Chafing rash – a skin irritation that occur when clothing rubs against the skin or skin rubs against another part of the body (Exposure to moisture and irritating fabric also contribute to chafing). Prolonged irritation causes the skin to become raw and reddened and can lead to stinging and burning. In severe cases, chafing rash can also cause swelling, crusting, or bleeding.
Repeated rubbing, especially combined with moisture, makes skin more susceptible to damage.
Common situations that cause chafing rash include:
- Being overweight. Excess body fat makes it easier for the inner thighs to rub together.
- Breast-feeding. Some women experience chafed nipples from pads and bras.
- Endurance sports. Athletes can experience chafing rash from repetitive movements, loose-fitting clothing, or excess moisture from sweat.
- Wearing skirts or dresses. People who frequently wear skirts and dresses can experience chafing rash of the inner thighs, particularly in hot and humid weather.
- Poor-fitting clothing. Clothes that do not fit well can repeatedly rub and irritate the skin.
- Sweating. Dried sweat can leave a layer of salt on the skin, making irritation from friction worse.
- Diapers. Moisture from feces and urine, as well as the diaper against the skin, can lead to chafing rash or a diaper rash.
Mild chafing rashes tend not to be too painful, but more serious rashes could bleed, crust, or blister. Chafing rash can occur anywhere where there is friction, but some areas of the body are more prone to chafing than others. Areas where chafing is most likely to happen are generally moist or generate friction for example:
- Buttocks.
- Groin.
- Thighs.
- Feet.
- Armpits.
- Nipples and under breasts.
Causes of chafing rash
The direct cause of chafing is the skin is rubbing against something for a prolonged period. This could happen, for instance, when someone is walking, and their inner thighs are rubbing together.
Others causes of chafing include:
- Sweating.
- Breastfeeding.
- Wearing tight clothes.
- Participating in an endurance sport, such as a marathon.
- An infant or toddler wearing a diaper may experience chafing rash.
Symptoms and complications of Chafing Rash
Chafing causes a burning or stinging rash to occur where the skin is rubbing against something. The rash will not spread to other areas.
Possible complications of chafing rashes include:
- Bleeding.
- Crusting.
- Swelling.
Bacteria could enter through the broken or damaged skin around a chafing rash and cause an infection. For that reason, a person should make sure that they take care of the rash and keep it clean. Several symptoms of a skin infection include:
- Warmth coming from the rash area.
- Tenderness or pain.
- Swelling.
Tips for prevention
The best way to avoid chafing rash is by taking preventive measures. While it is not always possible to avoid chafing rash, following these tips can reduce the severity and frequency:
- Wearing proper clothing during exercise. When exercising, people should wear well-fitting, fast-drying fabrics, such as nylon, polyester, or spandex. Sports clothing is designed to help skin “breathe.” People can wear compression shorts to reduce inner thigh chafing rash during exercise.
- Staying dry. Moisture on skin makes chafing rash worse. Before heading outside, people can apply powders or antiperspirant deodorant to areas where chafing rash commonly occurs. They should also change out of wet or sweaty clothes as soon as possible.
- Using lubrication. Apply petroleum jelly, oil, or lotion to areas where skin rubs together to reduce friction and allow surfaces to glide against each other.
- Applying soft bandages. People can apply soft, flexible bandages to areas that are especially prone to chafing rash, such as the feet or nipples.
- Washing after sweating. When sweat dries on the skin, it leaves a gritty layer of salt behind that causes friction.
- Taking care of the nipples when breast-feeding. Keep nipples clean and dry while breast-feeding. Avoid wearing irritating fabric. Bras designed for breast-feeding have soft pads that can ease discomfort. Placing disposable pads in the bra can help to reduce moisture.
- Checking the weather. Consider participating in exercise or other outdoor activities, such as yard work, in the early morning or late evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day.
Tips for relief 
Chafing rash can cause irritation, itching, and pain. There is a range of things a person can do to treat chafing and get relief, including:
- Cleansing the area with just mild soap and water and pat dry.
- Applying aloe vera gel or mustard oil to the irritated area.
