiest remedies for chafed skin. Not only does it help reduce redness, it also relieves irritation and the associated pain.
Remedies
- Take a clean, thin washcloth and wrap a few ice cubes in it. Place it on the affected area for about 5 minutes. Take it off for a while, and reapply, repeating it a few times every day till the chafing eases.
- Another remedy is to wash the affected area with cold water.
Tip: Don’t put ice cubes directly on the skin.
5. Cornstarch
Cornstarch is effective in absorbing excess sweat and moisture, helping keep problematic areas dry, while also helping reduce the friction. This friction is one of the main causes for chafing to occur.
Remedy
- Rinse the chafed area with a mild antiseptic soak and lukewarm water. Pat dry with a soft towel and lightly dust cornstarch over it. Reapply thrice a day to help treat chafing.
Tip: Do not apply cornstarch over damp skin since it might increase the risk of a fungal infection.
Suggested read: All you need to know about treating irritable bowel syndrome with home remedies
6. Neem
Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
Neem possesses antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that are highly effective in treating chafing.
Remedies
- Take a handful of neem leaves put them in a saucepan, along with 2 cups of water. Simmer this for about 20 minutes, before straining it. Let it cool down and use this solution to wash the chafed areas, a couple of times a day for a few days to help treat chafing.
- Dab some neem oil, lotion, or cream on the affected area a few times every day to get rid of chafing.
7. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is another excellent remedy to treat chafing, thanks to its medicinal properties. It also helps cleanse, moisturize, and soothe chafed skin. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties help bring down the pain, while helping protect and soothe the irritated skin.
Remedy
- Add 2 cups of oatmeal powder to a bathtub filled with lukewarm water. Soak your body in it for about half an hour, before rinsing it off with plain water. Pat dry with a soft towel apply a mild moisturizer. Repeat this remedy at least once every day for positive results.
Tip: Do not rub or scrub the chafed skin, as it will only irritate it further.
8. Olive oil
Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
Olive oil is a natural moisturizer that helps treat chafed skin successfully. Additionally, it helps speed up the healing process, thanks to the high amounts of antioxidants and vitamin E found in it.
Remedy
- When you come out of the shower, apply a few drops of olive oil to the affected area. Repeat this remedy a few times through the day to help promote healing.
Tip: Vitamin E oil or coconut oil work best too.
9. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil helps treat many a skin condition, including chafing. Its topical application on the affected area helps provide protection against infections, thanks to its anti-microbial properties.
Remedies
- Add a few drops of tea tree oil any unscented moisturizer and shake well. Apply this on the chafed area, letting it stay without washing. Repeat this remedy twice a day for best results.
- Dip a cotton ball in water and squeeze out the excess. Now, sprinkle a few drops of tea tree oil on it. Press this gently on the affected area. Use this remedy twice a day till the chafed skin heals fully.
10. Turmeric
Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which possesses anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help protect chafed skin from infections, while helping speed up the healing process. Additionally, it helps bring down the risk of scarring.
Remedy
- In a clean bowl, mix together 3 teaspoons of turmeric powder and enough water to make a smooth paste. Slather this on the chafed area and cover it with a soft cloth. Let it stay for about half an hour, before washing it off with plain water. Repeat this remedy at least thrice a day for best results.
Suggested read: All you need to know about treating gallstones with home remedies
Additional tips
- Petroleum jelly, almond oil, lavender oil, vitamin E cream, calamine lotion, and baby oil are all alternative remedies to treat chafing successfully.
- Keep your skin dry in the problematic areas to help prevent chafing.
- Use proper exercise gear made with synthetic fibers to help avoid chafing. Fabrics that stretch and cause no friction are best while exercising, like compression shorts, spandex cycling shorts, and athletic tights.
- Moisture-wicking clothes are helpful in avoiding excessive perspiration, especially during exercising.
- Tight clothes, and accessories like belts, tight undergarments cause you to perspire excessively, which in turn worsen the chafing.
- Unscented baby powder is known to be quite helpful in keeping your skin dry.
- Consume foods rich in vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, and zinc to help boost your immunity.
- Stay hydrated by drinking enough water and eliminate dryness that could possibly lead to chafing.
These are all the highly effective home remedies for chafing that you need. For more updates on health tips and fitness secrets, subscribe to our newsletter today!
Featured image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License
Facebook
Disqus
Google + 
