Inner Thigh Rashes: Treatment, Symptoms, Prevention, and More

At-Home Treatments

Slip into some loose-fitting clothes made with pure cotton. Try to wear comfortable, loose-fitting pants or shorts made with pure cotton—this helps absorb some of the extra sweat and offers better airflow for your skin. Loose clothes are far less likely to chafe, too, which helps prevent irritation around your rash. In the privacy of your room, feel free to take off your bottoms and give your inner thighs and groin a chance to air out. Moisture is a big cause of inner thigh rashes, so it’s important to let the irritated skin get plenty of air.

Soothe the rash with a 15-minute oatmeal bath. Fill your bathtub with lukewarm water and add in 1 cup (237 g) of colloidal oatmeal. Soak in the tub for around 15 minutes before getting out and blotting your skin dry. You can also stuff a clean pantyhose leg with colloidal oatmeal and tie it off. Just let it soak in the lukewarm bath water before wringing it out over your rash.

Drape a cool compress over the rash. Dip a clean rag or cloth in cool water and squeeze out any of the excess liquid. Then, place the compress on top of the rash to help ease some of the discomfort.

Manage the itchiness with hydrocortisone cream and antihistamines. Pick up a 1% hydrocortisone cream and rub it directly onto the rash—this can help soothe away the discomfort. If the itchiness is really interfering with your sleep schedule, talk to your doctor about taking an oral antihistamine like diphenhydramine before bed. Always follow the dosage instructions on the label when taking an oral antihistamine.

Causes & Specific Treatments

ChafingChafing happens whenever your skin rubs against something over and over again, like a tight pair of pants. It can also happen when your thighs rub against each other, like if you walk around a lot in a short pair of shorts. You may notice inner thigh chafing after you’ve walked around or exercised a bit. Symptoms: Redness, obvious bumps, hot skin temperature, itchiness, irritation, a burning feeling, and/or tenderness How to Treat Chafing: Wash off the rash with gentle soap and water before patting it dry. Then, layer both aloe vera gel and petroleum jelly on top of the skin to help with the stinging and pain.

Razor burnRazor burn is red, irritated skin that appears after you dry-shave, use a dull blade, or shave a little too fast. This type of rash pops up right after you shave, and can stick around for several days. Symptoms: Pain, irritation, stinging, swelling, tenderness, and/or itchiness How to Treat Razor Burn: Apply a little bit of aloe vera gel over the irritated skin to help your razor burn disappear. OTC remedies like oatmeal baths and hydrocortisone cream can also help with some of the discomfort.

Heat rashHeat rash flares up whenever sweat gets locked within your skin. It tends to pop in spots wear your clothes brush against your skin (like your inner thighs). If you’ve been sweating a lot, there’s a chance that heat rash could be causing your inner thigh rash. Symptoms: Slight redness; tiny, raised bumps; itchiness; and/or slight swelling How to Treat Heat Rash: Dip a washcloth in cool water and drape it over the rash (or hop in a cool shower or bath). The sooner your skin cools off, the sooner the heat rash will heal up.

Jock itchJock itch is a common fungal infection that tends to appear around your inner thighs, groin, and bottom. It’s fairly easy to catch—you get it by either touching someone who’s infected or by swapping clothes or towels with someone who has the infection. While anyone can catch jock itch, teen boys and young adult men are most likely to develop it. Symptoms: Scaliness, flakiness, tiny bumps, small blisters, a burning feeling, and/or itchiness How to Treat Jock Itch: Take an OTC antifungal treatment like clotrimazole, tolnaftate, terbinafine, or miconazole. If you’re dealing with a severe case of jock itch, talk to your doctor about prescription antifungal treatments.

Contact dermatitisThis type of rash flares up whenever you touch something you’re allergic to, like an ingredient in your soap or laundry detergent. Poison ivy is a great example of contact dermatitis (though it probably isn’t what’s causing your inner thigh rash). Symptoms: Redness, irritation, dryness, cracking, and/or blisters How to Treat Contact Dermatitis: A couple of times during the day, rub a little bit of refrigerated 1% hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion over the rash. Cool, damp compresses and oatmeal baths might also provide some relief.

Pityriasis roseaDoctors and dermatologists don’t know a lot about this unique type of rash, but they suspect that it’s caused by a human herpesvirus. It first appears in a large, singular, pink-red patch, and is usually accompanied by smaller patches. Symptoms: People with this type of rash sometimes feel sick for a couple of days before noticing a large, pink-red patch on their skin. This is followed by smaller red-pink patches, which all eventually disappear. How to Treat Pityriasis Rosea: Unlike other rashes, pityriasis rosea clears up on its own—it just might take several months. If the rash is especially itchy, use hydrocortisone cream or take an antihistamine.

