Anyone can end up with chafed skin. Any time one part of the body rubs against another, there’s friction. It can also happen when fabric or seams irritate the skin. If you’re sweaty, it’s likely to be worse. Baby powder and anti-chafe balm may help, but you might as well solve the problem at the source. Choose the best underwear to prevent chafing so that itchy, raw skin will only be a memory.
Contents
- 1 What type of underwear causes chafing?
- 2 What material is best for anti-chafing?
- 3 How to prevent chafing for guys
- 4 How do you stop female groin chafing and prevent chafing between thighs?
- 5 Best Underwear to Prevent Chafing in 2024
- 5.1 Jockey Women’s Underwear Skimmies Slipshort
- 5.2 Vassarette Women’s Comfortably Smooth Slip Short Panty
- 5.3 Runderwear Women’s Briefs – Chafe-Free Running Underwear
- 5.4 MANSCAPE Men’s Anti-Chafe Athletic Performance Boxer Briefs
- 5.5 Hanes Total Support Pouch Men’s Boxer Briefs
- 5.6 DEVOPS Men’s Perfomance Cool Dry Mesh Underwear Boxer Trunk
- 5.7 Chill Boys Breathable Bamboo Boxers
- 6 Conclusion
What type of underwear causes chafing?
Let’s start with what you don’t want to wear when you’re trying to protect your skin. Watch out for raised seams and underwear that hikes up or rolls down underneath clothing. If the garment has an obvious waistband, it may fold over. But a hidden waistband will stay put.
Stay away from fabric that makes you sweat or feels rough. Also, close-fitting underwear is okay, but if it’s too tight, get the next size up.
What material is best for anti-chafing?
Moisture-wicking fabric is excellent for preventing chafing. Unfortunately, although cotton is breathable, it holds onto moisture and dries slowly compared to high-performance fabrics like TENCEL. Moreover, nylon, polyamide, viscose, and rayon also wick moisture away from the skin so it can evaporate faster. Try bamboo if you prefer natural material – it’s extra soft.
Furthermore, blends with spandex, Lycra, or elastane are stretchy and will move with your body to prevent chafing.
How to prevent chafing for guys
Anything that reduces friction is helpful for preventing chafing. That’s why we recommend that guys wear compression shorts or boxer briefs with minimal seams and package support.
Also, longer legs prevent thigh chafing because they keep the skin on the legs from rubbing. Lastly, we suggest choosing anti-chafing underwear with moisture-wicking fabric. You can see our top picks in the reviews below.
How do you stop female groin chafing and prevent chafing between thighs?
Slip shorts and long-leg underwear may not seem sexy but they prevent chafing between the thighs. We suggest that being comfortable takes priority when you’re exercising. Choose seamless, moisture-wicking fabric with some stretch to it. Check out the crotch to make sure that the stitching won’t rub you in the wrong places. You can learn more about anti-chafing underwear for women in the reviews below.
| The best women’s underwear to prevent chafing | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Jockey Women's Underwear Skimmies Slipshort |
|
| Vassarette Women's Comfortably Smooth Slip Short Panty |
|
| Runderwear Women's Briefs Chafe-Free Running Underwear |
|
| The best men’s underwear to prevent chafing | Highlights |
|---|---|
| MANSCAPED Men’s Anti-Chafe Athletic Performance Boxer Briefs |
|
| Hanes Total Support Pouch Men's Boxer Briefs, Anti-Chafing, Moisture-Wicking Underwear with Cooling |
|
| DEVOPS Men's Perfomance Cool Dry Mesh Underwear Boxer Trunk |
|
| Chill Boys Bamboo Boxer Briefs Soft Anti-Chafing Men's Underwear |
|
Best Underwear to Prevent Chafing in 2024
Jockey Women’s Underwear Skimmies Slipshort
Put a stop to thigh rubbing with women’s chafe-free underwear like these. With seams in only the right places, they also protect against groin chafing.
Although they are made of a soft spandex/nylon blend with a cotton crotch, don’t mistake these for compression shorts or Spanx. They are form-fitting but not tight so they don’t dig into the skin. Check out the nearly invisible waistband and hems on the legs – they are designed to not roll up or roll down even if you have a curvy figure.
Reviewers say the shorts double as a slip under a skirt because they eliminate panty lines. Even in the summertime, they feel lightweight and breathable.
Choose from black, white, and neutral shades in sizes from extra small to XX-large. Oh, did we mention that they are machine-washable? No wonder these are our favorite underwear to prevent chafing.
Pros:
- Prevent chafing with soft, breathable, stretchy fabric
- Hems and waistband don’t bunch up or roll down
- Form-fitting but not tight, don’t add bulk
- Machine-washable
Cons:
- Only basic colors available
Vassarette Women’s Comfortably Smooth Slip Short Panty
This pair of women’s underwear also prevents thigh chafing with longer legs and a form-fitting design. Reviewers love them because they don’t slip around, roll up, or roll down. There’s no bulging and they don’t leave visible panty lines or feel like bike shorts. What’s more, they are tagless and seamless to avoid rashes and itchiness.
The fabric is nylon and spandex that wicks away moisture and dries in a heartbeat. It feels slippery and soft, hugging the body without providing compression, and stretching when you do. No, this isn’t shapewear and it won’t give you a muffin top. It’s simply lightweight and comfy.
The underwear comes in single or multi-packs in colors like white, beige, black, and blue. They fit sizes 5 through 10. The only downside is that they are hand wash only.
