hygiene questions

[makbike]

I visited my ob/gyn today and she advised me to apply a heavy coat of vasoline to my gential area whenever I ride to protect myself and reduce the irration and tearing that is taking place (one of those things that evidently happens as one ages). I've never used vasoline in my adult life for anything but I'm thinking this is going to be quite messy. I've already decided I need to invest in some additional bike shorts so that I'm not running the washing machine every other day to keep my 2 pair of shorts clean. Question #1 - how easy will I clean up after each application. (I've been advised to only use a baby soap to cleanse this area from this point forward). Question #2 - will the vasoline ruin the pad in my shorts and how easily will it come out in the wash.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion/answers you have to offer.

[annie]

Hmmmmmmmm, I just don't know if I'd use vaseline.... It IS good to prevent chafing, but there are others products out there, specifically designed for cycling, that might not only perform better, but wash out of your shorts much more easily. I've used Chamois Butt'r, Assos Chamois creme, Butt Butt'r., and an old drugstore standby, Bag Balm. Stop in at an LBS and see what products they carry. None, except for the Bag Balm, are inexpensive, but depending on your needs, can be worth the cost.

As for clean-up of you - most of whatever balm you use will soak into both your shorts and you.......... there won't be much left to clean off. I think you'll be ok with the baby soap. I don't use soap at all, just a body wash. MUCH less drying. And I've never had any complaints.......

annie

[makbike]

Thanks, Annie. Your response has generated some additional questions. My doctor does not want me to use anything that has perfumes or additives - strict petroleum jelly for things are pretty raw and irrated at this point in the game. She mentioned that perfumes/additives would only make the current situation worse. Do the products you mentioned contain perfumes or additives that might irrate already irrated skin?

thanks!

[Eden]

My husband and I just got a tin of Bag Balm to try out and I've looked at a the ingredients. Its mostly petroleum jelly with some lanolin and hydroxy quinoline sulfate (what ever that is), but in any case even being mosty pj it seems to wash out of our shorts just fine with no damage to the chamois. I've also not noticed it being particularly difficult to wash off of my body either. It has a very slight odor of lanolin, but no heavy perfumes

[Selkie]

Bag Balm works fine. It's a lot cheaper then Chamois Buttr, too.

[Aint Doody]

You might want to read a thread from back last summer called Does Chamois Buttr really work. I started that one and after all the potions and lotions found that the answer is a good saddle and good shorts. I do think some of the things like Replens and the creams that are applied internally help, too. Is your doctor a cyclist? Is she about your age? I'm 57 and when I finally got the right saddle (I hope) all the problems ended. I'd had real soreness in the soft tissue, but it seems okay now. I'm not really riding that much in these winter months, but when I have been out I've noticed a marked improvement. Good luck!!!

[Grog]

As far as I know, none of the cycling-specific products are scented. They're meant to be used down there, and cyclists being pretty close to each other when they ride, I'm sure no one would like the cyclist behind him/her to smell what kind of chamois cream they're using. "Oh, is that Chanel #10 Chamois cream?"

I've used zinc cream just like that used to prevent diaper rash (quite cheap) in multi-days rides with very hot and humid weather when my skin would go raw because the chamois couldn't evacuate the sweat anymore. Not sure what it would do for more intimate irritation, though, I was just hurting at the crease of the leg. Anyway, the stuff was white (as you know if you have a baby) and washed out perfectly. I always turn my shorts inside out when I wash them, no matter the circumstances in which they were worn. I kind of imagine vaseline as being more pleasant to apply, and less likely to leave marks on the OUTSIDE of your shorts!