Chafing, Saddle Sores & Chamois Cream - Lanoseptic!

There was some discussion on here a while back about suggested chamois creams for long-distance riding. Two products stood out in my mind: Endure-It and Lanoseptic. I really, really wanted to try the Endure-It because the content is more "natural." However, I could not find it in time for my MS-150 ride this weekend so I got some Lanoseptic.

Short history: Over 30 miles, I chafe. I get saddle sores. Saddles and shorts? Tried them all, some work better than others. I am happiest with PI drop bids or shorts by Sugoi or Louis Garneau and the Ruby and Avatar saddles by Specialized. Chamois creams? Tried nearly everything. Before the start of this outdoor season (no problems when on my trainer, no matter how long I go), I was desperate to find something that would stay on and work. My desperation ramped up as our awful, non-existent spring, kept me mostly on the trainer only getting outside THREE lousy times before the MS weekend and my longest ride, only 38 miles - far from the 75/day I would be doing, and farther yet from the 75/day average over a 4-day period in hot and humid July that I do every year for local AIDS/HIV organizations.

The Lanoseptic went with me this weekend. Someone mentioned, I think it was TE's own Susan O, that it goes on like spackle and stays on. She was right! The first day - no problems at all. The second day, which is usually when my bottom half might start protesting as I got back in the saddle, again, no problems. Later last night, all cleaned up, I was able to comfortably wear underwear, no problem (it is usually very much a problem after two 75 mile days :eek:). Sorry for the detail. :o Bottom line for me is, I do believe that I have found my new distance happy bottom cream!

Where did you find/order the Lanoseptic, I have never heard of that one. I too have similar problems over 30 miles.

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Originally Posted by lgibster

Where did you find/order the Lanoseptic, I have never heard of that one. I too have similar problems over 30 miles.

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Amazon. Places like Walgreens may carry it too.

Thanks Norse, I will look for it.

I was able to find a small tub at a local drug store. Remember to get the Lantiseptic Skin Protectant, not the daily protection product. I, too, have purchased from Amazon and even got individual packets on ebay.

I make my own lanolin based goop, about 50% lanolin, 49% mineral oil and 1% lavender oil. If you like lanolin based products it could be worth a try. No water, no wax, no preservatives. "Now" lanolin might be 6$ for 7 fluid ounces. Mineral oil is almost free. The mineral oil is there as a barrier with the lanolin, normally it would not be my first choice in skin care. If you like that tingly feeling you can use peppermint oil, but just a tiny bit. For me this is pretty thick, I make up 4 ounce jars and for top up on rides, I put some in meth sized baggies from amazon. I had really liked A&D before this but this is more tenacious. Pure lanolin is also really thick, some people might just like that as an option. I don't usually have trouble though, but I have never done over 106 miles.

I use shea butter, which stays put and helps immensely. Also, a good bike fit made all the difference in the world.

Just ordered the Lantiseptic from Amazon and tried it for the first time today, on a 35+ mile ride, and seemed to work a treat. You are right about the spackle part though, and it is quite interesting to get the stuff washed off your hands.:rolleyes: It does NOT easily rinse off with soap and water, but that makes me think it will last longer on the chamois and won't sweat off after a few hours. We will be riding two more longer rides this week, so it will be interesting to see how it does again.

Thanks for the tip!

I'm great with shea butter, but even that doesn't wash 100% out of shorts, and I'm always concerned about pathogens hanging out where lubricants don't wash out. Out of curiosity, how well does Lantiseptic wash out of the chamois?

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Originally Posted by Skippyak

I make my own lanolin based goop, about 50% lanolin, 49% mineral oil and 1% lavender oil. If you like lanolin based products it could be worth a try. No water, no wax, no preservatives. "Now" lanolin might be 6$ for 7 fluid ounces.

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Lavender can be an irritant - do you have it in there just as a fragrance (so people could leave it out), or is it functional?

FOr sure you don't need it, you could just leave it out.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

I'm great with shea butter, but even that doesn't wash 100% out of shorts, and I'm always concerned about pathogens hanging out where lubricants don't wash out. Out of curiosity, how well does Lantiseptic wash out of the chamois?

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I've used Lantiseptic on my feet in the past, and I will say that it was a bear to wash out of socks...

I just washed my knickers from today, and I just checked, they seem fine. I don't feel any leftover gunk in the chamois. I washed them in my HE washer on delicate, warm, with an extra rinse. We always use Planet powder detergent on our bike clothes.

You're right AppleTree - that stuff sticks! The first time I used it, it ended up all over both hands. :eek: I have since learned to just apply with only ONE finger! I've had no problem with it washing out of the chamois. My shorts are washed on delicate, cold, some kind of free and clear detergent, and hung to dry.

Slightly awkward question, but does it work well up front? I never have a problem in the rear, but occasionally have problems with chafing up front unless I'm super lubed and reapply on longer rides.

^ My question also!

I'll let you know after tomorrow. :-)

We are probably going to be out for at least 60 miles. The ultimate chamois test, ha.

Fifty two miles later: seems okay still. I was getting a little sore, but not from chafing, and actually I was still recovering from a 34 mile ride on Tuesday. I usually have issues with chafing or irritation in the crease of my leg, more so than the "bits", but didn't really have an issue with either. Usually I feel the need to reapply cream after 15 miles or so, but today I held out till 25, and I used a bit of the Blue Steel, which I like, but it doesn't last as long as this stuff.

