Originally Posted by
Six jours
I think it's worth pointing out that saddle sores and soreness from the saddle aren't necessarily the same thing. A saddle sore is an actual bacterial infection, like a pimple or a boil. Soreness from the saddle is just worn-away skin, caused by friction.
The latter is pretty obvious when it is developing. If you are getting sore from the saddle and notice redness where you contact the saddle, chamois cream (which is valuable primarily as lubrication) can help.
Actual saddle sores, however, usually form inside hair follicles. And it may be that preventing chafing can help prevent them in some people, so it seems logical that chamois cream would always be a good idea. But anything that tends to interfere with skin circulation can actually promote follicular problems - in the old days, when we all used natural chamois, Vaseline had an absolutely poisonous reputation because it could so easily contribute to follicular inflammation. Noxema (and similar) was often used as it was thought to help prevent such maladies. Some people actually mixed over-the-counter antibiotic preparations into their favored chamois cream. Hygiene, of course, is paramount for folks susceptible to saddle sores: never wear the same shorts without washing first, and make sure to thoroughly cleanse your sitting parts immediately after a ride.
The short version, IMO, is that if you don't have a problem you don't have a problem. If chafing becomes an issue, a "designed for cycling" cream may be indicated. And if you start developing actual saddle sores, then you'll need to start putting serious thought into all sorts of things, most of which can be addressed on this website, if need be.
There is a bit more to this. There are three sorenesses... the two you mention, and bruising of the sitbone region which can then develop into bursitis.
The simple saddle soreness can be caused by skin chafe, or irritation of the hair follicle. Infection of the follicle is a different thing... the bacteria, and also fungus, can take advantage of the irritation to gain entry and infect the follicle.
There is a third situation that can arise, and I think it's the infection deep below the skin, of either the sweat gland or another gland in the groin area. They are more insidious that any of the surface irritation and pimples, because they form a lump that then may rise to the surface of the skin, or remain deeply imbedded and rely on the fitness of the body's lymphatic system to clean up.
Suffice to say that keeping the region clean is important. Important, too, is to ensure that the body is well nourished, both food wise and with vitamin supplements if there is a deficiency otherwise.
I could never get the idea of clogging up the pores, however, with a cream, and especially with Vaseline or anything that uses it as a base. While I appreciate some people regard the cream as a barrier and antibiotic agent, I could never come at the idea. I remember when the cream used on cow's udders was all the rage before some clever people bought into the idea by making up the special creams everyone is so enamoured of these days.
I do suffer from time to time with skin and follicle irritations, usually in wet weather, or when sweating profusely, and with the deep-seated boils when I have been run down, but they all clear up without the need for creams while riding. I will apply, however, tea-tree
lotion after riding if there are issues, and that has worked extremely well for me.
As to the bursitis, it is something that requires time to heal. It does making ride a bit uncomfortable and you have to be careful not to continue to irritate the problem area.