Chafing is one of the most common skin problems, affecting the majority of people at least once in their lives. This is especially the case here in Australia due to the extensive heat that spring and summer bring, which can make even running daily errands impossibly difficult to put up with. In this blog, we will explore what it is like to chafe during your everyday activities and explore how to stop everyday chafing once and for all.

What is chafing?

Because it is so common, you may have experienced chafing without knowing what it was. If you have ever noticed a part of your skin becoming red or painful after repeated friction during activity (particularly on your inner thighs, armpits, nipples or around clothes straps), there is a high chance that this was chafing. It may have been extremely painful and started bleeding, or you may have noticed a rash appearing.

Chafing occurs when the epidermis (outer layer of skin) is rubbed and torn, exposing the dermis (lower skin layer). This becomes irritated and causes discomfort, especially when accompanied by moisture. Doing lots of physical activity, being overweight and wearing baggy clothes that rub on the skin are all risk factors.

What’s it like to chafe running daily errands?

Despite these risk factors, you can easily begin to chafe during your everyday life, too. Just one small patch of skin rubbing on another can lead to chafing or one poorly fitted strap that grazes the same part of the skin over and over again.

You don’t need to be an athlete to find this. Running errands such as cleaning the house, getting the groceries, doing laundry and cooking all involve lots of movement which can easily cause chafing legs, especially if you are rushing. If you are a caregiver, you may find little time during the day to sit down at all, meaning that chafing can easily occur with repetitive movement offering your skin no time to breathe or rest. During times of high temperature, sweat builds up even during small activities, which can make chafing worse because it weakens the skin and the salt present acts as an irritant.

In fact, you could be more likely to chafe running daily errands than when doing sport. During exercise, you are likely to be wearing specialist clothing that is designed to be breathable, fit well and wipe away sweat, reducing the risk of chafing. However, while doing your everyday jobs, you are less likely to pay attention to what you are wearing and could be wearing clothes that add to chafing risk, such as baggy pants.

This can make your everyday life miserable as you struggle with the pain of chafing and find it harder to do these essential jobs.

The solution
Although there are products that can help to relieve chafing, the most effective solution is to prevent it before it occurs. Be prepared for chafing during your everyday activities with thigh guards from No More Chafe. No matter your style, these will fit underneath your clothes subtly and protect your thighs all day while you complete your errands.