- Wearing well-fitting clothing, such as spandex shorts, to protect the chafed area while it heals.
Allopathic Treatment for Chafing Rash
Unless the skin becomes infected, an allopathic doctor does not have a standard way of treating chafing rash. People should avoid the activity that caused the chafing rash or at least take steps to prevent further chafing rash from occurring.
If a person needs treatment, prescribe/recommend a corticosteroid cream or ointment to help reduce the inflammation resulting from the rash. If a person develops a rash that spreads, it is likely not a chafing rash.
Homeopathic Treatment for Chafing Rash
Homeopathic medicines for any type of skin diseases, eczema, chafing rash etc. stimulate the disease-fighting mechanism (immune system) of the body to fight and secure organism in future for disease like this one (treated).
First of all, stop using antibacterial and/or medicated soaps as they are the main cause of lowering immune system said Dr Qaisar Ahmed, after that, advice any or some from the following:
I (Dr Qaisar Ahmed) prefer combination therapy.
Sulphur
Dry, scaly, unhealthy; every little injury suppurates. Freckles. Itching, burning; worse scratching and washing. Pimply eruption, pustules, rhagades, hangnails. Excoriation, especially in folds. Chafing rash. Skin affections after local medication. Pruritus, especially from warmth, is evening, often recurs in springtime, in damp weather.
Lycopodium Clavatum
Skin ulcerates. Abscesses beneath skin; worse warm applications. Hives; worse, warmth. Violent itching; fissured eruptions. Acne. Chafing rash. Skin becomes thick and indurated. Brown spots, freckles worse on left side of face and nose. Dry, shrunken, especially palms; hair becomes prematurely gray. Dropsies. Offensive secretions; viscid and offensive perspiration, especially of feet and axilla. Psoriasis.
Arsenic Album
Violent itching along with great restlessness, the skin peels off in large scales and is very sore to touch. Chafing rash. Dry, rough, scaly, dirty skin like parchment burns intensely, Over-sensitiveness skin.
Kali Sulphuricum
Kali Sulphuricum is suitable medicines for eczemas where the symptoms include dry and harsh skin with extreme itching, Peeling and flaking of the skin, worsens with heat are observed. Chafing rash. Scabs (desquamation of the skin) after skin infections.
Sepia
Itching vesicles not relieved by scratching. The skin turns pinkish from scratching. Chafing rash.
Herpes circinate in isolated spots. Itching; not relieved by scratching; worse in bends of elbows and knees. Chloasma; herpetic eruption on lips, about mouth and nose. Ringworm-like eruption every spring. Urticaria on going in open air; better in warm room. Hyperidrosis and bromhidrosis. Sweat on feet, worse on toes, intolerable odor. Lentigo in young women. Ichthyosis with offensive odor of skin.
Carbo Vegetabilis
Skin blue, cold ecchymosed. Marbled with venous over distension. Itching; worse on evening, when warm in bed. Moist skin; hot perspiration; senile gangrene beginning in toes; bed sores; bleed easily. Chafing rash. Indolent ulcers, burning pain. Ichorous, offensive discharge; tendency to gangrene of the margins. Purpura. Varicose ulcers, carbuncles.
Causticum
Soreness in folds of skin, back of ears, between thighs. Chafing rash.
Selenium
Skin dry, scaly eruption in palms, with itching, Itching about the ankles and folds of skin, between fingers. Hair falls out from brows, beard, and genitals. Itching about finger-joints and between fingers; in palms. Vesicular eruption between fingers (Rhus; Anac). Seborrhea oleosa. Chafing rash. Acne.
Antimonium Crudum
Eczema with gastric derangements. Pimples, vesicles, and pustules. Chafing rash. Thick, hard, honey-colored scabs. Urticaria; measle-like eruption. Itching when warm in bed. Dry skin. Dry gangrene. Scaly, pustular eruption with burning and itching, worse at night.
Kreosotum
Skin soft, unnatural feel of skin, with pegged teeth. Violent itching all over body, with burning sensation in arms and legs, after scratching. Burning itching at night, and heat over whole body.
