Fact: Chafed skin isn’t fun.

Whether it’s your thighs or armpits, chafing is something most of us would like to avoid. But, if there’s one place we humans especially don’t want chapped skin, it’s our rear ends.

Unfortunately, butt chafing, or “monkey butt,” as it’s known colloquially, is much more common than people might think. While we might think of diaper rash-type ailments as something we grow out of pretty quickly, butt crack chafing is something that can plague anyone, even into adulthood.

The good news is that there’s a solution out there to raw butt woes, and we’re here to help! Up next, we’ll walk through the basics of healing an uncomfortable monkey butt once and for all.

What Is Monkey Butt?

First things first, what even is monkey butt?

Simply put, monkey butt is any chafing in or around your buttocks. Although we often refer to it as diaper rash on children, adults have gotten a bit creative with their naming strategies.

Why ‘monkey butt,’ you might ask? Well, if you take a look at a photo of the very colorful rear end of a baboon, you’ll have a good understanding of how this fantastic phrasing came to be.

Nevertheless, monkey butt, chaffed ass, or whatever you want to call it all refer to the same thing: a painful, pink, uncomfortable sensation in your nether regions.

What Causes Monkey Butt?

While a raw butt might’ve been what drew you to this article, chances are pretty high that you’ve experienced chafing of some form or another before in your life. Whether it’s your inner thighs or your butt crack, chafing is simply what happens when you mix moisture, friction, and abrasive fabrics over time.

Also, other factors can predispose people to monkey butt on a regular basis. These include:

  • Endurance Sports & Extended Exercise. Unfortunately, active folks who enjoy running, biking, and other long-duration activities tend to have issues with chafing more frequently than they’d like to admit.
  • Poorly Fitting Clothes. Perhaps the most common issue that leads to chaffing is poorly fitting clothes. Usually, loose-fitting clothes or anything that seems to rub your skin in an uncomfortable manner will lead to chafing and discomfort over time.
  • Frequent Shaving & Waxing. Regardless of personal opinions on the benefits of shaving and waxing body hair, frequent grooming can actually increase your risk for chafing. Although this is generally more of an issue for folks who shave the hair on their thighs, removing the hair on your bum removes a natural layer of anti-chafe protection, too.

Preventing Monkey Butt

Now that you understand what monkey butt is let’s talk a bit about how to prevent it. In reality, preventing butt chafing in the first place is the preferred course of action, so mastering these techniques will serve you well in the long run.

Clothing Choices

As mentioned, poorly fitting clothing often leads to chaffing on the body. So getting clothing that fits is of the utmost importance if you want to wave bye-bye to your chafing woes.

However, not all clothing is equally suited to help you nix the chafe. When it comes to butt chafing, you generally want to get yourself a pair of underwear or bike shorts that fit just right to help avoid any friction as you move around.

Other key clothing considerations to keep in mind include:

  • Don’t Go Commando. While you certainly don’t want to wear clothing that’s too tight, going with clothing that’s too loose (this includes not wearing any underwear at all!) isn’t going to help much, either.
  • Skip The Cotton. Cotton is a pretty great fabric, but not when you have a chapped butt. That’s because cotton often soaks up moisture, which means more discomfort down the line. Try to choose spandex, merino wool, polyester, or other similar synthetic fabrics instead.
  • Prioritize Breathability. Swamp ass (an excessively sweaty rear end) is real, and avoiding it is essential if you also want to escape the consequences of monkey butt. The good news is that breathable fabrics are all the rage these days in athletic apparel. But, if you find that you’re still sweating a bit more than you’d like, consider switching up your outfit to see if that helps.

Grooming Considerations

Everyone has their own personal preference when it comes to shaving, waxing, and other similar body scaping pursuits. However, the fact of the matter is that shaving removes hair, which is one of your body’s natural ways of preventing chafing as you exercise.

Although very large amounts of body hair do trap in sweat, most of us will find that the benefits of having this little bit of extra hair far outweigh any unwanted moisture that might result. Consider trimming your body hair rather than shaving it all off if you want to prevent monkey butt in the long-term.

Prevent Dry Skin

While lots of moisture (i.e., sweat) is a necessary ingredient in the monkey butt equation, starting off with dry skin won’t help your cause, either. In fact, dry skin is more likely to chafe than well-moisturized skin, so ensuring that the skin in between your butt cheeks stays moisturized is important.

That being said, it’s best to avoid fancy, scented moisturizers when treating skin issues in and around your genitals or anus. Opt for a basic healing ointment, like Aquaphor or something similar, unless your doctor suggests otherwise.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Finally, don’t forget to stay hydrated. Although telling you to drink water might not be what you expected when you sought out help for your raw butt, hydration can help reduce skin chaffing.

In fact, staying adequately hydrated can help prevent the build-up of salt crystals on your skin as you exercise, eliminating another source of friction and abrasion. So remember to hydrate before you exercise, while you’re hitting the gym, and after you’re done with your workout. Your buns will thank you later.

Treating Monkey Butt

If monkey butt is wreaking havoc in your life, you might (understandably) be on the lookout for a quick fix. Thankfully, there are a few options that you can consider to alleviate your pain.

Perhaps the most popular over-the-counter butt chafing treatment available is the aptly named Anti-Monkey Butt Anti-Friction Powder. This powder is specifically designed to help reduce moisture and irritation in your nether regions so you can bid monkey butt adieu and get back to enjoying life.

It’s important to note that the regular version of Anti-Monkey Butt is only recommended for adults without uteruses. Children and anyone with a uterus should check out the Lady Anti-Monkey Butt or the Baby Anti-Monkey Butt instead.

For those wondering, the difference in products is because the regular version includes talc, which may be linked to an increased risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer (more studies are needed to understand what links if any, might exist). Therefore, the folks at Anti-Monkey Butt came up with 2 talc-free options, just in case.

That being said, if you have any questions about what the best monkey butt treatment option is for your needs, be sure to consult your physician for more specific advice.

Say Bye-Bye To Monkey Butt

Monkey butt is no fun, but you don’t have to live with it forever. With a few preventative measures and some nifty anti-chafe products in hand, you can nix butt chafing from your life for good.