Chafing and heat rash? OMG.

Let me first say that I come here in desperation. I have never, so long that I can recall, had this problem.

I'm not a heavy person, but not a particularly skinny person either . . . about 5'8" and 64ish kgs (and in long-term recovery from an ED).

However, my legs just barely touch when I walk . . . just the top part of my thighs. I presume I've never had a problem with this because I just recently started wearing skirts on a regular basis. I also presume that most women's legs touch when they walk . . . am I wrong?

Anyhow. The combination of my thighs rubbing together, the crazy summer heat (this didn't occur in winter or even spring), and the wearing of skirts has my inner thighs red and throbbing and covered in pimple-like callouses. And is seriously painful.

Any advice? Should I use petroleum jelly or powder? Am I condemned to wearing pantyhose? Should I just lose some weight?

Thank in advance! ~Politica

If you go to the lingerie department in any large department store they usually have spanx and other brands of shorts you can wear under a skirt/dress. My firend wears underarmour. In a pinch I have cut off a pair of pantyhose a few inches above the knee. They ride up a little bit but seem to help  and arent as tight and restricting as spanx. I have had this problem all my life and will not even think about wearing a dress or skirt without shorts/pantyhose/leggings or something underneath. I hate that chafing feeling and the powder/gels do not provided all day relief.

Yeah, I'm horrible at this. I know it might happen, but then I figure I won't do much walking, I don't like wearing shorts under my dress, blah, blah, blah. And yeah, I know several super skinny girls who get it to. Most peoples thighs touch.

I then the horrible rash.

I do recommend the deodorant/ baby powder things as preventitive measures, just be aware for long days/treks it will only work as long as your thighs stay super dry, so prepare to wear shorts or reapply some situations. Once I get the rash (because I don't follow my own advice), I find Eucerin ultra healing ointment to work best. It's the viscosity of vaseline, so too wet to use during the day, but put a little on at night and the rash will be much less severe by morning.

Another thing to try if you can find it - band aid blister block stick.  Usually sold near regular band aids, it looks like a mini deodorant stick and is rolled on to the skin.  It's sold to avoid blisters on your feet, but I've used it on the inner thigh area to avoid chafing before. 

I would wait until the area has healed first, though - you don't want to irritate that skin any further!