It’s Chub Rub Season guys! I’m going to teach you how to beat chub rub this summer so you can wear dresses and stop wearing jeans or leggings to the park! I’ve dealt with my thighs chafing together my entire life, from size 4 to size 10/12. The problem is my anatomy, not necessarily my size. This is not a ‘big girl’ problem, just a ‘big thigh’ problem. My legs taper dramatically from top to bottom, so no matter my size, I always have the very tops of my thighs touching each other when I’m wearing very short shorts, a bathing suit, or a dress. I’ve got big thighs and I cannot lie!
Having your thighs chafe is so incredibly painful, especially if you have very thin sensitive skin. For me, it’s not just getting a red rash, but I actually develope wounds if the friction is there long enough. If you’ve ever made the mistake of wearing something too short and then had to suffer from chafing for hours before you can get home and change, you know exactly what I mean. Even if you don’t have ‘chub rub’, if you’ve run a marathon or half marathon you’ve maybe (*see comments section for discussion) experienced searing pain when you first step into the shower after your run. Areas that don’t normally chafe get rubbed raw from all the salt and sweat on your skin. I’ve had this happen too and I had no clue during my entire run that my skin was chafing.
I used to think this was a weight problem (even at size 4 I felt self-conscious about my thighs) but after having kids I realized it’s not anything to do with that. Both my kids have the same leg taper and they’ve both dealt with chafing between the thighs as little toddlers, and as they grew up. Dealing with that at an amusement park halfway through the day is just horrible. Walmart bike shorts for the save!
Here are the things I do to beat Chub Rub
Megababe Thigh Rescue
Anti-chafe stick
This is a recent discovery for me. I saw this one on Instagram and learned it was developed by a blogger who has also struggled with chaffing thighs her entire life. I read tons of reviews on this and finally decided to give it a chance. It works! It works way better than my old body glyde I used to use when I ran half marathons. Body Glyde needs to be constantly reapplied but this is good all day for me. I’m not sure I would run a half marathon in Speed Shorts with one application, but I certainly will wear a dress all day with one application. I’ve tried the deodorant trick, Monistat, baby powder, coconut oil – those all don’t work for me. This is by far the best topical solution I’ve tried. As long as the weather isn’t too hot though, I prefer the options below. I just don’t like feeling my thighs touching even without the chafe pain, so if it’s too hot for shorts I use this, but if it’s not too hot, I use the options below this one. This is also my #1 choice for days at the pool where shorts are not an option.
Microfiber Slip Shorts
This is another ‘particular’ of mine. I have always worn slip shorts (up until my discovery of the Megababe Stick) and I’ve purchased them everywhere. They are not all created equal though and some are hot and thick, too compressive, roll down, or just feel plain miserable under a dress on a hot day. Usually, they are made with compression and smoothing as it’s purpose, and not friction prevention. The key is thin microfiber. This is not meant to be compressive or smoothing, this is just a layer of smooth fabric between your thighs, so a loose fitting, stretchy microfiber slip short is the key. I like these that I’ve posted the best.
Lululemon Bike Shorts
I like this option a lot too! The reason I like it is that the bike shorts cost about the same as lingerie slip shorts, but they pull double duty. You can also wear them to the gym! I especially love my Everlux ones because the material feels like a luxtreme nulu, which is categorized as ‘naked sensation’ on their pant fit scale. I’m pretty sure everlux and nulu is a highly technical microfiber. The only negative to this option is that Lululemon hasn’t made a flesh-toned pair yet. I would love it if Lululemon created long inseam boy shorts like the Mula Bandhawear Underwear in a variety of flesh tones. In the meantime, I wear these shorts under my black maxi dress, or thicker fabric dresses that won’t show black boy shorts through the fabric.
There you have it! My three options for how I beat Chub Rub so that I can wear dresses, shorts and swimwear.
Shop these items here
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29 comments
Deodorant!! Either the regular stick kind or spray…recently learned this and it’s a game changer! Rub it all over your thighs and friction is gone! No need to buy another product as it’s one we all already own!
I am sz 6 and have experienced chafing for first time ever in a running skirt…so now i am paranoid in this damp humid weather in speed shorts. I guess the shorts in skirt created chubb at bottom of shorts and ouchie..a bit of scabbing resulted. I bought glide and have used it with shorts and no issues so far…but havent tried a skirt again. I do want to ask if i rub glide on my thighs and wear a 4 inch short…will that prevent the short legs from riding up to my crotch? I only have 2.5 inch shorts and am afraid to try 4inch to find they ride up…maybe glide will prevent the fabric from riding up? Its not a very pleasant look…as i am only 5’4″ and 4″ inseam takes up half my thigh height…and then they ride up to crotch which looks so obvious…any insight would be appreciated
I highly recommend buying the long version of lululemon skirts. I only ever purchase those and they are the exact right length for me, and look best on me proportionally. I’m 5’4 as well and the Pace Rival Long doesn’t ride up on me .
the long doesn’t ride up on me but I’m not sure if it will or won’t for you. You’d have to try them on to be sure.
I wear Jockey Skim Slip Shorts. They look exactly like the beige compression shorts you show, but without compression. I buy the 2-pack at Costco in the U.S. They come in black or beige. Comfy, cheap, and no chub rub!
I have Jockeys too and I love them. I think I got them at The Bay.
