Saddle sores prevention and treatment

Ultra Equipment
#1

What do you so for preventing or treating saddle sores? I ride Audaxs so long periods in the saddle. I have found over time that a particular hair folical on my butt can, on occasion, become infected and turn into a saddle sore. Worst case was a few months of the bike.

I try to prevent by looking after myself, good bibs, saddle, diet, rest etc. At the first sign i dab tea tree oil on the spot daily because of its anti biotic properties.

I also resist the temptation to squeeze it and burst it. I learnt that makes them bigger and worse. Indeed on one 600 audax it got so bad I asked a companion if he’d mind squeezing it for me, he declined the request quickly.

I also have used tea tree oil on my bib chamios to kill any bacterial build up.

They dont happen often but when they do they can have a huge impact on training and riding pleasure.

I’d find it helpful to gets some insight into what do people do and use to prevent and treat them?

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#2

I used to be a sufferer but after less time than you. The usual list of things is bike fit, shorts, hygiene, chamois cream, saddle options. You seem to have most of those covered. The breakthrough for me was getting an Infinity Bike Seat. It simply doesn’t put any load on the areas where I was suffering saddle sores. Good luck with finding a solution.

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#3

I feel your pain!!

Not much different to what has been mentioned, I tried out a lot of different shorts, tested saddles (2nd for Infinity Bike Seat!), and use chamois cream. I use sudocrem post ride if I have any issues.

One of the biggest learnings for me was changing shorts when they got wet with sweat. This isn’t always practical, but can make the difference.

Hope you get this resolved!

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#4

Thanks kickacsa.

I’ve just purchased a sella anatomica and thus far am impressed at the comfort and it was great on a 200 last weekend.

I suspect the saddle sore is from a harder, not quite fitted, saddle on the turbo trainer. I’d like to get rid of the sore as soon as possible as my events are now building up. Maintaining a discipline about cleaning my kit, anti bacterial etc will be key as well as altering the turbo saddle.

I’d love to purchase your saddle but my partner would raise an eyebrow, or two, at yet another purchase. Maybe one may come up on ebay, hopefully

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#5

No doubt a pain many of us have felt at some time or another!

Whilst i am disciplined on events you have made me think an issue may be the shorts i use on the turbo trainer.

I save good bibs for events and use okay shorts for turbo sessions, sometimes they arent fully dry after a wash (wash them after every session).

You’ve made me wonder if the very slightly damp shorts and the not quite right fitting of the saddle on the turbo are the causes?

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#6

I use Dermol 500 lotion as it is antimicrobial and moisturiser before and after riding. It can also be used as a soap substitute. It was a product recommendation from a pro cyclist.

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#7

Another for sudocrem here!

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#8

Hi Kevstorr, I’ll look into Dermol. I see it can be ordered online in the Uk at a reasonable price so it is worth a shot.

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#9

I’ve tried Sudocream a few times and have found it quite claggy, despite that i still keep it handy in my after ride kit. Maybe I’m laying it on too thick - there again maybe that my whole approach to life!

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#10

Well things have improved significantly. One was making sure my cycle nicks were totally dry after washing.

Another was to replace the saddle on the turbo trainer. I went from a wide specialised power saddle to a narrower saddle that had longer rail adjustments.

Finally I dabbed the spot with tea tree oil a few times a day.

Did any specific one do the trick? I really don’t know. The saddle on the turbo felt significant. Like many of these things its a combination of solutions coming together.

Thanks to the blog and all the responses i now have a much wide range of strategies for the future.

On the audax bike I’m still bedding in the new Sella Anatomica. It is a long time since I had a leather saddle. I imagine it’ll take a few months to bed in. So far I’ve done one 200 on it, last weekend, and the saddle sore didn’t get worse and has now gone. I’ve got quite a few 200s lined up for the remainder of the year so I’ll know by Christmas if its going to do what i hope - give me a happy backside.

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#11

Glad you are feeling better mate!!

Another here for Infinity Bike Seat and Sudocrem (afterwards only and yes, lay it on thick!).

#12

I picked mine up from the Pharmacy in Tesco by me.

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#13

I just ordered an Infinity Bike Seat. I have a lot of chafing/soreness on rides longer than 40-50 miles, in spite of good quality bibshorts, liberal application of Chamois Butt’r to the chamois and myself, and a recent bike fit. Hope the new saddle is the answer.

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#14

Great, I’m town this afternoon so will check out Boots. If not i can keep an eye for large Tescos as I head up to Alnwick for an Audax. My son used to suffer bad excimia? and it wouldn’t surprise me if at.one time we some in the house.

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#15

Im going to try to get hold of the Dermol 500 cream recommended by Kevin. Chaffing can get so painful, how has it been since all the changes?

My brother suffers badly on the big Audaxs, I think he has found the investment in sella saddle and assos bibs is paying off. He has Perth Albany Perth in October, a 1000km audax, that will really test his approach.

He is much more disciplined than me and uses spreadsheets to track how each item works. i tend to chuck stuff on and grit my teeth. I’ll put a post on when he is done and what he used, may be of use for some of us who have posted on this topic.

