If you’ve ever suffered from chafing, then you undoubtedly know how painful it can be. When your skin rubs together or against your clothes, it creates friction that results in painful redness and sometimes rashes, blistering and even bleeding in severe cases. If you’re someone who loves going on long walks, this can be an even more serious problem with the constant movement of your legs and build-up of sweat in the Australian heat. In this guide, we will run through some top tips on how to stop chafing on long walks.

Wear appropriate clothing

The most important step to prevent thigh chafing is choosing the right clothing to wear before setting off on your long walk. Avoid cotton as this is known to get wet very easily. Instead, go for synthetic materials or wool which dry quickly. Sweat is the main cause of chafing, so try to pack a change of clothes in case you get very sweaty.

Although it may seem to make more sense to wear loose-fitting clothes in order to stay cool and stop sweating, it is actually more important to pick clothes that fit well. This is because the loose fabric can contribute to the friction that you are experiencing and make the chafing worse, whereas a tight fit protects your skin from bumping against anything.

You can still wear your favourite baggy shorts if you want, but make sure to pair these with thigh guards as the inner thigh is the most common area to experience chafing. These are specially designed to fit snugly around your thighs to protect them from chafing even during rigorous activity, and they can be worn discreetly underneath any clothes. You may find this to be a better option as it allows the unaffected skin to breathe.

Apply products before

Although having the right clothes on should protect you from chafing, some areas of the skin are harder to protect than others and may need a bit of extra help. Luckily, there are plenty of anti chafing options available to buy that are designed to protect from chafing and soothe the symptoms you may be experiencing.

Alternatively, some people swear by the simplest of solutions, such as applying petroleum jelly. These can work as short term solutions but aren’t medically recommended.

Stay hydrated

We all know how important it is to drink plenty of water on long walks in the heat to stay cool and protect from dehydration. Did you know that because chafing is mainly caused by sweat, staying hydrated is also important to protect from chafing? Having plenty of water in your system means that there will be a lower concentration of salt in your sweat, which is the main contribution to chafing. So, always take a cold water bottle with you and refill it whenever possible on your walk.

For more help and advice on how to avoid chafing on long walks, including an introduction to our innovative thigh guards, contact us at No More Chafe today.