Forums >Health and Nutrition>Embarrassing question...
Hi gang,
been a long time since I've posted anything in the forums but have been a loyal RA user for a long time!
I've been struggling with something for a long time and thought I'd ask if anyone had any suggestions...it's kind of embarrassing but here goes....
I tend to get painful chafing on runs over about 6 miles or so in my groin area and upper inner thighs (just below the butt cheeks). I use Body-Glide, Aquaphor and the Gold Bond anti-chafe stick (can't remember the name) and that eliminates the chafing issue but it causes an itchy rash to develop on the skin surrounding my anus (not the anus itself). Since I have to put the lube on up high on the inner thighs the act of running I guess kind of spreads the lube up into that region and I end up with this rash for a couple of days after longer runs...
Looking for an alternative to these lubricants and won't cause the rash but will also do the job especially as I ramp up my mileage for a couple of fall half-marathons coming up....any advice would be appreciated!
Tim
Compared to other things that could happen, that's not so embarrassing.
I had the same thing happen when I first started running. I tried body glide - similar results to yours. My solution was to stop using body glide and just tough it out. It stopped happening after awhile. Visualize "running wide" if you know what I mean.
I took the same approach with bloody nipples and bicycle seat butt soreness - i just kept on keeping on. After a while, problem solved itself.
I haven't had any recurrence of the bloody nipples, but if I have a long time away from running or cycling then the groin chafe/butt soreness will recur. A week or two of "toughing it out" and no more problems. Works for me.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
not bad for mile 25
It's all in the shorts or underwear. Don't wear 'em! ;-) (Right, Ilene?) Or, find some with no seams in that area, if possible. I have actually cut out the hems on the liners of some of my running shorts. Now they are chafe-free.
#artbydmcbride
Are you asking for my endorsement on running without shorts? I plead the fifth.......
Runners run
Not a doc, but I'm married to an audiologist, and it sounds like a bit of crotch-rot. A clotrimazole antifungal cream will help with that. Look in the "Crotch Annoyances" aisle at CVS.
on my way to badass
Clean and dry is the secret. Jimmyb is also right. Goldbond powder may help.
Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28
That Guy
I adopted my dog from that aisle.
I will confess I went through a brief season of this condition earlier this summer when it was really humid, and the rash got so bad... well I won't get too descriptive. It was bad. Anyway, as one other poster already suggested, I started using an antifungal medicine and also just started doing some really practical stuff like showering after my run as fast as possible and getting the area all dried out -- standing over a fan until it was DRY down there. Then I applied the antifungal medicine. After several days of this treatment approach things started getting a lot better, and then I discontinued the medicine and started using some good old fashioned baby powder (liberally applied) after the aforementioned thorough drying process. I am happy to report that all is now well for me. :-) Incidentally, before going to the anti-fungal cream I tried the Gold Bond powder and all it did was sting and make me want to cry because there were spots where the rash was so bad the skin was broken. So, no no on the Gold Bond when it is that bad. Plain baby powder doesn't sting.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
....... I am happy to report that all is now well for me. :-) ........
Yay!
Thanks for all the advice...the weird thing is that it doesn't stick around for long...maybe two days then it's fine until the next time I use one of the lubricants I listed in the original post. If it's a fungus problem would it clear up on it's own between long runs?
I appreciate all the replies!
Buy a pair of shorts that have an inner under wear that is long, mid thigh. Or, use a pair of under wear that is LONG, mid thigh. This will cure the problem of the chaff on your upper thighs. As far as your taint, that's been covered above. Prana flex short or something similar will work just fine.
Try compression shorts too. You mentioned 3 products, Have you tried just one?
I only use one at a time...the reason for three is that I've been searching for one that doesn't cause the same rash problem but they all seem to give me the same result.
I appreciate the suggestion about the compression shorts...will give that a try
I think a lot of us have been there. I found boxer brief running shorts and it's been like night and day. Nike, Brooks, The North Face, all have versions that have worked well for me. Plus, they have more pockets so I have been able to do away with wearing belts for gels/etc forlong runs. Compression shorts work well too just beware anything with a seam right in the middle. You can add on the body glide if you feel necessary. Personally I used Gold Bond after runs for the chafing but just the original NO MENTHOL!
I can tell you, this solves the problem.