Nettle-rash. Eruption, like bug-bites, with violent itching especially in evening; Large, greasy looking, pox like/shaped pustules over whole body. Mealy and pustular, dry or humid tetters (on backs of hands and fingers, in palms, on ears, elbows, knuckles, and malleoli), with violent itching in almost every part of body. Chafing rash.
Phosphoricum Acidum
Insensibility of skin. Crawling tingling under skin. Formication of skin. Red and burning spots on limbs. Eruption like scarlatina. Erysipelatous inflammations. Eruption of small pimples, and of miliary pimples collected in clusters and red. Eruption of pimples with burning pain, or pain as from excoriation. Chafing rash.
Scabious vesicles. Eczema. Humid and dry tetters, squamous; variola. Corns with shootings and burning pain. Chilblains. Wens, Warts: large, jagged, often pedunculated, exuding moisture and bleeding readily; indented. Condylomas. Furunculi. Flat, indolent ulcers, with secretion of a dirty-looking pus, and having a serrated bottom. Itching ulcers.
Zincum Metallicum
Itching in bends of joints. Itching, with violent lancinations, especially in evening in bed, disappearing immediately on being touched. Tingling between the skin and the flesh. Chafing rash. Chronic eruptions, Eczema of back of right hand with terrible irritation, little oozing and fistulation feels better in cold weather while excited by rubbing.
Manganum
Skin burning all over skin, in evening, and when rising from bed. Itching tetters. The skin does not heal easily; every injury tends to ulceration. Eczema. Excoriation and fissures in bend of the joints. Voluptuous itching worse by scratching. Chafing rash.
Itching in hollow of knee and on shin. Suppuration of skin around joints.
Graphites
Obstinate dryness of the skin, and absence of perspiration. Ephelides. Red spots on the skin, like fleabites. Eczema. Erysipelatous inflammations. Vesicular erysipelas, like zona, on the abdomen and on the back.
Itching of the varices on the lower limbs. Itching-stinging on the surface of a mole. Eruptions oozing out a thick honey-like fluid. Tetters, and other humid or scabby eruptions. Chafing rash.
Eruption of pimples and nodules (principally under hair and on covered parts) which itch very much. Swelling and induration of the glands. Excoriation of the skin (in the bends of the limbs, groins, neck, behind the ears). Unhealthy skin, every injury tending to ulceration. Proud flesh, and fetid pus, in ulcers, with tearing pains, burning, and shooting. Scrofulous and syphilitic ulcers. Burning pain in an old cicatrix.
Mezereum
Sensitiveness to touch. General desquamation of skin of body; usual liver spots on chest and arms become dark and desquamate. Red rash, itching violently better in bed, from touch; burning and change of place after scratching. Cutaneous ulcers form over bony protuberances. Ulcers with thick, whitish, yellow scabs, under which thick, yellow pus collects.
Skin covered with elevated white scabs. Itching, esp. at night (when in bed), more violent and painful (and changed to burning) after scratching the parts, and sometimes with swelling of the part that has been scratched. Gnawing itching as from vermin. Miliary eruptions, sometimes chronic. Furunculi with gnawing pain of excoriation. Eczema. Chafing rash.
Ulcers: with an areola, sensitive and easily bleeding when removing the linen, which sticks, painful at night, the pus tends to form an adherent scab, under which a quantity of pus collects, burning and stinging with inflammation. Vesicles around the ulcers, itching violently and burning.
Psorinum
Rash above brow and on cheek; red, on external throat, beginning with sticking. Nodules on face, neck, and legs. Pimples on forehead; on neck and mammae; with black points in centre, painful when scratched; on external throat. Eczema.
Burning like heat-rash below eyes; causing itching, smarting pain, burning after scratching, and feeling sore (in a herpetic patient); and ulcers, from which watery fluid oozed for hours after being opened-A scab on nose which commonly fell off when coughing is now adherent and hard. Eczema. Pustules on nape, with sticking. Boils on chest and loins; on buttocks, with burning itching, soon disappearing, leaving crusts. Chafing rash.