Test the saddle again this weekend so fingers crossed. Best of luck with your solutions. Mike

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#16

UPDATE - all is well in the rear. Have changed the turbo bike saddle. I now make sure cycle nicks for turbo work are properly dry before sessions.

Did a 200km audax two weekends ago with assos bibs (only brought out for special rides) and all is well, the saddle sore never returned. Still on the hunt for dermerol but will eventually find some.

Thanks everyone, the discussions and sharing have been really helpful.

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#17

You don’t want Demerol.

For long distance, Audax/ Randonneuring , go with a leather saddle; Brooks or Selle Anatomica. The latter requires no break-in, the former does.

G

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#18

…oh my…another topic where (unfortunately) have garnished some wisdom…ugh…what a shit show my journey has been :roll_eyes::laughing:

where to begin…at the beginning!!..hey its raining again!!

2011 - month long trip to the beaches and jungles of thailand, came back with MRSA dec 11 2011

upon return, my left front shin was treated for MRSA, dr. said i was hours away from losing my left leg at the knee…it took several months to clear up…lots of medicated gauze and rounds of antibiotics … daughter and wife got a taste of it too

tough critter that MRSA bacteria

a few years go by, May 2015? … im doing the AIDS ride, SF to LA, 545miles…wonderful event, second time ive done it…day 3 im feverish, shaking (like i was a few years prior, in 2011) but my ass is on FIRE!!!..my chamois is soaked with nasty smelling “fluid” (blood and puss)…to the medical tent i go after dinner…two handsome, sweet doctors. are looking up in my business…they tell me to stop riding “right now” and get to hospital

a friend drives me 3hrs back to kaiser emergency on sunset in Los Angeles…im there for two days as they drain the ever filling sack of nasty fluid where my right sitbone used to be…legs in stirrups the nurses pack and repack my ass with yards of medicated gauze for two days…

this is the most pain i have ever experienced in my life

they send me home,
im wearing diapers

with yards of this medicated gauze in a box of “red fluid” im packing/repacking this hole in my ass for several months…surgical gloves, squat over a mirror, tweezers, i feed the gauze into the gaping hole in my ass (next to my asshole)…i do this 3 times a day

no riding for months, im wearing diapers

the most excruciating pain i have ever experienced

a months…a year goes by, things seem to clear up…i start riding again…(uncomfortably)…short rides…but i ride, joy returns to my life

fall 2015…i do the Mammoth Gran Fondo…wonderful event…evening of the finish my ass is on fire…fever, shaking im right back to the emergency room…

i start it all over again

im packing my ass with medicated gauze for months diapers…rounds and rounds of hardcore antibiotics…MRSA…its a tough bug to kill

i learn that MRSA hides in your belly button, nostrils and asshole…nice huh?

later in 2015 or 2016 i have an ablation for afib (my first ablation)… It was I awesome!!! i got the royal treatment…my own room, special handling, privacy, et cetera … I asked them

“why the special treatment, business slow?!?”

turns out my chart indicated that I have a history of MRSA and have to be kept isolated because it’s highly contagious … kiss of death to hospitals…

we are waiting for the MRSA results before going to ablation surgery…

“…congratulations terry! you are MRSA free!!!”

I could tell they were as relieved as I was

ablation was good…for 5 yrs

all this nasty saddle sore / MRSA business on my backside, I have been gifted thick scar tissue around my right seat bone, yep…“up in my ass”… so I have to be very careful with any irritation and friction in that area…the MRSA is gone, but i can still get inflamed and painful sensitivity on long hot days in the saddle…like last May for Giro riding from Cortina to Venice…the next day from Venice to Lake Garda…it was sketchy and painful…but no hospital visits, no MRSA, just chafing

I’ve used almost every chamois/ass cream imaginable…assos, button hole, diaper rash creme, enzos, butt’r, DZ nuts…ect… what i’m using now, that works great, is inexpensive and I buy it by the case

NOXZEMA!!!

get the eucalyptus!! it tingles!!! :laughing::+1:t2:

Noxzema Facial Cleanser, 12 Ounce (Pack of 6)

fyi … the noxzema trick was not my idea…ole chris planted the seed a couple years back…

saddles - ive tried several…specalized, fizik (still have a carbon R1 floating around)…im settled on this prologo…love it…

bibs? assos always…but not all fit me well…i have some crazy expensive assos GTR C2 long leg bibs for long days and i cant take 3 hours with them (the were a present)…too MUCH padding that bunches up…these are my goto bibs…

thats my story, ill put it “behind” me!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::roll_eyes:

also…if you have some irritation starting, get on it fast!!! ive had really good luck with this…like magic…

Assos Skin Repair Gel https://a.co/d/9LEyOqQ

protip!..NEVER reapply chamious creme at rest stops!!! its bacteriaville!!! :stuck_out_tongue::crazy_face:

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#19

Oof!! @Duke68 - we were just discussing a lot of this!

#20

I have now succumbed to a rather large saddle sore of the open and wheeping variety. It is long and thin in shape. It opened up properly last night after about 2 months of managing it and hoping it would go away.
Once you have an open sore, what are the best steps to getting back on your bike?

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