If you have ever experienced a hot, sweaty summer, you most likely also experienced chafed skin--when one area of skin rubs against another and causes irritation. Sweating can aggravate chafing, but wearing the right kind of clothing and trying to control the amount of sweat you put out may help you reduce or stop chafed skin.
Step 1
Alter the time of day you work out if you notice that your chafing is directly related to how much you sweat. If you can exercise during a cooler time of day, you may not sweat as much, according to the Rodale publication "Symptoms: Their Cases and Cures," found at MotherNature.com. Try jogging at daybreak or in the evening when the sun is not as strong.
Step 2
Wear clothing that allows your skin to breathe and allows sweat to evaporate, such as loose cotton shirts and shorts. Materials that tout their wicking ability absorb sweat but do not dry as quickly as cotton and can increase your likelihood of skin chafing.
Step 3
Protect the areas of your body that commonly become chafed, such as underarms and inner thighs, with a barrier that prevents the skin from rubbing against itself. Petroleum jelly or talcum powder can help your skin glide against itself without rubbing harshly. Apply the barrier agent before you exercise and begin to sweat, and again after you have showered, to help the chafed skin heal.
Step 4
Wash your clothing regularly to stop chafed skin. Dried sweat and dirt can irritate your skin further, according to the National Institutes of Health, and prevents chafed areas from healing.
Things You'll Need
- Cotton clothing
- Petroleum jelly
- Talcum powder
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