Chub Rub and Thigh Chafing: How to Treat and Prevent It, According to Dermatologists

While most people love the summer, I dread warm weather in New York: The combination of heat and humidity means my thigh chafing—or chub rub—will inevitably return. 

Almost everyone can relate to this experience in one way or another, since despite the colloquially used moniker that is chub rub, heat-induced skin chafing has very little to do with being chubby. My inner thighs have always rubbed together, no matter my weight or size. Plus, it’s science: The combination of sweat and skin simply results in rubbing, regardless of someone’s body type (more on that below).

I learned this the hard way, just as I hit puberty. I was 11 years old and not only the first of any of my friends to get my period and need a bra but also the only one whose thighs ended up chapped after wearing shorts and dresses, sometimes to the point of bleeding, especially on summer break (and more often than not, while at sleepaway camp). I didn’t understand what it was or what it meant, but I knew I felt embarrassed. So I didn’t tell anyone for years, shamefully applying oversized bandages and deodorant (intended for armpits) to the area and hoping the issue would eventually go away. It did not.

I was, however, able to learn to manage it, thanks to nearly two decades of trial and error, as well as guidance from actual experts. Read on for my—and dermatologists’—tried and tested tips on how to treat and prevent thigh and skin chafing, plus which moisture-wicking anti-chafing products and creams they recommend for the job.

What causes chub rub and thigh chafing?

As you might imagine, the cause of chub rub and thigh chafing is exactly that: rubbing. “Chafing refers to skin irritation that can appear red or discolored, and results from rubbing or friction,” Marisa Garshick, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in NYC, and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine, tells Glamour. 

 Brendan Camp, MD, double-board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology, agrees—and adds while it’s common for skin to chafe after rubbing on other skin, it can also happen as a result of rubbing on coarse fabric. Thus, as noted above, the unfortunate phenomenon is not necessarily exclusive to the thighs. 

“Chafing occurs as a result of skin rubbing on skin, or skin rubbing on a coarse fabric,” says Dr. Camp, noting that this can cause chafing over time, especially on sensitive skin. “Because chafing is the result of repeated frictional forces, it occurs most often in areas like the underarms, under the breasts, in the groin, and on the thighs.” And both derms agree: Chafing is both common and normal, so no—nothing is wrong with you or your skin. 

How to prevent inner thigh chafing and chub rub

Shorts & Shapewear

As for how to prevent your thighs from chafing in the first place? According to Dr. Camp, you’ll want to stick to comfortable clothing that limits the amount of friction between your skin and the fabric. Wear breathable bike shorts or anti-chafing shorts under dresses and skirts as a precaution (or as pants; we don’t judge).