Best Home Remedies For Chafing

It happens to all of us, at one time or another. We exercise, run around in the summer heat, and somehow our skin begins to suffer from chafing, a common complaint that can have some painful aftereffects. It is usually caused by our clothing rubbing against the skin in a motion that leaves behind a raw, and potentially weeping or painful area of skin. The moisture of our sweat combines with the constant motion to create a sensitive patch where the top layer has been rubbed completely away. Thankfully, there are home remedies that will ease the pain of chafing, and help the healing process to begin.

Preventing Chafing

Before we cover the home remedies for this condition, it might also help to go over some preventive measures that you can take to prevent it from happening again. Keeping dry is an important factor to prevent the chafing, the less moisture there is against the skin, the less chance that the clothing will have enough traction to rub it raw. Second, it also helps to wear clothing that fits well, not too tight, and preferably made of cotton for its ability to wick moisture away. Keeping yourself hydrated will prevent dehydration, and keep your skin moisturized at the same time. The number one reason the skin begins to chafe during exercise is that you have become dehydrated, and the body will take its needed moisture from the skin first.

Home Remedies Against Chafing

If you have sensitive areas that have begun to hurt, apply some petroleum jelly directly to the spot, to provide pain relief and soothing of the inflammation. Baby oil, baby powder and talcum powder applied directly to the skin will provide a slippery surface that will prevent clothing from rubbing against the skin. After showering, apply zinc oxide to the affected area, and let it dry. This will seal in the skin as it heals, locking in the moisture. It can be removed with an application of olive oil, which will also moisturize the skin. Exposing the affected skin to the air will also help it heal.