You know what I'm talking about right? That horrible, uncomfortable, and downright painful sensation of walking for too long on a hot day in that super cute skirt you loved when you put it on but that has now become an instrument of torture causing you to want to wobble down the street like a bow-legged cowboy. Yes, ladies. I'm talking about that which is commonly referred to as "chub rub," but which I prefer to call the simpler, more elegant: "chafing."
You don't have to be "overweight" necessarily for this to happen — the upper thighs belonging to women of all shapes and sizes rub together when they walk! However, if you have the inner thighs of a plastic Barbie Doll, you probably don't need to keep reading…
Everyone else: rejoice! For I have scoured the internet and questioned my friends and colleagues and come up with not one, not two, but four solutions that are going to make this the best dress and skirt-wearin' summer ever.
First I asked one of my younger sisters, a super fit college girl who also happens to be a long-distance runner. Runners know from chafing, let me tell you. Sissy swears by….
1. Spandex. To be more precise, spandex shorts worn under her running shorts (or under her skirts and dresses). A brand she loves because it's lightweight and ultra-comfy is Nike Pro. I found these Nike Pro Core Compression 5" Shorts on Zappos for $28 (free shipping!) and even though I find it irritating that the model's THIGHS DON'T TOUCH so why would she need them anyway, they do look nice and comfy. And I do like the added coverage a not-too-long pair of shorts can give if your skirt is on the short and flippy side.
What's that you say? You're too hot to wear shorts under your dresses and skirts? You long for the lovely, sexy summer feeling of the breeze blowing gently up your legs? I completely understand …
2. Stick deodorant.
A couple of different ladies told me that they use any old stick deodorant and it works great (yoyu just rub it where it needs to go!), but another friend, who is also a self proclaimed "walk/runner" (my kind of girl!), says men's deodorant works best, and she swears by Old Spice in particular. WHO KNEW?! And, she points out helpfully, "It also works for the underboob, if you have one!" To that, I say: hooray! No more attractive red rash where my underwire meets my underboob sweat!
Oh but also? They make products JUST FOR THIS PROBLEM.
3. Bodyglide For Her Anti-Chafing Stick.
A friend of mine who insists she has more "chub rub" than me (I disagree) tells me this stuff works amazingly well — it lasts ALL day — and she lives in hot and sweaty NYC. ($7.99 at Drugstore.com)
Another good friend says the BodyGlide worked great for her during a half marathon, but for everyday use, her absolute favorite is (drumroll please) ….
4. Monistat Soothing Care Power Gel.
A couple of different gals, in addition to the half-marathoner above, told me about this apparently miracle product, and what I want to know is WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL ME SOONER? (Also, if you're slightly taken aback by the name of the product, another friend assures me: "It has nothing to do with yeast infections, it’s just made by the same company." So there's that.)
"It really does work wonders," says this friend, "I put in on my inner thighs and it keeps them from getting irritated no matter how much walking I do. Miracle really. I have tried other things — talcum powder, gold bond powder, greasy options like Aquaphor — but nothing worked for me beside this." SOLD! ($6.49 at Drugstore.com)
I, for one, and so excited to try all of these options. I love wearing skirts, and much prefer them to shorts, but generally avoid them if I'm going to be doing even a moderate amount of walking because it gets so darn uncomfortable. Hooray!
Do you suffer from inner thigh chafing when you wear a skirt? What's your solution?