So overall I'd say this was a good recommend, at least for me!

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Originally Posted by AppleTree

Fifty two miles later: seems okay still. I was getting a little sore, but not from chafing, and actually I was still recovering from a 34 mile ride on Tuesday. I usually have issues with chafing or irritation in the crease of my leg, more so than the "bits", but didn't really have an issue with either. Usually I feel the need to reapply cream after 15 miles or so, but today I held out till 25, and I used a bit of the Blue Steel, which I like, but it doesn't last as long as this stuff.

So overall I'd say this was a good recommend, at least for me!

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Thanks for the follow up!

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Originally Posted by Norse

Someone mentioned, I think it was TE's own Susan O, that it goes on like spackle and stays on. She was right! The first day - no problems at all. The second day, which is usually when my bottom half might start protesting as I got back in the saddle, again, no problems. Later last night, all cleaned up, I was able to comfortably wear underwear, no problem (it is usually very much a problem after two 75 mile days :eek:). Sorry for the detail. :o Bottom line for me is, I do believe that I have found my new distance happy bottom cream!

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Yes, I am a Lantiseptic Evangelist. The stuff is tenacious, but it totally works. A few key points:
Buy the 50% lanolin version, not the 30% version. Until recently, this was only available in tubs, or in bulk in packets of 144. However, I understand that the 50% version is now available in a 5 or 6 oz tube. Very convenient that way. I'm still working through my 144 pack supply, though. :D

As for washing it out... All my shorts smell permanently like Lantiseptic. I don't think it all washes out with each wash, no. Sometimes I double wash my shorts, especially after rides over 300K where I have had multiple applications during the day. But I've been using it for years, and at the risk of TMI, I've never had a yeast infection or anything else that would indicate that my shorts were not sufficiently cleaned from one wearing to the next.

I'd also add that I used it religiously on PBP 2 years ago. 765 miles and NO broken skin. Sure I was sore from all the miles, and the skin in the sitbone area was noticeably sensitive, but I did not have any broken skin.

Susan

Just out of curiosity Susan, have you ever tried using spray and wash or something similar before tossing the shorts in the wash? I always wash my shorts in cold water and I'm a big fan of spray and wash for other things.

Super helpful! Thanks!

I know I like to wash my shorts in warm water, just to help break up all that gunk. A double wash is a good idea too.

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Originally Posted by thekarens

Just out of curiosity Susan, have you ever tried using spray and wash or something similar before tossing the shorts in the wash? I always wash my shorts in cold water and I'm a big fan of spray and wash for other things.

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I use Spray and Wash to get the cuffs of my jackets clean, and get out chain grease stains. But I've never tried it on the chamois.

Although I do most of my laundry in cold water, I wash my shorts in warm or hot, and rinse warm. I've always figured that grease rinses off my dishes better in hot water, so it follows that lanolin, which is animal fat, would rise better in warm or hot. However, I read someplace that modern detergents are formulated to work equally well in cold, so maybe I'm just wasting the hot water. Dunno. But it makes me feel better to use hot water when washing shorts... :o

I usually start by pouring air-temperature water from the dehumidifier bucket into my washer :p, start it filling with cold water, but stand by the washer until it's about 3/4 full and then switch to warm. I can believe that modern detergents can emulsify liquids and bring particulates into suspension regardless of the temperature. But shea butter is a HARD solid at 52°F, which is the temperature that water comes out of the well at my latitude; it will have changed states from liquid at body temperature to solid completely infusing the chamois at water temperature; and there's just no way that ANY of it is going to come out in cold water. Can't speak to Lantiseptic. But I can't imagine that harsh solvents would be any better for the chamois than hot water.

I dry my shorts inside out, and I'm sure the UV radiation does more damage to the chamois than anything, but that's a sacrifice I'll make for the disinfection.

We also hang our shorts inside out, but in the bathroom, so no UV here :-)

Again, thanks everyone for the opinions/thoughts. I ordered some today and will give it a try. FWIW, the Walgreens website says the 50 percent lanolin can only be ordered online. I was hoping to pick it up since I had to get a prescription there today.

Lanoseptic doesn't appear to be sold here, but I recently tried a similar product from the baby care aisle and it works really well: Penaten Daily Clear Protection Cream.
Looks like this:
http://www.londondrugs.com/Penaten-D...efault,pd.html
I usually use Chamois Buttr, but this seems to last a lot longer.

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Originally Posted by nuliajuk

Lanoseptic doesn't appear to be sold here,

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The correct spelling is lantiseptic. Might be confusing the search engines with the spelling. :-)

Well, I got some. Hoping the rain holds off, at least in the mornings over the weekend, so I can get some real miles in. I'm also back in auditioning-saddles mode, so we'll see. Hoping to get in 40-60 miles in tomorrow and a minimum of 30 Sunday. May reverse depending on the weather. I'll report back.

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Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

The correct spelling is lantiseptic. Might be confusing the search engines with the spelling. :-)

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I copy-pasted originally to find it... if it's sold here it's not evident.

You can get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Lantiseptic-Sk...ds=lantiseptic. This Thursday, I begin a 4-day 300 mile ride (the Red Ribbon Ride) to raise funds for local AIDS/HIV organizations. It is supposed to be hot and humid. This should give the Lantiseptic a big test.

^ Very cool. Wishing you 300 miles of tailwinds!