Zinc ointment *NOT* a good chamois cream!

[Sir Ridesalot]

Hi there.

Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
cream and to ptrevent heat rash.

Went on a two day ride and used the zinc ointment both days. *VERY
BAD* idea and results.

I thought the redness I got after the two days riding was just a mild
heat rash. Nope, no such luck. Apparently Zinc ointment kills *ALL*
the bacteria including the good ones that keep other nasties like
fungus in check.

The doctor prescribed a cream to take care of the resultant infection.
OOPs! Seems I am allergic to that cream!

Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
suppress the good bacteria too.

So do not use Zinc ointment as a chamois cream!

Cheers from Itchy Peter

 

[Mike Kruger]

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
>
> Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
> particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
> an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
> relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
> chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
> keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
> fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
> that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
> susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
> suppress the good bacteria too.
>
Sounds like you've got yourself a new doctor.

 

[Bill Sornson]

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
> Hi there.
>
> Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
> cream and to ptrevent heat rash.
>
> Went on a two day ride and used the zinc ointment both days. *VERY
> BAD* idea and results.
>
> I thought the redness I got after the two days riding was just a mild
> heat rash. Nope, no such luck. Apparently Zinc ointment kills *ALL*
> the bacteria including the good ones that keep other nasties like
> fungus in check.
>
> The doctor prescribed a cream to take care of the resultant infection.
> OOPs! Seems I am allergic to that cream!
>
> Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
> particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
> an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
> relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
> chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
> keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
> fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
> that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
> susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
> suppress the good bacteria too.
>
> So do not use Zinc ointment as a chamois cream!

Thanks for getting to the bottom of the matter.

 

[PagCal]

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
> Hi there.
>
> Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
> cream and to ptrevent heat rash.

You can do the same thing to yourself by using these germ killing soaps.

Better, just use regular, plain old soap.

And, it's not just our derriers that contain their own friendly
bacterias. We used to culture swabs from just anywhere on the body you
can think of and we'd always get some sort of unique bacteria that's
taken up residence there.

 

[Sir Ridesalot]

On May 19, 6:57 pm, Sir Ridesalot <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi there.
>
> Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
> cream and to ptrevent heat rash.
>
> Went on a two day ride and used the zinc ointment both days. *VERY
> BAD* idea and results.
>
> I thought the redness I got after the two days riding was just a mild
> heat rash. Nope, no such luck. Apparently Zinc ointment kills *ALL*
> the bacteria including the good ones that keep other nasties like
> fungus in check.
>
> The doctor prescribed a cream to take care of the resultant infection.
> OOPs! Seems I am allergic to that cream!
>
> Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
> particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
> an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
> relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
> chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
> keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
> fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
> that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
> susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
> suppress the good bacteria too.
>
> So do not use Zinc ointment as a chamois cream!
>
> Cheers from Itchy Peter


Hi there.

Following up on my post.

I posted that because I did not want others to make the same mistake
I did.

That would not have been so bad if I had not had the allergic reaction
to the cream the pharmacist gave me the first time. To be fair to the
Sports Medicine doctor (whom I saw the first time) though the cream
he prescribed was substituted by the pharmacist because it was not
covered by my drug plan. I wonder if the original precription would
have caused the same allergic reaction?

At least the allergic reaction did not cause severe blistering like
the Geramyacin Sulphate did on my road rash a couple of years ago.

>From now on when I get a new cream for any thing I am going to try it
on a small area first and wait a few hours before covering the whole
area. The reaction is worse than the original problem@ VBG

Cheers from Peter

 

[[email protected]]

On May 20, 8:57 am, Sir Ridesalot <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi there.
>
> Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
> cream and to ptrevent heat rash.
>
> Went on a two day ride and used the zinc ointment both days. *VERY
> BAD* idea and results.
>
> I thought the redness I got after the two days riding was just a mild
> heat rash. Nope, no such luck. Apparently Zinc ointment kills *ALL*
> the bacteria including the good ones that keep other nasties like
> fungus in check.
>
> The doctor prescribed a cream to take care of the resultant infection.
> OOPs! Seems I am allergic to that cream!
>
> Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
> particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
> an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
> relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
> chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
> keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
> fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
> that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
> susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
> suppress the good bacteria too.
>
> So do not use Zinc ointment as a chamois cream!
>
> Cheers from Itchy Peter

What was the purpose of using it for chamois cream - lubrication or
hygiene? For the latter, hanging shorts inside out in the sun after
washing is as good as anything - UV kills the bugs. (You could also
try mooning the sun to clean up the infection, but your neighbours
would be sure to object.)

Donga

 

[Sir Ridesalot]

On May 21, 6:02 am, [email protected] wrote:
> On May 20, 8:57 am, Sir Ridesalot <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi there.
>
> > Hot humid weather so I decided to use some zinc ointment as a chamois
> > cream and to ptrevent heat rash.
>
> > Went on a two day ride and used the zinc ointment both days. *VERY
> > BAD* idea and results.
>
> > I thought the redness I got after the two days riding was just a mild
> > heat rash. Nope, no such luck. Apparently Zinc ointment kills *ALL*
> > the bacteria including the good ones that keep other nasties like
> > fungus in check.
>
> > The doctor prescribed a cream to take care of the resultant infection.
> > OOPs! Seems I am allergic to that cream!
>
> > Today I went to another doctor and was told that my reaction to that
> > particular cream is quite common. She gave me a new prescription for
> > an anti-fungal cream and another prescription for some tablets to
> > relieve the itch. She is the one who told me that Zinc ointement as a
> > chamois cream is not good because it kills the good bacteria that
> > keeps the fungus in check. She also told me that everyone has this
> > fungus and all it needs is an opportunity to spread. She also told me
> > that cyclists and people in general who are on anti-biotics are also
> > susceptible to fungal or yeast infections because the anti-biotics
> > suppress the good bacteria too.
>
> > So do not use Zinc ointment as a chamois cream!
>
> > Cheers from Itchy Peter
>
> What was the purpose of using it for chamois cream - lubrication or
> hygiene? For the latter, hanging shorts inside out in the sun after
> washing is as good as anything - UV kills the bugs. (You could also
> try mooning the sun to clean up the infection, but your neighbours
> would be sure to object.)
>
> Donga- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Hi. It was for lubrication.

