Sweating Sucks But Just Don’t Give Up Hope!
My basketball jersey and pants (Both made out of really lightweight fabric.) – Not sure if you can see the sweat, but they are soaked!
I’ve had hyperhhidrosis ever since grade 9, and let me just tell you–Sweating SUCKS!!
For half the year I was fine, but then it was like someone opened up a floodgate and I started sweating from my underarms like Niagara Falls. I was caught completley off guard, so for almost my first two years of high school I was wearing black shirts, hoodies, jackets, everything to keep the sweat stains from showing.
I spent all day worrying that someone would see my wet underarms, so I kept them plastered to my sides all day, probably making the sweating worse.
I remember all of the things I tried…Putting on deodorant and/or antiperspirant between classes, stuffing paper towels in my sleeves. Wow, that sucked.
Grade 10 was pretty much the same, except now the sweat would trickle down my forehead and face on hot days and the sweat was even soaking through my sweaters, leaving nice little wet patches for everyone to see whenever I raised my arms the slightest bit.
I can’t forget the worst part though…On a normal day I only sweat from my armpits, but when I play sports like basketball and soccer, I start sweating uncontrollably all over my body, even after just a little work out.
In basketball warm up everyone else has barely broken a sweat, while my armpits are drenched on both my jersey and shooting shirt down to my waist.
Once I start playing, I am completely soaked after only a few minutes. The only dry part on me is my shoes. Even my hair is wet.
One perk is that I always have a place to sit on the bench, because I leave a puddle of sweat behind. Of course, everyone notices this, but I don’t care as much because it’s sports. You’re expected to sweat.
Of course, most girls don’t sweat at all. They “glisten”. Well, I don’t think glistening is defined by beads of sweat sliding down your sides every 7 seconds. (That’s right, I timed it.)
After refusing to put up with this for any longer, I saw my doctor, who said it was just natural and that I was fine. Obviously I wasn’t fine. I was drowning in my own sweat! I went to the pharmacy this time and discovered Drysol. In Ontario, Canada, you can get it without a prescription, but you have to ask for it.
DRYSOL CHANGED MY LIFE!
Although it didn’t stop the sweat completely, I can now wear clothes that I actually like, instead of boring blacks and navys.
My self confidence has taken a huge jump and I can now have fun at school and playing sports without feeling like a freak of nature, or freaking people out.
My only complaint is that Drysol sometimes stops working and I’m left with pie-plate sized stains on my basketball jersey, but at least I can live my life normally now.
I’m trying out a product called No Sweat. It doesn’t burn like Drysol and might work better. It also doesn’t need a prescription in Ontario.
I only wish I could have spoken up sooner and saved myself a whole lot of misery (and sweat). But the important thing is to stay positive and don’t give up!
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Hey Megan.
I have the exact same problem as you. I used to have realy bad underarm and facial sweating and I’m on the basketball team too. My coach was really good about it and ordered a long sleeve basketball shirt made out of the same material as yours. I used to soak it down to the waist and elbows in sweat AND have stains down my back and front. I just discovered the sweat shields on this website and put them on. Now only I only have to deal with my sweaty back and front and my pit stains are barely noticible with my arms at my sides. (The shields don’t completley stop my sweat.)
I also find that Drysol stops working after a while.
Hope this helps!
Chelsea
P.S.
My coach went to the website http://www.robbinssports.com and got the Long Sleeve Youth Basketball Shooter Shirt Warm-up Top.
Since I also get sweaty legs, she got the Basketball Player’s Dazzle Tear-Away Pants with Piping as well. That might help if you sweat all over your body.
I know the website says its for warm-up only, but I play just fine in them. They look great also and I wear them outside of basketball ’cause they let the sweat evaporte faster and are more comfortable to wear.
Chelsea 🙂
Hi Chelsea!
Thats a great idea! I actually do wear the long pants you saw in the picture for games also. They get soaked but it’s not as noticeable.
I was able to find a shirt like that and tried wearing it at school today without the shields. By now the Drsol has stopped working, so it ended up getting pretty soaked in the pits, lol. I’ll let you know how things work with the shields!