Recovery/healing from chafing?

[DarcyInOregon]

Your problem might be the same one I encountered a few years ago. The pharmacist told me it was probably a fungus, similar to jock itch for men. She recommended a fungus spray for the feet, Lotrimin, that kills all types of fungus. I've never had a fungus infection of the feet so this was new to me. I followed the pharmacist's instructions, which were to clean the area with anti-bacterial soap, for me it was the inside where the thigh meets the torso, dry it, then spray with the fungus stuff about 4 times a day. When I sprayed it stung like crazy for a minute or two then subsided. The pharmacist said to keep a cloth in there at night to keep sweat from making moisture pools, like a handkerchief or hand towel. It cleared up in a few days, however it was important to keep the area from getting damp again, so after the rides, the shorts came off right away, the area was cleaned and dried, and the shorts were washed.

[owlice]

Cortisone 10 cream. Start there; if that doesn't work (should feel better, though may not be completely healed, within 24-36 hours), then move to other things. Darcy's tips for getting out of the shorts and the area cleaned and dried will help regardless of what the problem is, and are always good ideas IME.

[Thorn]

Double up on Darcy's comments about out of the shorts and I'd go so far as to say to put on a skirt, skip the undies and if you're by yourself, the heck with sitting "lady like"-- let the area breathe.

[deskrider]

Wow, Darcy, it sounds like you hit the nail on the head! Even at night if it gets hot in the house and I get the slightest bit of skin warmth or moisture in that same area it starts itching. FWIW I am absolutely totally OCD about getting my shorts off and into the shower immediately after every ride. I simply can't stand to wear the shorts after the biking activity has stopped. Then I wash them immediately after my shower in Penguin Sports Wash, which seems to work well. Thanks for the tips, laldies! I was pointing a finger at my chamois cream but I think it's something different than chafing.