kind of embarrasing but important

First, put polysporin on the affected area to treat the existing rash.  Then for prevention do two things.

One:  wear boxer briefs high cotton blend, the leggings on them with protect the inner thigh.  Underarmour makes a good sports brief for just that purpose.  

Two:  use talcum powder.  When I was in Thailand, I suffered the same thing but from the high temps and humidity.  My girlfriend over there sumed it up nicely "USE POWDAR!" as she proceeded to cover me in talc just to get the point accross.  Preferably a non scented is best.

You shouldn't be embarrased. It's not that uncommon.

Basically it's a form of diaper rash. So I'd start treatment with any of the over-the-counter products designed to treat that. If it's still a problem after that, consult with your doctor, because their are prescription grade treatments available.

Frequent applications of talcum powder or baby powder can help as well.

Also, the kind of underwear you use can have an affect. I find boxer-briefs to be both the most comfortable and efficient.

Frosty,

Every now and again I get a touch of eczema on my arm , the cream I like to use is Penaten (cost $ 5.00 ) which can be found in most drug stores. It has zinc in it which is one of the major reasons why it works. If it gets worse you may want to try a corticosteroid 0.1 % (topical cream) which will work wonders ...cortisone creams work like a charm.. Your local pharmacist should be able to guide you a little. Like everyone mentioned, keep the area dry as much as you can and wear cotton. If it gets unbearable , see a doctor

PENATEN CREAM DESCRIPTION

Penaten Cream
   
"Penaten Cream has been used for decades successfully for the treatment of diaper rash, sunburn, scalds, dermatitis and the relief of itching due to eczema: relieves rash caused by heat and perspiration.
Ingredient
ZINC OXIDE 18.0 % "

You can also try Gold Bond Medicated Powder.  It's really good for that sort of rash.  Of course, prevention is key so try the boxers like described above, too. 

Cleaniliness (which I'm sure you're already doing).  Switch to a non-irritating soap that won't you dry you out too much.  Get away from the stuff they sell at most supers (Ivory is gentle, but it dries your skin out) and switch to something they sell at Trader Joe's.

Treat with an ointment.  There are a lot of good ones, just ask the pharmacist.

Gold Bond Medicated Powder is good.  But alternate it with something else.  Pinaud is very good talc,with a pleasant "unisex" scent (smells good without leaving you smelling like a girl).  Unscented baby powder is good as well.

Carry talc to work in your bag, and use it when you start getting deep into the shift.  A change of socks and a splash of (mild) cologne or aftershave work wonders as well.

BDL

 Put Corn Starch on the rash, and when your home make a paste with corn starch and water and apply....Chef Bill

Used to get that all the time when we lived in the tropics - talc is good, but the topical creams mentioned above also help pretty instantly.  I can't count the times I had to walk like a bow-legged cowboy just for relief. For women, it's worse, 2 places it hits you, inner thigh and in the under bra area also/  The creams plus talc worked wonders.  Cotton underwear helps to - shy away from synthetics.  Cotton breathes the best.

No need to be embarassed.  Give the suggestions a go - a pharmacist will soon advise something suitable - I find them more useful than doctors many a time.

All the above sound great. But do yourself a favour and dont mix creams and talc unless the cream is well worked in and the skin's dry. Otherwise you'll actually cause an abrasive irritant. Hubby is chief engineer on an fpso offshore in Brasil.Temps get into the 100's in the engine room sometimes and boiler suits are being changed up to 6 times a day.The trick is to keep dry. go to the loo and dry off as often as you can and wear 100' cotton underwear.

Used to work for a chef, rather large, that kept a box of cornstarch in the freezer for just this thing.  Not only did the cornstarch help prevent chaffing, he got a blast of cool while doing it!

The absolutely best thing for this is sold for women - this kind of problem is very common in summer when we wear skirts and walk a lot - called Monistat powder gel.  It prevents all chafing and prevents this sort of rash.  It's sold at the section for feminine hygiene.  It works like nothing else, I tried penaten, gold bond, nothing works.  But you should check if you have a yeast infection in which case the doctor will give you canesten (I think it's called) - You'll know a yeast infection because it burns like h**l and is bright neon red and sometimes is also very itchy, yet if you scratch it's extremely painful. 

  

I'm sorry Siduri.  While it is true that men can get a yeast infection, nine times out of ten they don't even know that they have it as it does not quite affect men the same way it does women.

