Sand Chafing: How to Prevent and Treat it

Chafing can strike you anywhere, anytime — that’s just a fact of life. But particularly, sand chafing, or chafing that’s caused by beach activity, can be among the worst and most uncomfortable kinds. When you’re relaxing on the shores, the last thing you want to be worried about is an uncomfortable rash that you just can’t shake. Let’s check out ways to avoid beach chafe, and see what we can do to treat and heal it if it does happen.

How to Prevent Chafing at the Beach

What’s our number one rule when it comes to getting rid of chafe? That’s right — it’s prevention and protection at all costs. The best thing you can do to avoid beach chafe is to stop it from happening in the first place.

Here are our four tips for preventing chafing at the beach:

1. Wear the Right Clothing

   According to Healthline, one of the biggest things you can do to prevent chafing is to wear dry, friction-free clothing. That means sticking to your casual beach wear or sporting your chafe-free trunks. You can grab more tips about chafe-free clothing on our blog.

2. Anti-Chafe Products

   The second step you can take to prevent sand chafe is to apply anti-chafe products to prone areas. For example, try using deodorant or powder if you know you’re going to be exposed to the elements on a given day.

3. Stay Dry When You Can

   Also, avoid staying wet for long periods of time. If you opt for a fast-drying piece of clothing, that’s great, but try not to lounge around too long in damp clothes. Instead, bring a change of clothes and get dressed in something more suitable once you know you’re out of the water for the day.

4. Sit in The Right Place

   As unusual as it may sound, sitting in the right spot is effective at preventing chafing. Choose a comfortable chair to lounge in rather than spreading out on a beach blanket. With beach blankets, sand can often be kicked onto the blanket and thus into your shorts.

How to Treat Chafing

Despite your best efforts, did you get chafed? It happens to the best of us. Fortunately, many men have come before you and perfected the art of treating rashes thanks to chafing. (It isn’t a glamorous art.) Keep reading to learn how to treat rashes caused by chafing!

First, Rest!

The first—and best—way to treat chafing is to rest. On a beach trip, this should be pretty easy! Change into some dry, comfortable clothes, then sit back and relax. The goal here is to not irritate the area even further.

Second, Treat & Soothe The Area

If resting is out of the question, or if you want to just treat the area to be more comfortable, clean the area then apply a powder or an ointment like vaseline to the area.

Third, Wear Clothes that Stay Snug

The one thing you don’t want to do is wear something loose that spreads the rash. For example, if your thighs are chafed, be sure to wear a pair of compression shorts underneath your pants or shorts.

The Holy Grail of Healing

How do you heal chafing fast? Sorry pal, there’s no fast track on this one. Again, the best thing you can do is relax and lay off any water or beach activities for the day, or remain calm and treat the area with some topical solutions. According to VeryWell Health, with proper sand chafing treatment, your skin can heal itself between one to two days depending on the severity.

Overall, it’s important to understand what triggers beach chafing and how you can treat it when it happens. After all, the beach is supposed to be fun, right? If you’re interested in learning more about types of swim trunks with compression liners that can help you avoid this whole chafing mess, get some more tips from the DryGuys on our blog.

Have a boy in your life that complains about these things? Check out our entire line of boys' chafe-free trunks, or shop our new collection of rash guards and swim shirts to protect yourself up top too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does salt water make chafing worse?

The short answer: yes. As saltwater evaporates, rough crystals form on the skin. Sea salt is often used as an exfoliant in many over-the-counter facial cleaners because of this. These same crystals make chafing worse.

How do you treat sand chafing?

Change into dry, comfortable clothes and relax! The best way to treat sand chafing is to make sure you don’t further irritate the area, and you do that with the right clothing and reducing friction.

How do boys prevent rashes at the beach?

Wearing compression-lined, chafe-free swim trunks as well as applying a skin barrier will help prevent chafing for boys while they play at the beach. Changing out of wet clothes will help as well, along with frequently washing off the sand.

How do you prevent chafing on vacation?

Choose fabrics that dry fast or wear compression garments, like bicycle shorts or chafe-free shorts. Additionally, you can use ointments as a skin barrier to help prevent chafing and, for days at the beach, be sure to use the numerous showers that most beaches have for rinsing off sand.