Nothing deflates post-swim stoke quite like peeling off your wetsuit and discovering an angry red ring circling your neck. “Wetsuit hickeys” - that friction rash where the neck seal sits - are one of the most common frustrations for open-water swimmers and triathletes. The good news? They’re almost always preventable. Let’s walk through why they happen and, more importantly, how to stop them so you can focus on the swim, not the aftermath.
Why does a wetsuit rub my neck raw?
A wetsuit neck seal is designed to be snug. It has to keep water exchange to a minimum so your body can warm the thin layer inside without constantly flushing it with cold lake or ocean water. When that seal is too tight, positioned incorrectly, or rubbing against dry skin repeatedly with each head turn and breath, friction builds. Add some salt or chlorine, a few thousand stroke cycles, and you’ve got the recipe for irritation.
Most neck chafing comes down to three things: fit, donning, and the suit’s neck design. Address those and you’ll usually kiss the hickey goodbye.
Start with the right fit - on land and in the water
A wetsuit should feel snug on land, almost uncomfortably tight, but not restrictive around the neck. If you can’t slip two fingers flat between the collar and your skin without force, or you feel an immediate digging sensation, the suit may be too small or the size just isn’t right for your body shape.
Blue70 builds every suit to be swim-specific, not a repurposed surf suit, so the neckline geometry is engineered with long, rhythmic breathing in mind. Still, sizing is personal. Use the brand’s height-and-weight size charts as a starting point, but don’t stop there. The best test is exactly what Blue70’s 30-day Test Swim policy lets you do: swim in the suit. A neck seal that feels borderline on dry land often settles into comfort once you’re horizontal and water-lubricated. And if it doesn’t, you can exchange it clean and dry - no penalty for getting wet.
Donning: the 30-second fix most swimmers skip
Many neck irritation issues are created before you ever touch the water. A yanked, twisted neckline is sandpaper against skin. Here’s the sequence that changes everything:
- Take your time. Rushing a wet suit over dry skin is the enemy. Make sure the suit is fully unfolded and the legs are oriented correctly.
- Use your finger pads, never your fingernails. Poke a hole and you’ve got bigger problems than chafing.
- Work the suit up gradually. Pull the legs up to full height, then the torso. Grab handfuls of neoprene and inch it upward - don’t tug from the top edge.
- When you reach the shoulders, get help. Bend forward slightly and pull the suit up over each shoulder using flat hands, then smooth out any bunching under the arms.
- The neck last - and with care. Once the shoulders are seated, reach inside and gently lift the neck seal away from your skin, then let it settle back into place. It should lie flat and even, not rolled or folded under. A folded edge creates a concentrated pressure point that becomes a friction hotspot after ten minutes of breathing.
Pro tip: If you’re swimming solo, a little water or a silicone-based suit lubricant on the outside of the neck seal before the final adjustment can help it slide into its natural seated position.
Design details that work in your favor
Not all wetsuit collars are equal. Blue70’s Fusion wetsuit, redesigned in 2021, features a lower-sitting neckline specifically to reduce that “choking” sensation while maintaining a watertight seal. By dropping the collar height just enough, the rubber sits on a lower portion of the neck where there’s typically less movement and flexing during the breath, cutting down on repetitive rub.
For women, every Blue70 suit uses Femme Fit patterning, which includes a lowered neckline and extended zipper length as part of the women’s-specific cut. That means the collar is shaped to better match a typically shorter and differently contoured neck compared to unisex designs. The result is less bunching, less chafing, and more freedom to breathe naturally.
On the material front, all Blue70 suits use Yamamoto neoprene - smooth, flexible, and designed for swimming, not sitting on a surfboard. That inherent pliability means the neck seal can conform to your movement rather than fight it.
Lubrication and skin prep
If you’re prone to chafing regardless of fit, a thin layer of anti-chafe balm or petroleum-free lubricant applied around the neck before swimming adds a protective barrier. Apply it to your skin, not the suit, and keep it light - too much can cause the seal to slip and let water flush through.
Avoid heavy sunscreens or oily lotions right at the rub point; some formulations can degrade neoprene over time or actually increase friction when mixed with salt water. Rinse your skin before donning the suit if you’ve been wearing sunscreen on your neck.
After-swim care for you and the suit
- Rinse the suit with fresh water after every swim, especially the neck area. Salt crystals and dried chlorine are abrasive.
- Hang it properly - folded at the waist over a wide hanger, not hung by the neck. Stretching the neckline can distort the seal and create new pressure points.
- Give your skin some love. A simple balm or aloe vera post-swim soothes any minor irritation before it becomes a recurring hot spot.
The short version
Most wetsuit hickeys can be solved by getting the correct fit, donning the suit carefully so the neck seal lays flat, and choosing a suit with a collar designed for front-crawl breathing. Blue70’s Fusion and women’s Femme Fit suits are built with exactly that in mind - lowered, smooth, and shaped for swimming comfort. Add a little skin lubricant and mindful donning, and you’ll be hanging up your suit after the swim feeling fresh, not raw.
Dive in - and take it for a Test Swim. If the neck isn’t happy, we’ve got 30 days to make it right. Find your size in 30 seconds - head to the size chart.
