The Days Of Underwear Chafing Are Numbered

To rework that famous pop song from the 90s, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you do, we’ve all experienced chafing. In the same category of ‘irritations we’d love to get rid of forever’ as razor burn or an itch in the middle of your back, chafing can spring up on us at the most unexpected and inopportune moments. While there are many culprits, including ill-fitting clothes or continuous contact with hard or abrasive surfaces (a particular problem for construction workers and dancers), the most common offender is our underwear. 

Chafing is the result of three main factors working together to cause us pain and irritation – friction, moisture, and uncomfortable material. During the average day, we move and sweat. If our underwear is of a poor quality, does not fit properly, or does not balance support with elasticity and breathability, it becomes increasingly likely that we’ll experience chafing. While the problem occurs for both men and women, the issue seems to be even more prevalent for men, thanks in part to their anatomy and part to the lack of options generally available to them when compared to those offered to women. 

Thankfully, there has been a recent move to make chafing a thing of the past. The rise in anti chafing underwear technology and breathable materials like bamboo, nylon, rayon blends, and polyester mean that it’s no longer only elite athletes who have access to good, workable underwear. A diversity in styles and fits – especially to be celebrated in the men’s department – also means that we’re now able to find underwear that forms better to our actual body types and reduces friction while we move. Thanks to these developments, it likely won’t be long before we can say good-bye to chafing for good!