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Doing all you can to prevent nipple chafing, stop chafed nipples from affecting your performance and run comfortably
Ouch. Nipple chafing can be an absolute pain in the back side. It’s frustrating, it’s hard to ignore, and most things only make nipple chafing worse. We all want to run in the best ways for us, and I believe we can all agree that nipple chafing is closer to the ‘worse’ category.
Thankfully the modern world is filled with medical marvels. And just like alliteration, you can make use of the good stuff back to back. For example, you could use nipple tape and petroleum jelly together to help tackle jogger’s nipple. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what tool you use, depending on conditions, of course, it only matters that it stops.
So, without causing further friction and wasting your time, let’s take a look at how you could prevent chafing issues for the rest of your running days.
Tape and Covers
The most obvious thing to do is to put a barrier between your nipple and the very thing causing the issue. Simple. But the variety is pretty engrossing –
”Some people wear products such as Nip Guards, NipEaze, or adhesive bandages to protect their nipples. You can also try medical tape or kinesiology tape. The problem is that some products do not stick well after you start sweating, so you may have to try a few to find the best option for you. These can also be tricky and even painful to remove after exercise.” – verywell, 2021.
Before the fact
Of course, treating nipple chafing after it’s occurred is a good thing to do. But what’s better is to stop it from happening in the first place? To treat chafed nipples you need to do more to prevent chafed nipples. The nipple area is very sensitive, so avoid cotton shirts and stitching in running gear. You can also use lubricant to stop the chance of rubbing, petroleum jelly to help, antibiotic ointment, anti-chafing balm… the works. These all help in post-chafe but can help pre-chafe too.
Conclusion
In summary, it’s easy to make the right steps to avoid chafing. From wearing a breathable gauze that’s comfy to nipple covers you can hardly feel, we genuinely have a lot of options. And if those options aren’t rubbing off on you (sorry), then try your own remedies – the choice and power are all yours, and nobody wants uncomfortable chafing problems stunting their performance.
FAQs
What if I’ve never experienced nipple chafing, should I still pre-empt it?
You’re probably fine, but it’s still good to take precautions against potentially common ailments, especially if you change your clothing, for example. the same applies if you’re looking to join the distance runners category, sweat-wicking fabrics may prevent the uncomfortable nature of chafed skin before it even occurs over a long run.
My nipples are now chafed, what can I do?
To help with the healing process, use a mild soap to keep the area clean, dab dry, and look to wear baggy, loose-fitting, tops until they feel better.