Fortunately the new cream is helping a lot.

Cheers from Peter

 

[Tom Keats]

In article <[email protected]>,
Sir Ridesalot <[email protected]> writes:

>> What was the purpose of using it for chamois cream - lubrication or
>> hygiene? For the latter, hanging shorts inside out in the sun after
>> washing is as good as anything - UV kills the bugs. (You could also
>> try mooning the sun to clean up the infection, but your neighbours
>> would be sure to object.)

> Hi. It was for lubrication.

For that, what you want is Bag Balm[tm].
Good for man or beast. If you're not allergic
to it.

At the risk of invoking smart-ass comments from
Bill S, I'll state that personally I'm averse to
creating anaerobic microbial environments by the
application of any sort of cream within my
cycling shorts. Besides, I abhor the sensation
of sitting on anything squishy.

The suggestion to sun-dry the chamois and expose
it to solar UV is a good one. I've also been
hand-washing my cycling shorts in solutions of
anti-bacterial dish detergent, with no ill effects.

The zinc oxide thing is more of an apres-ride
medicinal treatment for when you really need it,
and when you're out of your cycling shorts.


cheers,
Tom

--
Abe "Granpa" Simpson: "Uh-oh."
Marge Simspon: "Granpa, are you sitting on the apple pie?"
Granpa Simpson: "I sure hope so."

 

[[email protected]]

On May 24, 1:47 pm, [email protected] (Tom Keats) wrote:

> I'll state that personally I'm averse to
> creating anaerobic microbial environments by the
> application of any sort of cream within my
> cycling shorts. Besides, I abhor the sensation
> of sitting on anything squishy.
>
> The suggestion to sun-dry the chamois and expose
> it to solar UV is a good one. I've also been
> hand-washing my cycling shorts in solutions of
> anti-bacterial dish detergent, with no ill effects.

When I started packing on the miles, a co-worker (serious triathlete)
told me to:

- remove the shorts immediately after the ride ends (presuming you're
home, or somewhere where that will NOT result in arrest ... like
Starbucks);

- wash your shorts after every ride (I use the anti-bacterial liquid
dish soap, too);

- wash you (shower) immediately after every ride.

For him, this meant the end of any sort of saddle sores. These
things, of course, presume well-fitting, comfortable shorts....

 

[tmac-100]

On May 25, 1:04 am, [email protected] wrote:
> > The suggestion to sun-dry the chamois and expose
> > it to solar UV is a good one. I've also been
> > hand-washing my cycling shorts in solutions of
> > anti-bacterial dish detergent, with no ill effects.
>
> When I started packing on the miles, a co-worker (serious triathlete)
> told me to:
>
> - remove the shorts immediately after the ride ends (presuming you're
> home, or somewhere where that will NOT result in arrest ... like
> Starbucks);
>
> - wash your shorts after every ride (I use the anti-bacterial liquid
> dish soap, too);
>
> - wash you (shower) immediately after every ride.
>
> For him, this meant the end of any sort of saddle sores. These
> things, of course, presume well-fitting, comfortable shorts....

Last July-August I bicycled the Savannah Way in Australia for 6 weeks.
I had 2 pair of bicycling clothing and always wore a pair of cycling
shorts.On the2200 self-supported route i travelled, I did not have the
luxury of having scheduled laundry/shower stops. Nor did i spend most
of the trip on pavement/bitumen.

That said, I washed regularly - that means once a day and usually at a
river I crossed. Same with the shorts and long-sleeved shirt - one
pair was on me and the other washed or waiting to be washed. I had bar
soap. Noliquid soap because it was just another risk of opening up and
spilling in my panniers and making a mess, 500 km from "Nowhere", in
othback Australia. After 2 weeks on the road I got rid of my "diaper
rash" creme containing ZnO, etc by stpooing at Normanton, Qsld and
mailing the stuff to friends in Melbourne - from where I went back to
Canada. Ordinary soap and water was all I had, and all I used. Drying
properly was essential - hence my hanging up clothes. When i washed at
a river I put my shirt, shorts, and towel over the Ibex trailer and
the stuff dried in the sun. Yes, they were sometimes covered in dust,
but that shook off and the cloth fibers were free of sweat, oil, and
old flakes of skin, etc.... Dusty washed clothes "are" cleaner than
just removed sweat-soaked clothes.

At night I slept without clothes in my sleeping bag in an enclosed
hammock between 2 trees - so clothes would dry-air out.

A well-fitting Brooks saddle was an essential part of my equipment.
Sweat-moistened and "fitted" to my buttocks - it was always absorbing
moisture and allowing it to evaporate as formed..... I could not see
sitting on a "piece of non-breathing plastic for 6 weeks of bicycling.
The more I rode, the better I (and my support system) felt ;-)

Next summer it will be more of the same kind of bicycle touring - with
the same strategy and equipment.

Ken
Canada