The injury that isn't talked about so much - the nipple

Jogger's nipple.

It's 'macho' and 'tough' to talk about ruptured Achilles, destroyed knees, but nipples? Are we allowed to admit that both men and women have nipples?

It's been a while since this I've been afflicted by this particular runner's injury (well, I haven't run much in the preceding years, mostly been cycling). Last Sat a lovely 13km in driving snow, just felt the cold through my windproof and wool top, but when I got in the shower . . . Raw, bleeding nipples. Still scabby 5 days later.

I refuse to wax just so I can get a plaster to stick to my chest. Maybe I'll have to start wearing a training bra. Might have other benefits; after all, middle-aged moobs also need restraining.

Comments

  • lol. I suffer the same affliction. There are few pains like the wind whipping through a t shirt onto a raw nipple lol. I keep telling myself it will get better as my moobs reduce
  • Had this a few times but it is (thankfully) rare for me, as it is proper painful! Try some different materials for your top. Cotton can work better sometimes. Hope you get some improvement.
  • Have you tried good old Vaseline? Since I wear a sports bra it's not a problem I've had, but I've had chafing in a lot of other places and Vaseline has worked better for me than other lubes I've tried. Might be worth wearing a compression top as well as a lot of the friction comes from fabric moving around over the area (hence compression sports bras helping women avoid the same fate as the guys).
  • I wonder how Scaramanga managed 
  • I second the Vaseline suggestion. I normally smear some on for anything over 10 miles and never had a problem.
  • I've used vaseline for half marathons (between thighs and armpits - I'll never run distances in a sleeveless top again). Never tried it on my nipples.
    Just imagining the comments in the household;
    "scuse me, I just need some vaseline for my nipples"

    Bigballer, please don't tell me there is a connection between your forum name and your need to use vaseline when running. My father trained racehorses and had a horse with that 'problem'. Plentiful vaseline required before races to avoid 'pinching' in the turns.
  • No mrcharly my name has nothing to do with why I need Vaseline. I think its more to do with having thighs that rub, sweating like a mine worker and being rather piliferous.
  • I use NipGuards which are small enough to provide protection without trapping too much hair (or none if you are careful). They are expensive for what is basically a hexagonal plaster with some padding but you can't put a price on the comfort they offer.
  • I will bear those in mind. Vaseline sufficed the last time I went out in the cold and wet, I'm glad to say.

    Do NipGuards come in a variety of colours? Trying to restrain my imagination, but your description has reminded me of something I've seen before.
  • YnnecYnnec ✭✭✭
    Coat your raspberries with superglue - no friction, guaranteed.
  • speaking from (painful) experience, vaseline. If you have unfortunately forgotten and then want to carry in the immediate week then I have also just used bandage plaster and taped them up..
    Creator of https://www.letsdothis.com - would love your feedback!
  • Micropore Surgical Tape is the stuff I use, easy on easy off and no sore nipples!! :smile:
  • I've never had an issue with normal plasters and haven't required any waxing for them to stick. I'd say I have nipples of average hirsuteness. In fact, main issue is getting them off. Normally require a soak in the shower before they'll come off with out taking all the hairs with them.

    It's not a problem I get on vast majority of runs, it only really becomes an issue if it rains heavily. Thickness of top then becomes key. The thinner and lighter the better obviously and a compression vest underneath helps too. So, if it were a bit cold, rather than opt for a thicker t-shirt, I'd go for a thin shirt over a compression vest.
  • I sweat heavily and have suffered the pain and embarrassment of a heavily blood stained shirt - but have since found an alternate solution. Everything I have ever read talks about friction of the shirt and different fabrics, but the common link for everyone I have known who suffers the affliction is a hairy chest (just look at the comments above and see how many talk about the plaster/tape sticking (or not) to the hair). In my case at least it wasn't the fabric itself, but rather the fabric moving the hair that caused the micro-cuts and abrasions. Just think about how abrasive hair is.

    The solution for me was to simply clipper a small area around the edge of the nipple, and as long as no hair touches the nipple, no problem. For years now I haven't had a single bleed, even with half and full marathon distances. I'm sure there may be some hairless examples out there, but for myself I enjoy running tape and lube free. Hope this also works for some others out there.
  • I suffer with this, and have hairy chest, I've found two solutions,use the little round plasters that come in many plaster packs, or with normal plasters cut the ends off on each plaster and stick the sticky bit directly on the nipple.

    Helps me, just need to sort the crotch chafing next lol
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