Swim Suit Chafing....OUCH

suspect you are in fact my long lost sister. I am told my skin chafes more easily than most. I swim in a speedo workout bikini most of the time. It still rubs in a few spots particularly the neck, I rotate through several of them and a nike one that has a different pattern. On long swims I take the top off, the fish don't care, most female ow swimmers seem to do the same, I joke I may drown wrestling my top back on I tried putting on a rashguard once when I had kayak support. Anyway for chafing I have a variety of products. Bodyglide & the dimethicone products will stay on for swims in the 5 miles range after that they wear off. There is a product called aquaphore which is Vaseline and lanolin (found in the drugstore) it stays on longer, it gets grease on your suit which is hard to remove it does not seem to eat my suits, bag balm and the like are similar but contain some kind of menthol or camphor which can irritate if your skin is already raw. My dermatologist recommends the aquaphore for healing the chafing too. For treating really bad chafed areas he suggested superglue/new skin. English channel grease is a mixture of Vaseline and a non-liquid lanolin. Others use a liquid lanolin (one is hydrous one anhydrous but I don't remember which). The liquid lanolin feels awful and stays on for days, I use it on major chafe points for swims past the 10 mile mark. I am warned that lanolin can clog you pores and reduce your ability to sweat so don't use it all over. Also any grease applied under the band of your suit will cause it to slide around & make things worse and if you drip too much lanolin on your suit it will become a sea anchor. i hear Boots compounds channel grease, maybe swim stud's mother can get some?

SDswimmer, my new long lost sister, It sounds as if you have run the gammet on trying to find anti-chafing products. I have been wearing only two piece suits that have straps over the shoulders, no halters (don't need a rope around my neck), but have ordered that TYR workout bikini that has no wires in it; this should help my front side. The neck is the worst of the worst. I've written down the products you suggested and everyone else's, so I may just have to experiment with them all. I really don't care if the swimsuits get trashed from any of these products because they only last about 2 months anyway in the saltwater/sun. And if Body Glide only lasts around 4 or 5 miles, that would be ok because then I would be assured of an additional 4 more miles without reapplying, or I can carry it with me. I had no idea what a problem this would be; I thought covering lots of miles would be the problem and so far it just isn't. Guess I need to surf the web and shop when I am home the end of April!!! Thanks for all the input!!!

Its the am swim ritual, insert ear plugs (getting grease on them makes for a mess), lay out goggles and cap, check suit is on under sweats, remove sweats add cap & goggles, grease chafe spots and injuries (I always have some healing bit somewhere), I see many others applying aquaphore or vaseline or bodyglide too. Don't forget to warm-up a bit (and did you put on sunscreen) then you're off. Bodyglide costs the most/application, store brand vaseline the least, you'll want to wash your suit out with some sort of soap from time to time as the grease makes it sticky and stiff. I won a 20 mile kayak race once and as I got out my friend asked when I changed to a red shirt...it was a flesh eating sports bra under my shirt that did it, last week I wore fins and got out leaking red from my feet.

Its the am swim ritual, insert ear plugs (getting grease on them makes for a mess), lay out goggles and cap, check suit is on under sweats, remove sweats add cap & goggles, grease chafe spots and injuries (I always have some healing bit somewhere), I see many others applying aquaphore or vaseline or bodyglide too. Don't forget to warm-up a bit (and did you put on sunscreen) then you're off. Bodyglide costs the most/application, store brand vaseline the least, you'll want to wash your suit out with some sort of soap from time to time as the grease makes it sticky and stiff. I won a 20 mile kayak race once and as I got out my friend asked when I changed to a red shirt...it was a flesh eating sports bra under my shirt that did it, last week I wore fins and got out leaking red from my feet. OUCH, OUCH, and one more OUCH! When people talk to me about my 18 mile swim in the future, they always ask about sharks, jellyfish, the regular stuff; my problems are more serious than those: skin chafing, strong currents, and completing the darn thing!!!

Another product which I have used for chafing and raw hands is called Bag Balm, a product which is probably similiar to the above. Most farm supply stores carry it. It is intended for use on dairy cows, but is great for the hands (and other areas too I'm sure). Bag balm is a mixture of vaseline, lanolin and an antiseptic. It works very well. However, keep in mind that vaseline is pretty good at eating through many synthetic fabrics. Another possible source of lanolin is zinc oxide cream. Often it is a mixture of zinc oxide and lanolin. It has the added benefit of being a sunblock as well. -LBJ

Lanolin can often be found at farm supply stores. Another product that works well is for cows (I kid you not) called "Udder cream". Another product which I have used for chafing and raw hands is called Bag Balm, a product which is probably similiar to the above. Most farm supply stores carry it. It is intended for use on dairy cows, but is great for the hands (and other areas too I'm sure).

Donna- Sorry to hear about your problem. Someone else already mentioned it, but Body Glide is a great product. Comes in a stick like deoderant, so it's easy to apply. I love to use it before ocean swims because the sandy water really starts to rub the bra-line area under the arms if I don't. Also, what kind of two piece? Is is a halter like top that hooks or ties behind your neck? Most of the major swim suit manufacturers (Speedo, TYR, and Dolphin for sure) make a two piece workout bikini. The top has thin or thick straps more like a racing suit, so that could help with the neck chafing issue--if it's suit related to begin with. Dana

Gosh, thanks everyone. I have written down all your suggestions and when I go home to Texas for a visit later this month, I'll see what I can find. I am changing suit tops shortly; have ordered from pureblueswim.com the TYR two-piece suit that has no underwires and is closest to a racing suit. The big problem is my neck, both sides, have scabs now from neck rubbing on shoulder; started changing my stroke at about 3 miles yesterday to try to prevent this, but I need products to stop skin chafing. I had no idea you all have had this problem, too!!! But at least you have already found some pretty good solutions...thanks so much!! dd

The Desitin suggestion reminded me of what we affectionately called "Butt Bondo" around the house at diaper changing time. It worked wonders for both healing and preventing chafing of delicate baby tush: take 1/2 tube of Desitin and mix it with a full tube of AD ointment. It smells potent and you can't get it off you hands (does give the nails a lovely French look), but it works. It may not help when you are swimming, but it may be good as a comfort measure after.

Barb, what's AD ointment? Plz remember I live in Honduras so I don't know what this means. Am taking any and all suggestions for skin/swim suit chafing products that will counteract this most awful problem. But I did like your term: Butt Bondo or was it Bondo Butt? dd