How to Get Rid of Camel Toe in Jeans, Leggings, & More

While camel toes may not always be the fashion faux pas they once were, not everyone wants their private area to be visible through their pants. Camel toes usually occur when you wear jeans, leggings, shorts, or swimsuits that are too tight, but luckily there are plenty of easy fixes. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to prevent camel toe. Plus, learn what it is, what causes it, and whether it’s embarrassing to have a camel toe.

How do you avoid camel toe?

To prevent camel toe, make sure your pants aren’t too tight, and opt for loose, breathable fabrics, preferably in dark colors. Wear underwear, and if necessary, add a panty liner to help conceal camel toe. Alternatively, buy commercial camel toe inserts or underwear.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Prevent Camel Toe

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Wear pants that are the proper size. Whether you’re wearing jeans, leggings, or other pants, one of the easiest ways to prevent camel toe is to make sure they aren’t too tight. Try your pants on to make sure you can move and sit comfortably in them, especially in the crotch area. Remember that it’s normal for weight to fluctuate, so don’t stress if you need to size up from what you normally wear. ^{[1]
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- Consider the rise of your jeans as well. Some people experience camel toe more often if they wear high-waisted jeans or pants.
- This applies to swimwear, as well. Too-small swimsuit bottoms are especially prone to camel toe.
- Note that wearing leggings that are too loose can also cause camel toe, as the excess material may bunch up around your crotch.
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Choose loose, breathable fabrics. Camel toe is likely to be worse when wearing stretchy, synthetic materials like yoga pants or other workout gear. Opt for more breathable fabrics whenever possible, and buy clothing (especially workout clothing) that has built-in lining at the crotch. This extra layer will help reduce the appearance of camel toe. ^{[2]
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- To avoid camel toe, it’s usually best to stay away from 100% Spandex.
- Avoid linen and polyester fabrics, as well, especially if it’s warm out.
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Wear underwear. If you want to avoid camel toe, don’t go commando; going without underwear will increase the chances you’ll have this problem, especially if you’re wearing pants made of thin, stretchy material or light-colored fabric. For even better results, go for low-rise panties , seamless underwear , or underwear with a crotch lining . ^{[3]
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- Wearing thicker panties is less likely to cause camel toe because they won’t get pulled into your private parts as easily. Thicker panties also provide some support and help smooth out lines.
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Go for leggings or pants made of thick fabrics. Thinner materials have less of a barrier between your skin and tend to emphasize the crotch area as the fabric can easily fold around your labia. To prevent this, choose thicker leggings or yoga pants that are opaque and matte enough that you can’t see your underwear through them. ^{[4]
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- Don’t wear tights as leggings, as they’re especially see-through.
- If you’re wearing leggings as pants, consider wearing a long shirt, sweater, or tunic for extra protection.
- Shapewear leggings can also help, as they work to smooth bulges and unevenness in the stomach, legs, and the area in between.
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Opt for dark colors or patterned fabrics. Black and dark colors help hide certain parts of your body, including your camel toe, so choosing dark colors is especially helpful if you want to wear leggings or other tight-fitting bottoms. Similarly, some patterns can “confuse” the eye and help disguise camel toe. ^{[5]
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- Fashion expert Melissa Young agrees that thin, unsupported polyester or yoga pants in a light color are the worst possible fabrics for camel toe.
- White and light beige fabrics often leave nothing to the imagination, especially with non-tailored yoga pants or other stretchy fabrics. This is why it’s best to avoid them if you want to prevent or hide camel toe.
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Wear leggings with liners or gussets. Leggings with a reinforced gusset, like leakproof leggings , have extra material around the crotch to reduce friction and cushion the area. This extra material often helps prevent camel toe, as it is thicker than normal legging material. Additionally, leggings with gussets typically have an oval- or diamond-shaped seam rather than a straight seam, which can also help reduce the appearance of camel toe. ^{[6]
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Wearing a panty liner is a quick fix if you know your pants give you a camel toe or if you’ve already left the house once you realize it. Simply stick the panty liner to your underwear as you normally would to conceal creasing. The thick material should prevent your bottoms from bunching up around your crotch. ^{[7]
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Consider wearing cycling underwear. Cycling underwear is made of thick material with sewn-in foam pads to reduce friction and soreness when riding a bike. The extra padding helps prevent camel toe when you wear leggings, bike shorts, or other tight pants. Alternatively, look for bike shorts with built-in chamois if you typically wear bike shorts more than leggings. ^{[8]
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These days, there are many products available to help prevent or reduce the appearance of camel toe. Buy commercial inserts that resemble panty liners, or order special panties designed to prevent camel toe. There are also commercial camel toe guards available that resemble men’s athletic cups. ^{[9]
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Cut up a bra cup pad and stick it in your underwear. If you need a quick DIY hack to hide your camel toe, find a bra cup pad you no longer use and cut it into a triangle small enough to fit in the liner or pocket of your panties. Slip it inside the pocket for some extra padding when you wear pants that give you a camel toe. ^{[10]
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Section 2 of 5:

