Woman sick of summer chafing reveals exactly how she stopped the pain after years of trying dodgy DIY remedies: ‘I will never forget the pain’

A young woman has revealed the painful path which lead her to develop her own skincare brand aimed at tackling sweat and chafing.

Hannah Milgate grew up in the 80s – and is no stranger to the tearing, burning sensation and shame of chafe.

In fact she remembers the first moment she felt the now familiar hot, stinging sensation between her thighs. She was just ten.

She told FEMAIL she was on holiday with her family in Bali. 

‘Prepubescent me walked through a bustling market, painfully aware of the burning sensation between my thighs. To me, it felt like a glaring beacon announcing to the world that my body was failing me once again – something that seemed unimaginable for the rest of my family,’ she said.

While she now understands chafing can happen to anyone of any size and athletic ability she was mortified.

She assumed it was a feeling reserved for those others deemed ‘fat’. By that age she was already acutely aware she didn’t meet society’s beauty standards.  

‘My body was bigger, and the messages I absorbed – whether from whispered conversations about when I’d ‘lose the puppy fat,’ jokes about eating habits, or seemingly kind comments like ‘nicely rounded’ – all reinforced the same narrative,’ she said.

That narrative was that ‘big equaled bad, ugly, or unhealthy, while slim was synonymous with good, beautiful, and fit’.

‘While my family loved me deeply, my body’s differences became a source of profound shame. It’s a struggle I’ve carried with me and one I’m still learning to overcome,’ she said.

Hannah is now the proud owner of Skoop Skincare – a brand which currently offers  four products, including blotting paper and a chafe protection cream.

She says everyone sweats so she doesn’t understand the taboo and shame around it, or chafing.

‘Chafing for me has always been most common between my thighs and on the sides of my arms where they rubbed against fabric. But as I’ve spoken with more people, I’ve come to realise just how universal it is,’ she said.

‘Whether it’s nipples rubbing against a sports bra, thighs chafing on a bike ride, or underboob friction in swimwear, chafing happens.’

At ten years old she didn’t understand that. And she didn’t have access to creams or bike shorts to help out, so instead she just stopped playing sport and being active.

‘I stopped wearing shorts and dresses, stayed indoors,’ she said.

‘Even swimming at the beach, my favorite thing, became another opportunity to feel ashamed of my body,’ she added.

She became further disheartened when she did start to notice creams on the market because she felt the names which often revolved around the idea of being overweight, further added to shame and stigma.

‘Worse still, many formulations were packed with harmful ingredients like aluminum, alcohol, and talc. In desperation, I tried makeshift remedies: coconut oil, cornstarch, and, at my lowest point, a Rexona aerosol deodorant that, thankfully, didn’t give me a worse reaction,’ she said.

Then she decided to research how to make a cream which would help her and the millions of other who experience chafing.

‘When creating Skoop, I was determined to build a brand rooted in inclusivity and positivity. I refused to sell products from a place of shame. Instead, I wanted to provide real solutions that empower people to embrace their bodies, no matter their size or shape,’ she said.

She revealed photos of her red raw skin before using her own cream regularly and after which show how well it has healed.

‘Even today, I still chafe occasionally, but with one application of Skin Shield in the morning, I don’t give it another thought. It’s safe for sensitive skin, plant-based, and even gentle enough to use on my son’s nappy rash,’ she said.

And she isn’t the only one loving the cream, the $29.95 product has 89 five-star reviews.

‘Thanks for making skirts and dresses possible again. Very pregnant and wouldn’t use anything else. Now I can wear my skirts, shorts and dresses, without any worries, my chafing days are officially over – thank you,’ one woman said.

‘I can now wear my favourite summer dresses without worrying about sweaty bike shorts (and TMI but thrush) underneath. Confidence restored,’ said another.

Others said the product has ‘changed their summers’ with one saying she won’t leave the house without it.