Taraxacum Officinale
Skin unhealthy, pimply, sycotic skins. Stinging on skin. Eruption over body and limbs itching severely and appears to be a mixture of lichen and urticaria. Eczema. Biting in skin with sweat. Chafing rash.
Antimonium Tartaricum
Itching in the skin. Itching pimples, and miliary eruption. Eruptions like scabies. Eruption of pustules, like varioloids filled with pus, with red areola (like smallpox), and which afterwards form a crust, and leave a scar. Eczema. Itching round inveterate ulcers. Pustular eruption on different portions of the body, leaving a bluish-red mark. Chafing rash.
Leontodon taraxacum
Chafing rash. Sensation of heat and redness in face, shootings and pressure in cheeks. Eczema. Unhealthy, pimply, sycotic skins. Stinging on skin. Eruption over body and limbs itching severely and appears to be a mixture of lichen and urticaria. Biting in skin with sweat.
Hamamelis
No remedy has a wider sphere of usefulness in cases of hemorrhage and disordered blood-vessels like hamamelis. Chafing rash, with stinging or pricking, bruised soreness, purpura. Eczemas.
Bellis Perennis
Small boil, Painful pimple, slight pimple with burning pain in skin- of a dark fiery purple color, and very sore, burning and aching pain in it. Eczema. Chafing rash.
Crotalus Horridus
Petechiae. Vesicles; herpes; pimples; boils; carbuncles; burns; stings; pemphigus; ulcers; gangrene; felons; anthrax; eczema. Chafing rash. Old cicatrices break out again. Peliosis rheumatica. Dropsies.
Vipera Berus
Red patches on limbs; livid; in spots; black petechial spots over whole body, which was cold to touch. Eczema. Chafing rash. Roseola-like eruption on inside of arm and downside of body, offensive Gangrene.
Sulphuricum Acidum
Red, itching spots on skin, or small, red, livid, and bluish spots, as from ecchymosis. Eczema. Chafing rash. Excoriation of skin, also with ulceration like gangrene (becomes easily chafed when walking or riding). Furunculi. Gnawing (eating pain in the) ulcers.
Lachesis
Ecchymosis: wounds and ulcers bleed readily and copiously (small wounds bleed a good deal; ulcers bleed readily; cicatrices bleed readily; pain in old cicatrices), wounds bleeding a great while; skin very hard to heal, masses of blood pass through the pores. Eczema – almost all types. Chafing rash. Gangrenous ulcers. Gangrenous blisters. Superficial ulcers, foul at bottom, with a red crown. Cancerous ulceration. Carbuncles, with copper-colored surroundings and many smaller boils around them.
Antimonium Crudum
Eczema with gastric derangements. Pimples, vesicles, and pustules. Thick, hard, honey-colored scabs. Urticaria; measle-like eruption. Itching when warm. Chafing rash. Dry gangrene. Scaly, pustular eruption with burning and itching, worse at night. Chilly even in warm room. Intermittent with disgust, nausea, vomiting, eructation, coated tongue, diarrhea. Hot sweat. Nostrils chapped and covered with crusts. Eczema of nostrils, sore, cracked and scurfy. Pimples, pustules, and boils on face. Yellow crusted eruption on cheeks and chin. Sallow and haggard.
Ledum Palustre
Bites. Stings. Boils. Bruises. Deafness. Ear inflammation. Eczema. Erythema nodosum. Chafing rash. Prickly heat. Puncture wounds. Rheumatism. Skin eruptions. Stings. Tetanus. Tinnitus. Tuberculosis. Varicella. Whitlow. Wounds.
Anthracinum
Chafing rash. Boils and boil-like eruptions, acne. Eczema any type. Terrible burning. Induration of cellular tissue, abscess, bubo, and all inflammation of connective tissue in which there exists a purulent focus.
Tissues hemorrhages, black, thick, tar-like, rapidly decomposing, from any orifice. Glands swollen, cellular tissues edematous and indurated. Septicemia. Ulceration, sloughing and intolerable burning. Erysipelas. Black and blue blisters. Dissecting wounds. Insect stings. Gangrenous parotitis. Succession of boils. Gangrene. Foul secretions.
