I promised when I started this blog I would talk about all of the aspects of being a fat runner – the good, the bad and the ugly. Boob sweat definitely falls into the ugly. If you are carrying some extra pounds chances are you’re familiar with this lovely phenomena. You get home from a run, toss your running shirt in the laundry, and wrestle yourself out of your sports bra while trying not to dislocate your shoulder (more on THIS in another post), and then its time to mop up the sweat that has gathered underneath your breasts. On top of being, well, gross, it also comes with some unpleasant side effects.
- Underboob sweat can cause chafing and lead to rashes
- It smells
- Small cuts from chafing can lead to bacterial, fungal or yeast infections
Boob sweat is my least favourite part of running (it even ranks below running up a big hill!) It’s uncomfortable, I have had it cause painful chafing and the smell is not pleasant. I also hate having big red marks under my breasts that at times feel itchy and other times irritated. Full disclosure I have spent WAY too much time fixated on this problem and how to fix it.
If you do a google search you will find many suggestions for fighting and dealing with boob sweat. I have tried most of the suggestions (natural fibres, wear a sports bra, baby powder, etc). And increasing air flow is next to impossible when you have large breasts. Especially when you have them strapped down with a firm sports bra.
My favourite solution for dealing with boob sweat:
The solutions I have found most effective are deodorant, and a bra liner. While deodorant helped with the smell, it didn’t completely stop the sweat OR the chafing that went along with it. To deal with that I ordered a set of 3 bamboo fibre bra liners from Amazon. The liner fits under your bra strap and sits under your breasts – it then absorbs the sweat while you are out and about. The material is naturally antibacterial and absorbent. In addition to being comfortable, having the soft, absorbent fibre under my bra strap prevents the painful chafing.
The package that I ordered came in 3 colours – black, white and beige, which helped to match it to my various bras. One cautionary tale – be careful what size you order! I assumed that I would need a large liner so I ordered the biggest one they had. I ended up with a liner so long it almost wrapped all around my body – which definitely makes it more difficult to tuck under the bra strap! You really only need one that is as wide as your breasts – so I suggest measuring and ordering your size accordingly.
I would love to hear from you as well! How do you tackle the boob sweat issue? Do you have a favourite solution? Drop a comment below and share your experience!