 You might be thinking a type of dermatophytosis which could be a result of a secondary condition from chaffing if the symptoms do not go away after three to five days see a pharmacist or doctor.  But I'm willing to bet money that it is plain old chaffing.
Edited by FR33_MASON - 3/20/10 at 11:13am

Doing patrolling in Iraq with 85lbs of gear, boots and long pants in 110 degree heat...the powder we all swore by was something called "Anti-Monkey Butt Powder". 

Sounds like a joke but it isn't. 

Gold Bond sometimes would sting or just cake up....the stuff above is USA made and is on Amazon and other retailers.

It was originally made to help some Harley riders during their long cross country rides.......thus the name.

Buellride

Anti-Monkey Butt Powder, now that's a powder every man should have in his locker, none of this sissy stuff. ..............Chef Bill......P.S buellride, I used to work for Spencecliff Corp on Oahu, Ala Moana ctr Prince Kuhio, Coffee Shop, Spencecliff catering, and Cocco's..Do you remember these restaurants ????????????????

Anyone can get a yeast infection in any place that there is lots of humidity - fat people get them in folds of skin when it's hot. But I also doubt it would be likely on the legs.   But I was  not talking about the other type of yeast infection that women have etc.  However, I guarantee if you try this powder gel (which is NOT for yeast infections but just for chafing) you'd find it's probably the best invention since the wheel. Maybe you'll want to get a girlfriend to pick it up for you though, unlike the he-man monkey stuff.  It's not a medicine, simply a mechanical aid, like oiling an engine.  But it's sold where "feminine hygiene" products are sold. 

 Your right Siduri.

  Again, I apologise.  I guess I was in a funny mood and the way your post come across to me....well I have seven sisters and your statement just reminded me of a phrase more than once spoken in the household when I was a kid....

....Unfortunately I was usually the one sent to the pharmacy to fetch their products 

there is nothing embarrassing about it, the truth is don't free ball and put some corn starch on the rash and use it 2 or 3 times a shift. It really works.

Seven sisters and YOU had to go to the drugstore?  Seven Sadistic Sisters, mayhaps?

Anyway, the powder gel does not rub off or run off with the sweat like talc, cornstarch, gold bond, etc, though all may give relief later, when you're home.  Those powders' effect lasts about half an hour with serious heat and movement. 

talcum powder.

Talc is from a  mineral source, and like asbestos could be a carcinogen.  Cornstarch is more absorbent than talc.  So cornstarch is the better choice.  Diaper rash usually involves ammonia from urine, sweat is not the same. 

Siduri - Canestan is the name I was looking for.  My son suffered terribly in the tropics from "jock itch" and that was the only thing that helped him, apart from lots of showers to cool the skin (he was 6 until 9 y.o. when we were there).  It's a terrible thing to manage, but that was the best solution.  I treasure the pharmacist who recommended that.  Worked well for me too in both areas.  Could not stand wearing a bra up there - almost no-one who worked outside of an airconditioned office could. Cotton sports bra - yes.  Normal - no.

(Totally OT - P.S. Underwire ones were not advised to be worn there - to many women got hit by lightning - fact. One died on the golf course next to us because of it,)

Talc is from a  mineral source, and like asbestos could be a carcinogen.

Francie, do you have any documentation for that statement? If so, I'd love to see it.

Well, just google "talc cancer" for many articles.  Here is one from Wiki
 

Several studies have established preliminary links between talc and pulmonary issues,^[6]lung cancer,^[7][8]skin cancer and ovarian cancer.^[9] This is a major concern considering talc's widespread commercial and household use. In 1993, a US National Toxicology Program report found that cosmetic grade talc caused tumours in rats (animal testing) forced to inhale talc for 6 hours a day, five days a week over at least 113 weeks, even though it contained no asbestos-like fibres.^[7] Scientists have been aware of the toxicity of talc since the late 1960s, and in 1971 researchers found particles of talc embedded in 75% of the ovarian tumors studied.^[10]

However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers non-asbestiform talc, that is, talc which does not contain potentially carcinogenic asbestiform amphibole fibers, to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in cosmetics. <sup>[11]

You see, "generally recognized as safe" isn't strong enough for me, if  it could be a problem, why risk it when cornstarch is available?</sup>

That last sentence "..generally..safe.."  is not strong enough for me, Like I said, it "could" be a problem.  (The article is from Wikipedia "Talc")  Why not just use cornstarch, I find no safety issues with cornstarch, at least not yet.
Edited by Francie12 - 3/23/10 at 1:06pm