Every guy knows the torment of bad chafing. It's not pretty, and it feels even worse. And as someone with an active lifestyle, it gets even worse. Chafing between the legs, under the arms, against the chest, and — of course — on your face after a shave all make living life and looking good that much harder.
There are solutions to this problem beyond suffering through it, though. Let's take a look at how to treat and prevent chafing issues in your active lifestyle.
Treating Chafing
There are a variety of treatments for chafing issues on the market today. For our purposes, though, we'll largely be focusing on the kind of things you can do at home. With that in mind, here are some effective ways you can treat chafing:
- Topical creams, balms, and other moisturizers can sooth irritated skin and promote healing. Focus on products formulated for this kind of task, as rubbing a normal hand lotion loaded with various perfumes and other chemicals might end up inflaming the area further.
- Fresh air and sunlight help to treat chafing by allowing excess moisture to evaporate.
- Frequent chafing may require an adjustment in your habits and activities. For example, if you tend to chafe after you shave, you can try adjusting the way you shave or the razor you shave with to lessen damage to your face.
- Pressing cold items like ice packs against the affected area can offer soothing relief from the inflammation that comes with chafing. Be sure to keep yourself dry during and after using anything that may let off condensation to avoid worsening the issue.
Preventing Chafing
The best cure for anything is preventing the problem, chafing being no exception. If you're looking for ideas on how to prevent chafing from happening in the first place, try some of these tricks:
- One of the major causes of chafing is moisture, so keeping your problem areas dry during and right after they've been exposed to friction will help.
- If your chafing primarily happens between your legs, try wearing close-fitting compression shorts or spandex under your pants. This creates a barrier that prevents skin-to-skin contact and the repetitive friction that causes you to chafe.
- Talcum powder and similar products absorb moisture and reduces the friction on areas prone to chafing.
- When shaving, remember to apply plenty of shaving cream or gel to help your razor slide over your skin. The less the blades drag on your body, the less chance you'll start to chafe later on.
- After shave toners help to sooth the face and other areas after they've undergone the shaving process. This greatly reduces the risk of inflammation, bumps, and chafing.
- Excess dirt and oil on your body can contribute to chafing, so remember to clean and exfoliate your face and body properly, especially after a hard workout.
- When showering, keep the temperature at reasonable levels and use mild soaps only unless directed otherwise by a doctor. Both burning hot water and harsh detergents can irritate and dry your skin, making an ideal environment for chafing and other skin problems.
- Ill-fitting clothes are both a bad look and a cause of chafing. Make sure your wardrobe is fit to your body so that nothing is rubbing against you in an unpleasant way.
- Drinking water and eating a balanced diet comes with numerous benefits, one of them being clear and healthy skin. Healthy skin is less likely to experience problems like chafing.
Chafing is an irritating issue in more ways than one. That said, treatment and prevention are both possible. If you're a man with an active lifestyle who's tired of the razor rash and chapped body parts, try some of these tips to get rid of the redness and keep it away for good.
For more lifestyle tips and plenty of quality shaving and hair products, visit us over at HIMistry today.