It’s a beautiful sunny day, you’re wearing your favourite dress and then it hits you — your thighs are burning up and you’re feeling one of your least favourite sensations, chub rub. Chub rub can range from uncomfortable to downright painful and can really ruin the lovely time you were enjoying outside.
Chub rub can affect every age, gender and body size, making it a society-wide source of annoyance. The chafing sensation not only disrupts your comfort but also poses practical challenges, especially for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. Chub rub might disrupt or even cancel plans, like exploring a new city by foot, which is especially inconvenient if you’re traveling somewhere briefly. Chafing shouldn’t change your plans but unfortunately sometimes it does.
To understand and address chub rub fully, we’re diving into the complexities of human anatomy, fashion and the evolving discourse on diverse body types. Let’s delve into how this type of chafing works, define what it is, what causes it and look at some easy ways to prevent it from happening.
What is chub rub?
Chub rub is when your thighs rub together causing discomfort, irritation, and sometimes rashes. People of shapes and sizes can experience inner thigh irritation — if your thighs touch, you may get it. Moisture and salt from sweating can accelerate skin irritation. The resulting feeling can range from light stinging to painful blisters that can take days or longer to heal. Your skin may also look and feel bumpy as a result of your thighs rubbing together. Overall, it’s not a feeling you want to have.
For many, chub rub is a familiar phenomenon of uncomfortable friction and irritation that occurs when the inner thighs rub together. However, there’s more to chub rub than just the physical — it also touches on broader issues related to body positivity, self-acceptance and the search for practical solutions to feel comfortable every day. In a society that glorifies thinness and thigh gaps, chub rub or inner thigh chafing can awaken complex feelings, and make people feel like there’s something wrong with their legs and thighs as they don’t conform to societal beauty standards.
Understanding the underlying causes and exploring effective preventive measures not only addresses a common physical discomfort but also contributes to a more inclusive and empathetic dialogue surrounding diverse body experiences.
How to Get Rid of Chafing and Irritation on Your Thighs
The first thing you want to do is calm and soothe your skin and there are several ways to do that. You can cool your thighs with ice packs and cold compresses to help alleviate the burning sensation. To prevent a potential rash from forming, you may want to wash your thighs with mild soap and moisturize with a soothing antibacterial lotion or ointment. Aloe vera is a natural calming remedy that you may already have in your home to treat sunburns and it can help make that region feel less on fire. If you experience bad blistering you may want to wrap the area with gauze to prevent further chafing. If irritation doesn’t subside or gets worse you should consult a doctor.
How to Prevent Chub Rub
The best way to stop chub rub is to not get it all, and luckily there are a variety of options to prevent your thighs from chafing. The first option is physical barriers to stop chafing in the form of shorts or thigh bands. Shorts and thigh bands prevent your thighs from rubbing together, and stop friction and moisture irritating your skin. Thigh chafe preventing shorts, like ours, feel lightweight and comfortable — barely there but protecting your skin.
Other options to prevent inner thigh chafing include powders, lotions and creams. Powders prevent moisture from forming but often need to be reapplied and can be a little messy. Creams and lotions moisturize skin with special formulas to reduce friction and skin blistering.
Unfortunately, many formulations tend to have a greasy or sticky texture that can be challenging to apply evenly. This can result in a less-than-ideal user experience, with some individuals finding the application process inconvenient. Moreover, some anti-chafing lotions may not provide long-lasting protection, requiring frequent reapplication, which can cause further messiness.
Lastly, these products might prove less effective in high-humidity conditions, as they can mix with sweat and lose their intended barrier function. Understanding these limitations shows the need for alternative solutions, such as clothing and targeted preventive measures, to address the challenges of chafing more easily and efficiently.
Chub Rub Shorts – Why Ours Work
We’ve been in the anti-chafing business since 2009 and have created the ultimate chub rub shorts to stop inner thigh chafing. Our shorts are high-functioning and keep you dry, while being so comfortable to wear they feel like a second skin. We have several different fabrics to suit different moments in your life, from walking to lounging to maternity, and we have a variety of thigh-protecting base layers in a wide variety of styles, sizes, colours and lengths.
Our Cooling shorts do just that — keep you cool and friction-free on a warm day. These shorts are moisture-wicking, made with silky, hi-tech performance fabric that pulls heat away from your body. Our thinnest shorts, these are ideal to wear in the warmer seasons to stop chafing.
Our Staple are your everyday companion made with buttery soft material that’s not too sheer or thick. Your thighs will love these as they make any outfit extra comfortable.
The Cotton are ideal for lounging and made of high-quality Pima cotton and modal fabric that’s ultra-soft, perfect to relax in.
Lastly, our Original shorts are where it all started. The material is velvety and reminiscent of bike shorts just more comfortable, and these babies can be worn alone or under clothes.
Additionally, all of our shorts are virtually seamless so you never have to worry that anyone will notice them under your clothes. Our products are thoughtfully designed to cater to all body types. Crafted with a commitment to inclusivity and comfort, our shorts provide a breathable, moisture-wicking fabric that effectively minimizes friction between your thighs. Our anti-chafing shorts are a versatile and empowering choice for everyone seeking a reliable solution to the universal challenge of chub rub. Comfort and style should be accessible to everyone, regardless of body type.
Take our quiz to find out which pair is right for you.
Finding the perfect length
Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to the length of their anti chafe shorts. Some might prefer a super short version while others prefer one that stops right above the knee so we created four different leg lengths so you have plenty of cover up options.
Having options also allows you to select the length that will work with your outfit. Yes, we’ve considered everything. So you can be free from chafing whether you choose to wear a mini skirt or those jogger pants that make you feel cool AF.
Plus not everyone chafes in the exact same spot. Longer lengths can prevent chafing that occurs lower on the leg.
Do anti-chafing shorts actually work?
Yes, they do! But you’ve heard enough from us. Here are some of our favourite reviews from our customers over the years who became believers after testing out our slip shorts.
[reviews have been edited for typos and clarity]
Michelle talks about how our life changing cooling shorts have helped her through menopause:
“I am going through menopause and have hot flashes during the day. The core of my body gets soaked and I can't wear light coloured clothing. I’ve also been carrying extra underwear around if i need to change. The cooling shorts have changed that. I still sweat but I am cooler around the most private parts of my body. No more chafing either. I end up sleeping in these.”
Cecilia on her post-pregnancy body:
“I got these in the mail right before my flight to Mexico and wore them a lot during my trip. Thigh chub issues are new for me since I gained weight after pregnancy. I knew I had to get something so I could wear all the skirts and dresses I wanted to wear. I bought a thick pair from Amazon but these Thigh Society shorts became my favourite pair to wear under short skirts. They are so lightweight and perfect for a hot climate.
Alex on how our lovely shorts look under dresses:
“These shorts are awesome! I love wearing them under skirts and dresses. They are light, comfortable, and super stretchy. When I do a lot of walking, sitting, and standing they do ride up a bit but don't cause any pain or chafing. I will definitely purchase more of these and recommend them to anyone.
