Saddle Sores

[Jiffer]

Thanks for the replies. I'd love to wait for the review of Nubutte, but I'm doing a century next Saturday and would like to get something before then, so I just ordered some today and will have to try it myself. Thanks for the comments on not using Cortisone, etc. every day. Makes sense. I guess that's what I like about the idea of Nubutte. It has healing properties about it, but all natural, so I'm guessing you CAN use it every day?

I'd still love to hear other comments. I know someone said they were trying DZNuts and I'd love to hear how that is going.

I do feel like my soreness and chafing are better since using A&D as of yesterday. Haven't ridden yet, but have two long rides over the next two days.

[Jiffer]

A&D is definitely helping heal my sores. Yay! I was going to get a chance to test it out today on a long ride, but my friend fell at mile 13. Went to the hospital instead. Luckily, a friend came with sweat pants and flip flops for my other friend and I so we didn't have to hang out at the hospital with cycling shorts and shoes on! I wanted to get out of my shorts asap. Not only did I have the A&D on, but the Chamois Buttr, so I was nice and greased up down there! Nice! Tomorrow we're doing 65, so I'll report my saddle sore progress after that.

So far, I'm glad I bought A&D.

[ilima]

It's the Vaseline (petrolatum) and lanolin. Those are the key ingredients in the KB recipe & A+D because they're not water soluble so won't wear off when you sweat.

Glad your friend is okay & that she had a well-fitting helmet to protect her noggin.

[Jiffer]

It's the Vaseline (petrolatum) and lanolin. Those are the key ingredients in the KB recipe & A+D because they're not water soluble so won't wear off when you sweat.

Glad your friend is okay & that she had a well-fitting helmet to protect her noggin.

Thanks for your comment about my friend. She's doing remarkably well and cracking the rest of us up. It was scary for a while. Regarding KB, I haven't heard of this one. Can you get it at a regular store like A&D? Does it look, feel or smell any differently? The one thing I'm not thrilled about A&D is the smell stays on my hands after I use it. It's worth it, but I'm wondering if KB is better in that regard.

[OakLeaf]

The one thing I'm not thrilled about A&D is the smell stays on my hands after I use it.

You know what? The smell stays on your cycling kit after it's been in storage for 12 years. I exaggerate not.


ETA: still haven't had a chance to try it out for real, but preliminary observations on Nubutte:

(1) When I opened the tub it had a strong minty smell. I hadn't noticed peppermint on the ingredients list before, but there it is. Hmmmm, I thought. I smeared some on its intended destination - if it burns, better find out now than right before a long ride! It didn't burn or even tingle. So far, so good.

(2) It claims healing properties and says it can be applied anywhere on the external skin. I'd just developed a sore on my lip. What the heck, I thought, and put some Nubutte on it before I went to sleep. Woke up in the morning with the sore completely gone. So far, VERY good. Years ago I used a salve made by a local woman that included olive oil, calendula and comfrey leaf, and it was really great for saddle sores; those ingredients are included in Nubutte.

[DebTX]

I'm an OB nurse so I'm not embarrassed to be graphic about the nether regions (but feel free to skip if you are!)

Been struggling a lot with this especially when we ride on "chip and seal" (rough surface) roads. The irritated tissue has been in many different places (inner labia, outer labia, etc, depending on how I was sitting I suppose.) I tried antibiotic ointment the first time it happened (didn't seem to help), and I've iced my perineum after my rides to diminish swelling and numb the pain (provides temporary relief but little else). Today I tried a different approach based on something DH told me: He said, "Deb, when I ride I have to 'rearrange things' down there every now and then to stay comfortable." Now, we know men 'rearrange things' down there as a way of life, but for women, it's rarely necessary. But on the bike, we have all those delicate folds of tissue and that's where some of my probem was coming from.

When DH went through radiation treatment at MD Anderson, they gave us a huge jar of Aquaphor ointment to use on his burned skin. Before my ride today, I coated my perineum with it (very greasy stuff, admittedly) but I found that the ointment lubed things up a lot down there so all I had to do was "ooch and scootch" a bit on my saddle, and it rearranged my parts whenever I felt a bit of pressure. Voila - I got off the bike, took a shower and NOTHING hurts!

Now, one time is not "proof" - it might've just been a lucky day. But I'm going to keep trying it. It can't hurt. It contains petrolatum and lanolin alcohol (and I had to look up what lanolin alcohol is: Lanolin Alcohol = Highly-refined fatty alcohol emollient, derived from lanolin, rich in skin-softening cholesterol.)

Thought I'd share...

Deb

[ilima]

Voila - I got off the bike, took a shower and NOTHING hurts!

That's what I notice using a Vaseline-based homebrew chamois cream. I peel off my shorts, get in the shower and no burning sensation from something being chafed raw.

[ilima]

Sorry, KB=Keith Bontrager, the recipe I posted earlier in the thread.

I think the Vaseline and lanolin are the key ingredients. If you didn't want to use the hydrocortisone & triple antibiotic, just get a tub of vaseline (get the powdery scent if your worried about a funky odor) and lanolin. The lanolin I found is called Lansinoh and is marketed for breastfeeding mothers. Works nice as a lip gloss, too!