What is camel toe?

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Camel toe is when the outline of the vulva is visible in tight-fitting clothes. A camel toe, or a frontal wedgie, refers to when your pants are too tight and you can see the outline of the lips of your vulva through them. It mainly happens when you wear tight jeans, leggings , swimsuits, or athletic clothing. ^{[11]
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Section 3 of 5:

What causes camel toe?

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Clothing that is too small or tight The most common cause of camel toe is wearing jeans, leggings, yoga pants, or other bottoms that are too tight, especially in the crotch area. These pants will cling to your body and make your camel toe more noticeable. ^{[12]
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Clingy clothing fabric Certain clothing materials and styles are more likely to cause camel toe than others. Fabrics that cling to each other or to your body often mold to the shape of your pelvic area and lead to camel toe. This includes fabrics like polyester and other synthetic workout material, as well as cotton underwear. ^{[13]
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Your natural body shape While wearing certain clothing can make your camel toe more noticeable, it’s important to understand that this is just how the female body is shaped. Because everyone’s body is different, some people may have more issues with camel toe than others.
- Shaving your bikini area can also sometimes make your camel toe more prominent.

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Problems Caused by Camel Toe

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Camel toe may cause discomfort. If you have a camel toe because your clothes are too tight, you may not feel too comfortable in the crotch area. It may feel as if your pants or leggings are riding up, squishing your genitals, or giving you a wedgie.
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Your clothes may lack breathability. If your clothes are tight enough to cause a camel toe, they may also be too tight for air to circulate within them. This can lead to dampness from crotch sweat, as well as unwanted odor. Wearing loose or sweat-wicking materials can help prevent this. ^{[14]
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Your genitals may become irritated. In general, you likely won’t experience much irritation from occasionally wearing clothes that give you a camel toe. However, if you wear too-tight clothing frequently, the friction and lack of breathability may irritate the skin, which can eventually lead to infection . ^{[15]
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Section 5 of 5:

Should you be embarrassed by camel toe?

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Camel toe is nothing to be embarrassed about. However, like cleavage or visible nipples, it is a very personal area, and it is up to you to decide what you are comfortable with revealing. Camel toe was once considered a fashion faux pas, but these days, some women choose to rock it intentionally. You should never feel embarrassed about your body, but if you prefer not to show camel toe, try one of the solutions in this article to prevent it.

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How can I get rid of an existing camel toe?

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I just use a pad or liner. But honestly, everyone has one; it's just a matter of how visible it is depending on your clothing.

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Why is it called "camel toe"?

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Technically, the term refers to the outline of a woman's labia majora, which is said to resemble the shape of... a camel's foot.

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Why do people find camel toe embarrassing?

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Society has been built to shame people (especially women) for being overtly sexual unless specifically for reproductive purposes. Society is always heaping discriminatory ideas on women because it has yet to mature and treat people as equals.

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Yoga pants are among the worst offenders when it comes to camel toe.

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Cheaper fabrics are usually going to come with less support. You get what you pay for.

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If you need a quick fix for your camel toe, simply go to the restroom or another private area and tug at the material of your pants so that it loosens around your private area. Or, pull your pants down a notch at the waist to reduce the tightness.

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How to Get Rid of Camel Toe in Jeans, Leggings, & More

How do you avoid camel toe?

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How to Prevent Camel Toe

What is camel toe?

What causes camel toe?

Problems Caused by Camel Toe

Should you be embarrassed by camel toe?

Community Q&A

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Tips

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