Elite Athletes Share Their Tried-and-True Tips for Preventing (and Treating) Chafing (2025)

An athlete’s first line of defense against chafing is to wear proper clothing.

“It’s just really about being strategic with the types of outfits you wear when you’re training,” Saunders told me over the phone. This advice applies to all athletes, even though the actual outfits vary from sport to sport. For Saunders, it means having a good pair of bike shorts, such as the Nike Pros, that fit well, wick away sweat, and, most importantly, don’t ride up when they move.

When Dubin is practicing on the ice, she often pairs bike shorts with smooth, fleece-lined tights that allow her thighs to glide past each other painlessly. She’s found that Everswe thermal tights and Sweet Mayhem Magic fleece-lined tights are the best to skate in; if her tights aren’t smooth enough, her thighs will rub together uncomfortably.

Dubin said she’s also found that longer shorts provide more protection. She prefers to wear 7-inch bike shorts with a raw hem (she’s partial to the Offline by Aerie Goals 7” pair). Dubin said these shorts stay in place, whereas shorts with a shorter seam ride up and make the chafing worse.

The fit of the clothing is also key, since ill-fitting clothing can quickly become an athlete’s worst enemy — a lesson ultramarathoner Mirna Valerio learned the hard way while running the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania. “I put on these new tights, which is, you know, a rookie mistake — and I wasn’t even a rookie!” she said in a phone call. “They didn’t fit. I had to hold the tights up, so that meant the crotch was hanging, and that caused my legs to rub together.” To avoid making this mistake, Valerio said you should always try on workout clothes before wearing them for the first time.

Sometimes, wearing the proper attire to prevent chafing is not an option — whether that’s because a required uniform doesn’t offer coverage or because it’s too hot out to wear layers. So many athletes like to use anti-chafing creams and balms to provide another layer of protection.

Dubin swears by Megababe Thigh Rescue, an anti-chafing balm that acts like a friction shield for your skin. It comes in a convenient stick form (similar to deodorant), so you can swipe it on without any mess. The balm goes on clear, and it doesn’t stain uniforms or feel sticky or greasy.

Although this balm is effective, some people have said the soothing relief doesn’t last long. Marathoner Martinus Evans, founder of the Slow AF Run Club, said he liked the Megababe stick, but he had to reapply it often during runs. He said he’s had more long-lasting luck with Body Glide Original Anti Chafe Balm, another anti-chafing stick recommended to him by his running community.

Evans said he slathers himself in Body Glide before heading out for a run. He rubs it over his feet (the tops, sides, and heels), his thighs, the backs of his arms, around his waistband, and even between his butt cheeks (he said he uses two separate sticks). “The first thing I tell people who want to start running is to get two sticks of Body Glide, and label one ‘body’ and the other ‘booty,’” he said in a phone interview. “That way you’re not putting the thing that you put on your booty on your body, and vice versa.”

Then, for extra fortification, Evans combines the Body Glide balm with Squirrel’s Nut Butter, a thick salve made with beeswax that provides excellent anti-chafing coverage. He slathers the salve between his toes, around his shirt collar, and even on his nipples. “I haven’t experienced the wonders of a bloody nipple myself, but I’ve seen them, and ouch,” he said with a laugh.

Evans said he especially likes that Squirrel’s Nut Butter comes in a compact tin, which fits nicely in his fanny pack. So he can carry the tin with him, in case he needs to reapply at any point during a run. Though the waxy balm can be harder to spread in cold weather, it provides a slick barrier that holds up even in the rain.

Rain-soaked clothing can exacerbate chafing, particularly when combined with the friction from carrying a pack. For athletes seeking reliable chafing protection in wet conditions, ultramarathoner Valerio recommends Trislide Continuous Spray Skin Lubdricant. Designed with triathletes in mind, this silicone-based spray provides a lasting, waterproof barrier that withstands the rigors of swimming, cycling, and running.

“If I’m running a race on a rainy day, I tend to chafe all over my entire back,” she said, adding that she packs a bottle of Trislide in her pack on race day, just in case she needs to reapply. Valerio said she appreciates that she’s able to easily spray it on her back, so she doesn’t have to awkwardly twist around to rub balm into her chafed skin.

Valerio noted that while Trislide’s anti-chafing spray is long-lasting and effective, it is noticeable on your skin even though it goes clear. “It’s not like MegaBabe, where you apply it and it’s like it’s not there. You can feel [Trislide] on your skin. It’s a little slippery, but it works. It does the job.”

Monistat, a brand most commonly known for making medication used to treat yeast infections, sells a surprisingly good anti-chafing gel that both Valerio and Evans have used in the past. This Chafing Relief Powder Gel isn’t made to withstand high-intensity activities. But both athletes said they’ve found it surprisingly effective for shorter workouts.

“It goes on as a gel and turns into a silky, powder-like finish,” Valerio said. “It’s super smooth, and you can’t even feel it.”

Evans, who tried Monistat’s powder gel at his wife’s recommendation, also liked the silky feeling of the gel. But he said he eventually switched back to the BodyGlide balm because it was cheaper and provided longer-lasting coverage.

For many athletes, finding a chafing solution involves experimenting with an array of options — including home remedies employing common household staples — to see what works best for their bodies. Saunders swears by a combination of baby powder and shea butter. Evans sometimes uses coconut oil for chafing protection, though he noted that it can be messy and requires frequent reapplication. Valerio said she has used Desitin, a diaper-rash cream, on her hot spots to prevent chafing and to soothe her chapped skin after it inevitably occurred.

The athletes I spoke with all recommend paying special attention to your feet — whether you’re gearing up for a run, strapping on a pair of ice skates, or climbing a StairMaster at the gym.

Valerio said she sprays her feet with Trislide before pulling on her socks. And Evans said he applies a layer of Squirrel’s Nut Butter between his toes and on top of them. Then he follows with a swipe of Body Glide balm on the tops, sides, and heels of his feet.

Choosing the right socks is also important for preventing chafing and blisters. Evans runs in Balega socks, which have a heel tab that keeps them from slipping down into his shoes. Dubin, who has to protect her feet from the rigid and unyielding fit of her skates, relies on Mondoor skating socks. Made with lycra, the knee-length socks stay in place and don’t roll down during long practice sessions, so they keep her feet from slipping around in her boots.

Dubin also likes to target problem spots on her feet by applying moleskin adhesive pads. Similar to Band-Aids, these peel-and-stick pads can be placed on areas of the foot most likely to chafe, like the backs of ankles, heels, or the tops of feet.

Chafing may be an inevitable part of moving your body on a hot day or during an intense sweat session, but it doesn’t have to slow you down. Whether you’re training for a marathon, skating on the ice, or simply enjoying an outdoor walk on a humid summer day, the right combination of clothing, balms, and sprays can help keep you comfortable and focused. The athletes I spoke with learned through trial and error what works best for their bodies — and hopefully their advice can save you from the stinging pain of summertime chafing.

This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Maxine Builder.