Sudocrem as a chamois cream??

gavin66

Last week, I did my furthest ever road ride.
During the last 30 miles of it, my buttocks began to feel sore and I could feel my skin stinging.
By the time I'd finished my 100 mile ride, I was really sore and on inspection, it was obvious that I'd taken some skin off. The worst areas were not on my sit bone but in the area of the seam of my pad.
I'd applied some Euro style butt'r both to my bum cheeks and to my pad (Funkier bib knickers).
After 3 days of applying Sudocrem to my backside, the soreness subsided and my skin began to heal.

I have a Coast to coast ride coming up soon and I don't want the same to happen.
As I will be applying a liberal amount of cream, I was wondering if Sudocrem could be used as a cheaper alternative to Chamois creams.
Anybody on here used it?
Thans in advance.

haydenm

I may be wrong but I would imagine Sudocrem would just be absorbed into your skin rather than stay on the surface and be slippery like chamois cream does. Not tried it though

imposter2.0

gavin66 wrote:

After 3 days of applying Sudocrem to my backside, the soreness subsided and my skin began to heal.

You should not be surprised by this, as Sudocrem is an antiseptic healing cream and that is exactly what it is designed to do. Does not necessarily mean that it will also work as a chamois cream though...

Vino'sGhost

Sudocrem isnt chamois cream but it is very effective if youve already chaffed. I find where i ermmmm dress over any seam it can become sore and have found sudocrem to work well. sadly slavering it on also means the outline becomes more visible.

Pays to advertise though i suppose

priory

after 3 days you might expect sore skin to be healing.
sudocrem nappy cream is very oily and inclined to soften the skin I think, I have not tried other types of sudocrem.. I prefer a very small amount of aqueous cream or emulsifying ointment on the pad not directly on the skin. I do use it, but not much. Moisturised skin with lots of oily cream around will break down more easily, especially in the creases but also on areas of rubbing . I have done this to myself down the years , with Vaseline, sudocrem, conotrane(smells strongly like roses, avoid)etc.. Savlon once found its way on a hot sweaty day to my anus and I spent the lunch break in the sea. :oops:
Aqu cream contain antibacterials too such as phenoxyethanol or clorocresol or parabenz, like sudocrem.
Usually I use nothing , but long rides about 1ml of emulsifying ointment spread all over the pad.

joe_totale-2

I've had a friend who recently did LEJOG and started developing saddle sores, sudocreme sorted them out.
Sudocreme is a zinc barrier cream so should offer a degree of protection from the friction that causes saddle sores.

Also unlike chamois cream you really don't need to slather on Sudocreme, a thin spreading is all you need.

fat_cat

When I did LEJOG I used chamois cream pre-ride and Sudocrem post ride, and had no issues with saddle sores, despite weather ranging between 28C and sunny and 12C and p1ssing down.

chris_bass

Sudocrem works pretty well in my experience but it is a bit of a pain in the *rse (pun intended!) to get out of clothing so be careful if you have expensive kit.

StillGoing

If like me, you're allergic to NSAIDs, avoid Sudocrem, especially near to mucus membranes where it would get into the system quickly. I wasn't knowingly allergic after taking Ibuprofen, aspirin etc for aches and pains over the years, but a reaction, aged 53 to Volterol that almost killed me, means avoid NSAIDs which Sudocrem contains.

trekvet

Could be your Funkier pad is not up to the distance. Different pads for different distances/hours in saddle, at least some are listed that way.

Orkneylad

I've switched from creams to using the Bodyglide anti-chaff bar, just as good (and doesn't feel wet) and way way cheaper.

alex222

I go sudocrem for post ride and general moisturising down below. Chamois cream for rides.

johncp

philthy3 wrote:

If like me, you're allergic to NSAIDs, avoid Sudocrem, especially near to mucus membranes where it would get into the system quickly. I wasn't knowingly allergic after taking Ibuprofen, aspirin etc for aches and pains over the years, but a reaction, aged 53 to Volterol that almost killed me, means avoid NSAIDs which Sudocrem contains.

Looks like you can go back to using Sudocrem - no NSAIDs here:
Zinc Oxide:
A dermatological agent with astringent, soothing and protective properties.
Benzyl alcohol:
a local anaesthetic with disinfectant properties.
Benzyl benzoate:
acaricide and has been used as a pediculicide, insect repellent and pharmaceutical solubilising agent. It is a constituent of many natural balsam and is one of the principal esters of Peru Balsam
Benzyl cinnamate:
This is the other principal ester of Peru Balsam BPC 1973. It is synthesised from benzyl alcohol and cinnamic acid which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Peru Balsam is categorised as having a mild antiseptic action because of cinnamic acid and its derivatives present
Lanolin:
Resembles the sebaceous secretions of human skin. The grade (hypoallergenic) used is manufactured so as to exclude many sensitising substances present in the lanolin


