Rash from loose skin

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anotherusername

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I realize skin removal surgery will probably be needed once I finish losing weight, but the loose skin under my belly is already very uncomfortable. There is a rash that looks like heat rash at the lowest part of my abdomen, and now it has spread to the very top of my thighs too. I can no longer keep these skin areas apart. Oddly, this was not an issue when I was at my heaviest, yet now the skin still touches and rubs between those areas even with cotton underwear and stretchy cotton pants. It is quite painful and embarrassing. Are others dealing with this partway through their weight loss? What can I do to fix it?
 
While this won't fix everything, be sure to keep those areas clean (don't skip showers) and switch underwear twice daily. Sweat and heat only make the chafing worse. Cortisone cream might provide some relief. Also, keep documenting things (take photos and email your doctor). Don't put it off until you've lost all the weight. You want this in your chart now. Some people do manage to get apron belly/skin removal covered by insurance, but you need a paper trail and photos of the rashes.
 
See your doctor and get the rash documented. Having it on record can support an insurance claim for skin removal surgery.

Your doctor may also determine that it is a treatable condition, such as yeast, which is very common in these skin folds.
 
Using topical hydrocortisone can bring short-term relief from the symptoms, but if you keep using it long term you risk the skin becoming thinner. To help counter that thinning, Amlactin is occasionally paired with hydrocortisone.

If bacterial growth seems like a possible cause of the rash, consider cleaning the area with hibiclens soap. It eliminates bacteria and leaves a residue that keeps killing them afterward. After you dry off, be sure the area is thoroughly dry--a blow dryer is worth considering. At night, my thought is that you could hold the folds open and dry by wrapping a single layer of gauze netting around yourself. That's only my McGyver-style notion, though--I have no medical basis for it.
 
I went through the same thing — angry red, inflamed, and it burned terribly. What gave me a lot of relief was a combination of triple antibiotic cream, hydrocortisone and cornstarch. It took roughly a couple of weeks before it cleared up, and I had to stay consistent with it. Once the first week passed, I kept using cornstarch after each shower. There is also a product called Monkey butt that contains calamine powder and is soothing. Diaper rash cream such as Destin (zinc oxide), or miconazole, might help too.
 
From what I've dealt with, yeast is typically the culprit here. If you keep the area clean and apply a powder or cream that targets yeast, it generally resolves. Products labeled for athlete's foot, yeast infections or jock itch are what you want to look for. Cutting back on sugar in your diet also helps, since yeast feeds on it.
 
GHK Cu is frequently mentioned as a treatment for skin repair, though I'm uncertain how strong the evidence actually is ... Perhaps people who have looked into it more thoroughly can weigh in?
 
Be very sparing with hydrocortisone cream — apply just a thin layer 1-2 times per day, and don't keep it up for longer than a week at a stretch. For me, that would be a last resort. The skin thinning another poster brought up is not something you want to deal with.

A good moisture barrier may give you more relief. I typically suggest one with an anti-fungal in it, such as Critic-Aid Clear AF. A 5 oz tube will likely cost you about $15 if a local pharmacy will order it in for you. I usually get mine on Amazon, 2 for roughly $21. If fungus is growing in there, you'll want 2-3 applications/day, and keep going for at least 2 weeks after the rash has fully cleared. Once it's cleared, you can move to the plain Critic-Aid Clear moisture barrier, without the anti-fungal.
 
Shittersfull said:

Back when I was fat, my inner thighs used to rub together whenever I walked. I picked up a lubricant made for exactly that problem, and it sorted me out completely. Could be worth trying. Link below


https://a.co/d/01ylPT0s
Click to expand...

Assuming this is a rash rather than chafing, I'd avoid applying any kind of barrier product to the area — including creams designed for chafing. Putting those on will only aggravate it.
 
Hard as it may be to believe, coconut oil may be useful here. It soothes and lubricates irritated skin, and the lauric and caprylic acids it contains have antifungal properties. It eliminates Candida (yeast) fairly fast.
 
At its core, the issue comes down to too much moisture being trapped, since air can't reach the skin to dry it — and sometimes friction plays a role, and sometimes infection does too.

I'd agree with getting a medical opinion. A doctor may be able to tell right away whether something like candida or tinea is contributing to the rash, which could lead to a more targeted treatment. Surgery may make sense down the road. When I was severely overweight, I found that antiperspirant (applied generously) worked better than anything else for heat and friction rashes in the groin area — either the spray kind or cream versions like neat feet. Often, preventing sweat keeps the area dry, which can stop the bugs from multiplying and keep the skin from getting macerated by excess fluid. I'd avoid steroid-based creams unless you're absolutely sure there's no fungal or bacterial infection, since they could worsen things. Some people use talcum powder to absorb moisture and cut down on friction for this problem — not sure how effective it is.
 
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