I love your honesty on less than glamorous topics!
Where can you buy Megababe in Canada?
Thanks! There is a Canadian salon in TO with an online store that sells it, but once I did the conversion of buying directly from Megababe it was the exact same amount, but the TO store was sold out of the product. I suspect Ulta (the store I linked to) would be similar to megababe but I would price compare. I think I paid around $27 total.
Knix Wear (Canadian Company) has a great seamless Shortie as well. Unfortunately out of stock right now but it comes in the nude and black options and is so nice on. Definitely recommend if you can get them.
Thanks for the recommendation. I’m going to bookmark it and wait for them to come back in stock.
I also have a promo code for Knix I could gift you. If you are interested, let me know and I will send via private message facebook or you could provide me with your personal email.
I’m not seeing anything on Knixwear’s site for shorts… only boyshorts with no actual leg… is this a discontinued product?
The Knix Shortie is currently out of stock. They assure me that they will be restocking at some point.
Just a thought…just because you run long miles – marathons and half marathons – does not mean you will chafe. That statement may cause unnecessary fear or pause. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life running marathons and have never chafed in a race or in a training run. Ever. It’s not a given that you will just because you run that distance. Just sayin’
Really? I thought it was extremely common on especially hot runs. Maybe it’s climate-related. When I experienced it, everyone I knew that was running at the time told me they had the same shower moment. It’s only happened to me on especially hot half marathons.
Yes, agree w/anon, above. I’ve run many, many half marathons in very hot weather and one full (never again! lol) and I have never, ever chafed. I think it’s just the way one is built. The only place where I chafe (blister?) is between my toes so I just make sure I put lots of body glide there and I’m fine.
Same. I live in HOT and HUMID weather where it’s like this 8-10 months out of the year. I’ve run marathons in 100 degrees. In speed shorts. It’s also not a given to lose toenails, have black toenails etc. Never had either of those either. THAT’S a shoe issue, not a running “norm” and is far from a given if you are a runner. I have nice feet (or so says my pedicurist) 🙂
Thank you guys for clarifying for me. I see now how my language was too exaggerated representing all runners as having this problem. I’ve updated the post.
Yes, agree w/anon, above. I’ve run many, many half marathons in very hot weather and one full (never again! lol) and I have never, ever chafed. I think it’s just the way one is built. The only place where I chafe (blister?) is between my toes so I just make sure I put lots of body glide there and I’m fine.
Interesting. There are so many runners world and runner magazine articles on it. What I experienced was groin chafing, not my usual chub rub. I experienced it wearing crops. I really think it’s climate related. For me I don’t get that salty sweat residue until after 10 miles, and only when it’s very hot and muggy.
And definitely not meant to discourage any potential runners out there. I loved running, and even after that happened I signed up for more races. It’s a temporary pain.
I have chubby thighs too and appreciate this post… I too eventually resorted to Jockey slip shorts under skirts etc. Cristina, do you find the lulu bike shorts ride up? what inseam length do you find is long enough to stay put? I have had problems in the past with riding up of shorts.. I figured at least 4 inch, but the everlux bike short currently in a 2.5 inch :/ too bad, figue is pretty 🙂
I have several different Lulu shorts I use and the best are probably the ones I got at the outlet for $19 –Sculpt Shorts. Unfortunately, I lost them when we moved. I don’t think any of my lulu ones ride up but one of my lingerie ones does – it’s a thin luxtreme like material with sticky bands at the cuff and that one just rides up like crazy. Length just depends on what dress I’m wearing. I tend to have the chub rub higher up on the thigh so 2.5″ inch is good, but I do like a bit of extra length. 3-4″ is ideal.
Also, I have 2 pairs of Ibex merino wool running boxers. They were men’s but are not really anatomical, they work fine and I wear on hikes etc with good success. I think other merino companies may have similar.
Ooh I love Merino for undershirts. I never considered running boxers in merino. Good to know they aren’t anatomical. There is a Ibex store in Seattle so I will definitely check these out. I’m curious to see how temperature moderating they are in the summer.
I’m a fan of Body Glide. I have the chafe issue on long runs, especially in dry (non humid) weather. I use it between my thighs where they rub, under the waistband of my shorts, and under the band of my bra. Those can all be chafing areas for me.
In hot, humid weather (the norm where I live) I am much less likely to chafe.
Also, I prefer shorter shorts to longer shorts that come to the part of my legs where my thighs rub. That fabric between my thighs contributes hugely to chafing.
I have never even considered a layer under my dresses. I haven’t ever been chafed wearing a dress.
Where in Canada can you buy the Mega Babe?
You can buy it directly from Megababe or Ulta. Both ship to Canada. I ordered it from Megababe and didn’t have to pay additional duties. There is a boutique cosmetics store in TO that sells it (can’t remember the name, saw it on instagram and searched it out) but they are sold out and have been for a while, and the price is identical to ordering it directly from Megababe (factoring in exchange rate) so there is no advantage to ordering it there.
Actually found it. I’m pretty sure it was this store. Sold out still, and they charge $15 shipping within Canada, so Megababe or Ulta are your cheapest options. https://geebeauty.ca/collections/megababe
Thanks for the post. I’ve run many half marathons and get chafing on my inner thighs on and off. And just like you I never notice it until I get into the shower. Ouch!
That’s the worst, isn’t it?