A friction burn is a form of abrasion caused by friction

Friction

Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...

 when a person's skin

Skin

-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...

 rubs against a surface. It may also be referred to as "skinning", "chafing," or called by the surface which caused the burn (e.g., "rope burn" or "carpet burn"). As friction also generates heat

Heat

In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...

, extreme cases of chafing may result in genuine burning of the outer layers of skin.

The dermal papillae

Dermal papillae

In the human skin, the dermal papillae are small, nipple-like extensions of the dermis into the epidermis...

 may be exposed after top layers of the dermis (stratum corneum

Stratum corneum

The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of dead cells that lack nuclei and organelles. The purpose of the stratum corneum is to form a barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection, dehydration, chemicals and mechanical stress...

, stratum granulosum

Stratum granulosum

The stratum granulosum is a thin layer of cells in the epidermis. Keratinocytes migrating from the underlying stratum spinosum become known as granular cells in this layer...

, stratum spinosum

Stratum spinosum

The stratum spinosum is a layer of the epidermis found between the stratum granulosum and stratum basale. This layer is also referred to as the "spinous" or "prickle-cell" layer. This appearance is due to desmosomal connections of adjacent cells. Keratinization begins in the stratum spinosum....

 and stratum basale) have been removed. This is often uncomfortable and even painful, but rarely results in bleeding

Bleeding

Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system...

.

A person's own skin (or the skin of another person) may be sufficient to act as an abrasive surface to cause friction burn. More commonly, friction with abrasive surfaces, including clothing, carpet, or rope, can lead to a friction burn. Common places at which skin-to-skin chafing can occur are between the thighs and under the armpits.

A risk of friction burns is infection

Infection

An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...

.

Treatments

Treatments for friction burns usually involve application of an anti-inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system....

cream. Pain relieving medication may also be taken.

One of the underlying factors behind abdominal chafing (inguinal friction) may be obesity, and weight loss may be indicated as a preventive measure.