Hidradenitis suppurativaThis skin condition often resembles acne that flares up around your groin or inner thighs. While medical professionals aren’t completely sure what causes it, they suspect that hidradenitis suppurativa originates from clogged and bursting hair follicles. Symptoms: Tender bumps deep beneath the skin; large, painful, and oozing abscesses; and/or blackhead-like blemishes How to Treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Talk with your doctor or dermatologist about treating hidradenitis suppurativa with prescription medications like clindamycin, dapsone, or resorcinol.

Genital herpesGenital herpes is a virus-based STI that can lead to blisters or sores showing up around your groin. The virus typically falls into 2 categories: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both varieties can cause genital herpes, but HSV-2 is the most common offender. Symptoms: Genital herpes can cause blisters or sores to appear around your groin. However, some people never show symptoms of the virus at all. How to Treat Genital Herpes: Genital herpes doesn’t have a known cure, but you can still treat the symptoms. Talk to your doctor about taking antiviral medications like acyclovir and valacyclovir to help your sores go away more quickly (and prevent flare-ups from happening as frequently).

Secondary syphilisSyphilis is an STD that progresses in 4 stages. In the first stage, syphilis develops as a painless sore (chancre) around your groin. In the second stage, around 2-8 weeks after this chancre shows up, a red-brown rash may appear near your groin (and possibly on other parts of your body). Symptoms: Red-brown rash, fever, sore throat, headaches, and/or fatigue How to Treat Syphilis: Talk with your doctor about starting an antibiotic treatment as soon as possible (before the disease progresses to the third and fourth stages).

Prevention

Apply anti-chafing cream or petroleum jelly to your thighs to prevent chafing. Before you head out for the day (or for a workout), rub a little bit of anti-chafing cream or petroleum jelly on the parts of your thighs that chafe the most. The extra lubrication helps keep your thighs from chafing as you move around. Wearing loose, comfortable pants and shorts can also go a long way in preventing chafing.

Practice good grooming habits whenever you shave your pubic area. Grab a clean, sharp razor and apply a little bit of shaving cream to your pubic area. As you start to shave, guide the razor in short, gentle strokes, moving in the same direction that the hair is growing. Rinse out and change your razor blade frequently, and thoroughly rinse off with cold water once you’re done shaving. Good shaving habits can help prevent razor burn in the long run.

Air out and cool off your skin to prevent heat rash from forming. Slip into some loose, comfortable cotton clothes and switch out your bedding so it’s light and breathable—this prevents you from sweating as much. Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day, and that you’re keeping your showers and baths nice and cool.

Use antibacterial soap as well as antifungal powder to prevent jock itch. Whenever you hop in the shower, take extra care to clean your groin with antibacterial body wash. On a day to day basis, it also helps to sprinkle antifungal powder or talcum powder over your groin to soak up any extra moisture. Make sure that you’re wearing comfortable, breathable pants and underwear so your groin can air out.

Prevent contact dermatitis with emollients. Grab your favorite emollient cream and apply it to your inner thighs throughout the day. These products help create a barrier on your skin and prevent flare-ups. It may also help to check the ingredients on your soap and laundry detergent. Make sure that there are no irritants in these products that might be triggering your contact dermatitis.

Practice safe sex to prevent the spread of STDs like genital herpes and syphilis. Before getting intimate, always make sure that you or your partner are wearing a condom. It’s also important for you and your partner to be transparent about your sexual health so both of you can be on the same page. While condoms definitely lower your risk of infection, they don’t completely protect you from STDs. Genital herpes, for instance, can be spread through skin-to-skin contact.

When to See a Doctor

Visit your doctor or dermatologist to get a professional diagnosis for your rash. At your appointment, they’ll take a look at your rash and ask about the symptoms you’ve experienced. In some cases, they might do a rash evaluation to help pinpoint what’s causing the issue. During a rash evaluation, your provider will conduct a patch test, blood test, and/or biopsy to figure out what’s affecting your skin. See your doctor or dermatologist right away if your rash gets worse. Be on the lookout for more serious symptoms that pop up, like a sore throat, achy joints, or a fever that’s higher than 100.4°F (38°C). Also, keep an eye out for any tender spots or red streaks that pop up near the rash, which could be a sign of infection.

Key Takeaways

Inner thigh rashes are common and easy to treat. As pesky and irritating as rashes are, they’re easy to soothe with oatmeal baths, antihistamines, and hydrocortisone cream. It also helps to wash the rash with gentle soap and lukewarm water, pat it dry, and let it air out whenever you can.

Meet with your healthcare provider to figure out what’s causing the rash. It can feel intimidating and even embarrassing to talk to your provider about an inner thigh rash, but you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. These types of rashes are super common, and your doctor won’t think it’s gross or strange that you have one. The sooner you meet with a doctor or dermatologist, the sooner you can find long-lasting relief for your rash.