How to handle sports bra chafing
When it comes to sports bra dilemmas, chafing is a common and potentially painful problem. Also known as sweat rash, chafing primarily results from friction between the skin and the sports bra. It typically occurs below the bustline around the rib cage. It can also appear on the shoulders or back.
There are (3) possible causes of chafing:
1) Wearing Too Big A Size
2) Trapped Moisture
3) Sensitive Skin
Wearing too big a size normally refers to the band size versus the cup size of the sports bra. If the band of the sports bra is too big or too loose, then it can move as you move. That movement or rubbing results in friction between the sports bra and skin, possibly causing redness that looks like a rash or, if the rubbing persists in the same place over a period of time, the result can be an abrasion on the skin.
In this case, the solution is to wear a very snug-fitting band. The sports bra band should not move as you move. If you do left and right trunk twists and your sports bra moves left and right with you, then you probably need a tighter, more snug-fitting band.
If you are wearing a snug-fitting band but still have a problem with chafing, then the issue could be trapped moisture.
Trapped moisture develops after heavy perspiration in certain fabrications. Moisture most commonly gets trapped in sports bras made with cotton.
As the moisture gets trapped in the cotton, the bra is then saturated and can move, allowing friction and possibly chafing too occur.
The solution is to avoid wearing cotton sports bras and turn to a sports bra that is made of a wicking fabric. A wicking fabric will pull moisture from the skin and out of the bra so it can evaporate rather than allowing moisture to stay trapped.
The Helena Bra, made for C-DD cup sizes, was specifically designed with a fabrication made to resist chafing more than any other sports bra on the market. The Phoebe bra for A/B cup sizes, and for C/D cup sizes are also very good are stopping chafing. If you’ve tried a more snug-fitting band on a wicking sports bra and you still have an issue with chafing, you may want to turn to a product like Body Glide® for your sensitive skin. Some folks have also used a petroleum jelly like Vaseline®, but petroleum jelly can break down the fabrication of the sports bra faster than Body Glide. If you have sensitive skin, I also would recommend laundering your sports bra with a product like Forever New Fabric Care.
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