Teen Sweating And How To Not Sweat At School
Teen sweating pretty much sucks in general. But when you have to go back to school, after a summer of straight-chillin’, the amount that it sucks can be compounded by excessive sweating.
Not to worry, though. Your friends at Bye-Bye (just Josh and Chris, really) gotcha’ covered. Here is how to not sweat at school.
In this article…
We’re gonna’ discuss some back-to-school strategies and ideas for teens with excessive sweating.
We start with some antiperspirant-talk.
Then we give you some style (clothing) strategies.
Finally, a technique to ‘flip-the-switch’ and embarrass the heck out of any bully that makes fun of your sweating.
BTW, you need to be sticking to Mechanic Method (what’s this?) but we’ll hook y’up for the time being.
Josh and I have not been “adults” for very long. In fact, we really are probably less mature than you are. For example, we still get a huge kick out of Fart Jokes.
But nevertheless, I’m 23 and he’s 26 so we’re getting older. But we definitely remember what it’s like going back to school.
Some of the worst times of my personal struggle with hyperhidrosis happened in high school. There were times when I was made fun of so bad. Just humiliated. This one time we were in a science lab with those tables that show moisture really obviously, and some asshole kid says something about “Eww, your hand leaves a sweat mark on the table, that’s gross!” And everybody started laughing. I turned BEAT-RED. Everybody was looking at us. It was the worst 30 seconds EVER. It obviously had a big effect on me because remembering it right now as I write it is making me turn a little red too.
Not only did I have the armpit sweat going on, but I also had sweaty palms, which SUCKS (I know).
Middle and high school kids are not particularly understanding about teen sweating. Although it’s very common, it is still largely misunderstood. Here are some things that you can do in these few weeks before school starts to have a better time.
Find The Best Antiperspirant For You
A good antiperspirant will make all the difference for you. If you’re still using the regular old over-the-counter “Speed Stick”s and such, and they’re not working for you (i.e. you’re still sweating) then try some different ones!
You have some options…First, there are over-the-counter (but stronger) antiperspirants designed specifically for excessive sweating. They come in several varieties and sometimes one will work for you, and another will not. You may need to try a couple different ones. They’re pretty cheap though, and if they stop sweating, they’re pretty much worth their weight in gold, right?
Read about the different over-the-counter hyperhidrosis antiperspirants.
Another option you’ve got is Drysol (or something like it). This is supposed to be prescribed by your doctor, so you should see them about it. Just between you and I (and you didn’t hear this from me) you can actually buy it online from Canadian websites without a prescription. I didn’t just say that, though.
Seriously, you should see your doctor because Drysol comes in different concentrations. The active ingredient, Aluminum Chloride, can be found in concentrations as high as 40%! That’s high. The Aluminum concentration is the over-the-counter hyperhidrosis antiperspirants is between 15-20%. Just see the doctor for teen sweating!
Make sure you’re applying your antiperspirants the smart way–At night, after your shower and relaxation/meditation, right before bed. Then AGAIN in the morning. This is crucial as it gives time for the medicine to be absorbed.
Oh, and by the way, antiperspirants aren’t just for armpit sweat anymore. You can use antiperspirants on sweaty palms, sweaty feet, facial sweat, body sweat, you name it. Be careful if you’re applying a stringent antiperspirant to a sensitive area like your face.
Get Sweaty
When I was a teen sweating, I always liked the summertime. Why? Because you could sweat your butt off, and nobody would really care or say anything because it’s HOT! And everybody knows that you sweat when you’re hot.
So get hot at school! The way I did it in school was I got involved with thephysical education department. We had classes like regular gym class, weight training, specialty sports, etc. You have the opportunity to take physical classes at school. It’s like part of the curriculum, so you shouldn’t have any problem.
This way, if you have the class everyday, you have an excuse to be all sweaty at least once per day. What I did was I made good friends with the faculty in these departments. During my junior and senior years, I worked for them as a TA (teacher’s assistant). By senior year, I was spending almost half my day doing physical things. So yea, I was always sweating, but I had a good excuse…I was working!
An added bonus–these classes are usually super-easy! You can improve your GPA, and have an excuse to sweat.
Be Stylish
This tip makes teen sweating really easy to deal with.
What two colors are ALWAYS in style, and will always be in style? Black and white! Black is sleek and stylish, and white is fine and elegant. Plus, the two colors look good together, and they look good on almost everyone! Check out how slick these people look…
Also, as you can see, a lot of people are wearing jackets or blazers. This technique is called “layering” in fashion (I think). And it happens to be HOT right now. Check out my man, Kan-yeezy (Kanye West)…
Layering rocks for any teen sweating because not only does it look awesome, but also, even if you’re sweating it’s hard to tell when you’re wearing a blazer. In the winter time, you can use the layering strategy. In summer, since it’s wicked hot, just wear black and white most days.
Also, keep an extra shirt or two in your locker in case you need to change one time. And do yourself a favor, get some armpit sweat pads/dress-shields/underarm shields/whatever you call them.
Layering rocks for any teen sweating because not only does it look awesome, but also, even if you’re sweating it’s hard to tell when you’re wearing a blazer. In the winter time, you can use the layering strategy. In summer, since it’s wicked hot, just wear black and white most days.