Tarentula Cubensis
Red spots and pimples. Feels puffed all over. Carbuncles, burning, stinging pains. Purplish hue. Gangrene. Abscesses, where pain and inflammation predominate. Eczema. Scirrhous of breasts. “Senile” ulcers. A toxemic medicine, septic conditions. Chafing rash. Adapted to the most severe types of inflammation and pain, early and persistent prostration. Various forms of malignant suppuration. Purplish hue and burning, stinging pains. Bubo. Pain of death – Sever pain; soothes the last struggles. Pruritus, especially about genitals. Restless feet. Intermittent septic chills. Bubonic plague. As a curative and preventive remedy especially during the period of invasion. Stomach feels hard, sore.
Crotalus Horridus
Itching stinging all over; urticaria. Skin dry, stiff like thin parchment; usually cold. Yellow color of whole body (hematic rather than hepatic jaundice). Petechiae. Vesicles; herpes; pimples; boils; carbuncles; burns; stings; pemphigus; ulcers; gangrene; felons; anthrax. Bilious fever. Boils. Cancers. Carbuncles. Chancre. Dyspepsia. Chafing rash. Eczema. Erysipelas. Face eruption. Eczema. Hemorrhagic diathesis. Psoriasis palmaris. Purpura. Pyemia. Smallpox. Stings.
Hippozinum
Consumption, cancer, syphilis, etc, and promises useful service in the treatment of ozaena, scrofulous swellings, pyemia, erysipelas. Tubercles on alae nasi. Papules and ulceration in frontal sinus and pharynx. Eczema all types. Chafing rash. Articular non-fluctuating swellings. Nodules in arm. Malignant erysipelas. Pustules and abscesses. Ulcers. Rupia.
Echinacea Angustifolia
Recurring boils. Carbuncles. Irritations from insect bites and poisonous plants. Lymphatics enlarged. Old tibial ulcers. Gangrene. Remarkable medicine as a “corrector of blood dyscrasia”. Acute autoinfection. Blood poisoning, septic conditions. Eczema. Gonorrhea. Boils. Erysipelas and foul ulcers. Gangrene. Chafing rash.
Antim Crudum
Eczema. Pimples, vesicles, and pustules. Thick, hard, honey-colored scabs. Urticaria; measle-like eruption. Itching. Dry skin. Warts. Dry gangrene. Scaly, pustular eruption with burning and itching, worse at night. Chafing rash.
Silica Tera
Felons, abscesses, boils, old fistulous ulcers. Delicate, pale, waxy. Cracks at end of fingers. Painless swelling of glands. Rose-colored blotches. Scars suddenly become painful. Pus offensive. Promotes expulsion of foreign bodies from tissues. Every little injury suppurates. Long lasting suppuration and fistulous tracts. Chafing rash. Eruptions itch only in daytime and evening. Crippled nails. Eczema.
Asafetida
Itching, better by scratching; pricking, burning skin. Ulcers with high, hard edges, sensitive to touch, easily bleeding; old ulcers on forearm, wrist, hand; ulcers, especially when affecting the bones; pus profuse, greenish, thin, offensive, even ichorous. Eczema. Chafing rash. Ulcers, very painful to contact, esp. in the circumference, gangrenous.
P. S: This article is only for doctors having good knowledge about Homeopathy and allopathy, for learning purpose(s).
For proper consultation and treatment, please visit our clinic.
None of above-mentioned medicine(s) is/are the full/complete treatment, but just hints for treatment; every patient has his/her own constitutional medicine.
To order medicine by courier, please send your details at WhatsApp– +923119884588
Dr. Sayyad Qaisar Ahmed (MD {Ukraine}, DHMS), Abdominal Surgeries, Oncological surgeries, Gastroenterologist, Specialist Homeopathic Medicines.
Senior research officer at Dnepropetrovsk state medical academy Ukraine.
Location: Al-Haytham clinic, Umer Farooq Chowk Risalpur Sadder (0923631023, 03119884588), K.P.K, Pakistan.
Find more about Dr Sayed Qaisar Ahmed at:
https://www.youtube.com/Dr Qaisar Ahmed