6. Pharmaceutical particulars
6.1 List of excipients
Purified Water, EP

Sodium Benzoate, BP

Paraffin Wax

Microcrystalline wax

Heavy Liquid Paraffin, BP

Synthetic Beeswax

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Propylene glycol, BP

Antioxidant (formulation consisting of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), citric acid and propylene glycol)

Linalyl acetate

Lavender

ugo.santalucia

Ditch the chamois creme altogether... it's a bit of a myth that you need it with modern pads... I've done century rides without... no difference

haydenm

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Ditch the chamois creme altogether... it's a bit of a myth that you need it with modern pads... I've done century rides without... no difference

I agree with this, but only now I have found some bibs I really get on with. I previously thought it was just part of riding but since I bought these (Castelli Progetto X2 AIR) I have no need for it. The Lussos I had before were agony, and the Aerons seem quite good but can be a problem on long wet rides. I think it's just that I happen to get on with the shape of Castellis, not the price/quality really

ugo.santalucia

I don't think you can address a bad saddle/pad fit by smearing chamois creme...

The clue is in the name.. "chamois", modern shorts don't have a chamois, but a foam filled pad, so the cream that was aimed at softening the chamois is completely useless... it has remained as a bit of a habit that is passed through the generations, but really it does nothing other than making your wallet lighter...

chippyk

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't think you can address a bad saddle/pad fit by smearing chamois creme...

The clue is in the name.. "chamois", modern shorts don't have a chamois, but a foam filled pad, so the cream that was aimed at softening the chamois is completely useless... it has remained as a bit of a habit that is passed through the generations, but really it does nothing other than making your wallet lighter...

This, I’ve never used chamois cream, rides of upto 200k in hot weather, bike legs of an Ironman, multi day rides. A well fitting bike and saddle and some quality bibs are all you need.

Mad_Malx

philthy3 wrote:

If like me, you're allergic to NSAIDs, avoid Sudocrem, especially near to mucus membranes where it would get into the system quickly. I wasn't knowingly allergic after taking Ibuprofen, aspirin etc for aches and pains over the years, but a reaction, aged 53 to Volterol that almost killed me, means avoid NSAIDs which Sudocrem contains.

It doesn’t.

Edit - see johncp already answered more extensively. not doubting you can be sensitive to some ingredients. Lanolin a fairly common allergen, althouh they claim hypoallergenic

chundernuts

Conotrane Cream works quite well, a 500g tub will cost £7 or so.

imposter2.0

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't think you can address a bad saddle/pad fit by smearing chamois creme...

The clue is in the name.. "chamois", modern shorts don't have a chamois, but a foam filled pad, so the cream that was aimed at softening the chamois is completely useless... it has remained as a bit of a habit that is passed through the generations, but really it does nothing other than making your wallet lighter...

All true - but 'modern' chamois cream is not like the old stuff you describe. Modern stuff is designed to be applied to the skin, as opposed to the pad on the shorts. Applying it to the pad on modern shorts is utterly pointless, as you suggest.

pippi_langsamer-2

HaydenM wrote:

I may be wrong but I would imagine Sudocrem would just be absorbed into your skin rather than stay on the surface and be slippery like chamois cream does. Not tried it though

Sudocrem is a barrier cream, and as such isn't absorbed into the skin.

As a result, it does make a pretty good option for riding. In fact, it's a bit of a pain in the :shock: to actually wash off/ out of body/ fabrics as already mentioned.

harry-s

I think your choice of cream might also depend a little on your weight. A friend of mine swears by sudacrem (sometimes mixed with Vaseline), he's a heavy rider, over 100kg, but also likes a long ride, including IM. Most of your weight is on the saddle, and if you've a few kilos to your name, it pays to look after that particular contact point.
I can see the point of the disinfectant qualities of chamois cream, saddle sores are much more easily prevented than treated.

ugo.santalucia

Antibacterial cremes or chamois cremes do not prevent saddle sores... I've used jars of the stuff to prevent sores on 400-600 km audax events and still got plenty of sores... your skin gets used to riding a given distance... for instance I used to get sores just to ride 100 miles, now I don't... 200 miles I still do a bit... 300 miles I do a lot
with or without creme makes no difference

svetty

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Ditch the chamois creme altogether... it's a bit of a myth that you need it with modern pads... I've done century rides without... no difference

+1.

harry-s

My definition of a saddle sore is an infected follicle that turns into a boil.
I'd just call chafing "chafing", and I'll admit to not having much experience there.

haydenm

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I don't think you can address a bad saddle/pad fit by smearing chamois creme...

You can make the chaffing mildly more bearable...

chundernuts

Harry-S wrote:

My definition of a saddle sore is an infected follicle that turns into a boil.
I'd just call chafing "chafing", and I'll admit to not having much experience there.

TCP Ointment was great for treating these, unfortunately it is no longer manufactured. I am having to use my remaining tube very sparingly.:)