Pros:
- Lightweight, seamless, and tagless slip shorts that don’t ride up or roll down
- Fast-drying nylon-spandex blend
- Single and multi-packs in a variety of colors
Cons:
- Hand wash only
Runderwear Women’s Briefs – Chafe-Free Running Underwear
What about women’s running anti-chafing underwear? Or the best anti-chafing underwear for hiking? Here they are at last. Not only will they keep you from developing raw patches, but they also don’t need to be tugged down constantly.
Let’s talk about the features that have won this brand multiple awards. First, the fabric is stretchy, moisture-wicking 92% polyamide, 8% elastane. Polyamide is a type of nylon that’s extra soft and durable. It doesn’t pill like polyester and it can be machine-washed and tumble-dried. (So yes, you can toss this underwear in the washer and dryer. It won’t fade or shrink).
Next, not only is the fabric feels smooth and silky, but the flatlock edging gets rid of seams. That’s right, these are seamless (and tag-free) underwear. They have a high waistband that’s elasticated so that it fits snugly but doesn’t roll down or dig in.
Runners who self-describe themselves as big-bottomed or as having big thighs say they are the perfect running underwear for marathons.
These high-performance panties come in blue, black, and hot pink in sizes from 4 to 18. The only complaint is that they have visible panty lines when worn underneath tight-fitting clothes.
Pros:
- Award-winning runner’s underwear that prevents chafing even during marathons
- Polyamide, elastane blend is extra soft and moisture-wicking
- Seamless and tagless design
- Can be machine-washed and tumble-dried
- Available in sizes 4 to 18 in three colors
Cons:
- Leave impressions on fabric (i.e. panty lines)
MANSCAPE Men’s Anti-Chafe Athletic Performance Boxer Briefs
This personal grooming brand is now offering men’s underwear to complement its other products. The idea is that once you’ve trimmed, these silky boxers will feel cool and comfortable on the family jewels.
No, but seriously, this lightweight pair made from a microfiber blend is designed to reduce chafing no matter what activity you undertake. They are breathable and fast-drying and they don’t bunch or roll up under jeans or gym shorts.
The fabric is 92% polyester, 8% elastane, which means it’s machine-washable. Although at the time of writing they only came in black, they are available in sizes from small to 3XL. The main complaint is that there’s no keyhole opening for the bathroom but the contoured pouch keeps everything secure.
Pros:
- Lightweight, cool, and fast-drying polyester/elastane blend
- Designed to not bunch or roll up or down with a contoured pouch and wide waistband
- Polyester/elastane blend is machine-washable
- Sizes small to 3XL
Cons:
- No easy access opening for the bathroom
Hanes Total Support Pouch Men’s Boxer Briefs
If you’re looking for affordable underwear that prevents chafing, look no further than Hanes with X-Temp Technology. There are several benefits, starting with the fact that they are well-ventilated.
The polyester/spandex fabric is stretchy and sleek with targeted mesh zones for plenty of air flow. It wicks away sweat so that you always feel dry. Just as important, it provides odor control.
Next, the pouch conforms to a man’s natural shape without pinching. There’s also a keyhole opening with mesh ventilation. Thankfully, all the stitching is flat and non-irritating.
Lastly, the Comfort Flex waistband gets kudos for being tag-free and resistant to folding over.
The underwear comes in 3-packs with various colors and patterns. Choose from small to 3XL.
Pros:
- Well-ventilated anti-chafing underwear with odor control
- Polyester/spandex blend is machine-washable
- Sculpted pouch with keyhole opening
- Comfortable waistband is tag-free and doesn’t roll down
- Different colors and patterns in sizes small to 3XL
Cons:
- None
DEVOPS Men’s Perfomance Cool Dry Mesh Underwear Boxer Trunk
Similar to the Hanes underwear, this pair features excellent ventilation and moisture-wicking properties. It has a diamond mesh panel on the fly to keep your package cool and supported during intense activities. Reviewers say it stays comfy and doesn’t get sweaty when they work out.
The fabric is a machine-washable blend of spandex and polyester with 4-way stretch. It moves when you do and doesn’t roll or bunch up during trail running, cycling, or high-impact exercise.
Furthermore, the underwear is quick-drying and lightweight. Each pair rolls up tiny and weighs nearly nothing when you’re packing for a trip.
Choose from a variety of colors in sizes small to XXL.
Pros:
- Well-ventilated, quick-drying performance underwear
- Spandex polyester blend is machine-washable and doesn’t bunch
- Various colors in sizes small to XXL
Cons:
- No big and tall sizes
Chill Boys Breathable Bamboo Boxers
You know how sweat pools at the base of your back? This pair of underwear solves the problem with a mesh panel right above the buttocks. As for chafing between the legs, these boxers eliminate it completely. They have a glide zone panel along the groin and thighs.
The fabric is 5% spandex, 95% viscose, which is basically bamboo fiber. It feels incredibly soft yet it’s very breathable and cool. You can machine-wash it, but some reviewers say it’s better to hand-wash the underwear to keep it in top condition. We aren’t surprised as bamboo can be a bit fragile, but it’s so worth it if you hate feeling damp and itchy. It feels much cooler than cotton.
Happily, there’s a fly opening, although weirdly, there’s no mesh panel there. Still, the pouch feels very comfortable and the waistband doesn’t pinch or roll over.
Pros:
- Very soft and cool-feeling underwear that prevents chafing
- Mesh panel in the rear provides ventilation, keyhole fly in the front
- Form-fitting viscose/spandex blend can be machine-washed
- Available in 3 colors and sizes from small to XXL
Cons:
- Fabric is machine-washable but may last longer if hand-washed
Conclusion
Don’t put up with rashes, itching, and irritated skin. Once you switch to anti-chafing underwear, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
We hope our reviews helped you find the best new underwear for your needs today. If they are performing as promised, to free to tell us about them in the comments below.