Also, keep an extra shirt or two in your locker in case you need to change one time. And do yourself a favor, get some armpit sweat pads/dress-shields/underarm shields/whatever you call them.
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Embarrass Your Bully In Public
The worst part for me about being made fun of in high school for teen sweating wasn’t that I cared about the what the bully thought. Actually, I usually did not care for that individual at all. But the worst was when it was happening in ‘public.’ Like, there’s a big group of people around when the confrontation happens.
The first few times this happened to me, the bully would say something loudly about my sweat that a lot of people heard, I would sit there (stunned and silenced) and turn red. Not exactly an effective, powerful social strategy.
After this happened several times I decided to read a book about social strategies. It was called “The 48 Laws Of Power” By Robert Greene and it was AWESOME! I highly recommend it.
In times of confrontation, to be victorious, you have to be prepared. In this case, it helps to have something prepared to say back to the meany-head bully. That way, when somebody makes that snooty teen sweating remark, instead of having to race through your mind to think of something good to say back, you’ve got it ready. That frees up your mind to think about other things that are important. I.e. who the person is making fun of you, just how many people are around, what your body language is saying (victory or defeat), and lots of other little subtle things that shape experiences.
These comebacks work particularly well for teen sweating jokes. But *IMPORTANT*…Delivery matters. That means that if you just say these back word-for-word with no expressions (or the wrong expressions) it’s not going to work as well.
What you want to do first of all is wait about 2-3 seconds after the bully delivers the teen sweating joke. Then, with a smug little grin on your face, begin delivering the comeback in a voice that’s louder than what’s comfortable for you. Speaking loudly is a powerful way to convey confidence.
Toward the end of the comeback, start smiling bigger and bigger like you’re having a really good time. Almost like you’re going to burst out laughing. Then after you finish saying the words, keep smiling big and go, “Ahhhhh,” with LOTS of enthusiasm as if you have just won a big victory. Look around the group with a big smile and move around like you would if you’d just made the winning shot in the Championship game (run around, jump, maybe dance, etc). Give out some high-fives (if applicable) and then plant your feet, bend your knees a little, and crank your left arm back and forth a few times while you say, “SCORE…One for me, Zero for the LOSER!!” and laugh out loud.
Don’t just go to school and try this for the first time, no. Practice at least 10 times either by yourself or with friends. The whole thing from beginning to end. It should only take 30 seconds to get through one repetition. Practice at least 10 times. That way you’ll be confident. People can tell whether you’re confident or not. Your non-verbal communication gives a lot away. Plus, they can just feel it.
If you do this correctly, that bully will be humiliated. The secret’s in the delivery.If you do just like I described, your congruence (words match body language) will make you irresistible to the crowd, and you will win them over. Guaranteed. Be sure the smiling and laughing is as enthusiastic and natural as possible. Try to actually enjoy yourself. That’s the best way to do it.
Memorize these comebacks…
“I may be sweating now, but you’ll be stupid/nerdy/ugly/stinky for your whole life.” For this one, start smiling with the word, “you’ll,” and make your smile bigger and bigger until you finish. Then at the end go, “Ahhhhh,” and say, “SCORE…One for me, and Zero for the Chump,” while you pump your arm in victory.
“Don’t you need a license to be that ugly/stupid/nerdy/smelly?” Same delivery. Don’t let their comment get to you. Don’t think of yourself as “suffering from teen sweating” or “suffering from hyperhidrosis,” instead, think like you just happen to be sweating right now. Start smiling when you say the word “license” and then at the end go, “Ahhhhh” and move your body in a way that signifies victory.
“Every person has the right to be ugly/stupid/clumsy/(whatever their glaring weakness is) but you’re totally abusing your rights!”Remember…Big smiles, and then a victorious “Ahhhh,” and high-five somebody or crank your left arm repeatedly and say loudly “SCORE…One for me, none for you, HaHa!”
I do have to get going now. I’ll leave you with one last tip for teen sweating…
Get Some Sweaty Friends
Out of 100 adults, 3 or 4 have excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis. Teen sweating is even more common than adult sweating. So if you have at least 100 people in your school, chances are you can find other excessive sweaters around.
People become friends because of things they have in common. I know they say “opposites attract” or whatever, but that’s bogus. People like people who are like them. Spend some time to seek out and cultivate relationships with a few people at your school that sweat a lot. You may already know them. Make friends with them. You don’t have to start the conversation by saying, “I see you’re sweaty, I sweat too!” Although that would probably work pretty well. You can use something casual like, “[while smiling] Hi, I’ve seen you around but never really met you. I’m Chris.”
This relationship will pay off, I guarantee it.
Until next time, good luck with teen sweating. I know it can be rough. You’ll be fine, though.
Quick Links From Teen Sweating — Getting Ready For School
Over-the-counter antiperspirants specifically for excessive sweating and hyperhidrosis
How relaxation/meditation helps stop sweat
All about armpit sweat guards/whatever they’re called
Further Reading
More quick tips for armpit sweat
What are the causes of excessive sweating?
