School uniform and sweating

[Goingprivate2020]

Aibu to choose a school based on it having a white shirt/top as part of the uniform? The Academically best school Here has a blue shirt: utterly unforgiving for sweat stains. My husband and i are both sweaty, not often at a standing start but both of us in heat (over 24/25) and Exercise. More than most. I also sweat with nerves if I’m scared.. Kids are already quite sweaty too (at ten, one already has smelly pits without deodorant in the heat and had a sweaty back after riding with tight back protector on after a hot riding lesson this week).

I have always had to dress according to sweat. I know it’s tricky and when it’s hot I don’t wear certain colours. Certainly not grey or blue where sweat would show. I didn’t start sweating excessively until I was well into adulthood but had white school shirts so wouldn’t have been very conscious anyway. I am starting to think that an academically less impressive school with a whits top would be better holistically than an educational lifetime worrying about sweat at a formative stage of development. It could affect their confidence, distract them academically, be Acutely embarrassing. Aibu? Wwyd?

(Sorry, I meant pin in, not sew in, for the non disposable sweat pads, or baste in with a single stitch, just to hold them in place)

I suffer from excess sweating, in school I could feel the sweat literally drip down my body from my armpits, I used to keep my cardigan on even in hot weather. Its still as bad and my clothing choices my whole life have been dominated by whether they will show sweat patches - it's miserable! The only thing that has worked for me was buying sweatshield undershirts, they have an absorbent patch under the armpits and they really do work, could you buy these for your child of to wear underneath their blue shirt? It may make things slightly hotter but it won't show the sweat patches. Sorry if this has been mentioned, I've not finished reading the thread. People who don't have this problem will not see what the fuss is about but I totally get it!

I use to excessively sweat at school and had a blue uniform that showed it.
I used the underarm sweat pads.
I would also suggest them taking a spare top in to get changed and wearing a Lycra sports top underneath to absorb the sweat

As someone who has hyperhidrosis I completely get where you’re coming from OP! Until you have had sweat dribbling down your leg when it’s not even warm out you just won’t understand.

However... I do think you should try and keep your own anxieties and hang ups about sweat in check so you don’t pass these on to your children.
Poking back now.. not one person ever said to me ‘oh you look a horrible sweaty mess Lola!’ Maybe some people thought it but no one ever said it or treated me differently. It was my issue.

As for people mentioning seeing a GP for treatment options - the only thing they are realistically going to offer someone under 18 is the aluminium roll on deodorant. It is worth a try but it does sting like hell. It took me 6 years of worsening MH and fighting, trying awful medication where I had to have my liver and kidney function checked regularly before I could be seen by a dermatologist. Now I have Botox every 6 months or so.

I really have every sympathy OP because it is so debilitating and even now doctors will comment in shock and disapproval at me having Botox on the NHS. but please don’t pass on your hang ups and worries to your children.

All over body sweating is very different to underarm sweating. I fully understand your concerns OP, you are just trying to reduce the embarrassment for your children. Buying a strong deodorant will not stop sweat patches showing up elsewhere under a shirt.
Surgery for hyperhydrosis can be very hit and miss I have been told and can make it worse. Medication can also have side effects and doesn’t work for everyone. Plus these things are really a last resort.
I agree with the PP who suggested Sweatshield undershirts. They are brilliant. Have a look at the website: www.sweatshieldundershirt.co.uk
Good luck OP.

I had a blue school shirt in the 60s/early 70s and had this problem. My parents didn't believe in deodorant but when I was old enough I bought myself Mitcham antiperspirant cream, not sure if it's still available, and this worked. If you don't want to go down this road find an old fashioned haberdashers and see if you can buy some dress shields. Secure them in the arm pits of the shirts with a couple of stitches.

sweatguard.co.uk/collections/sweat-pads?gclid=CjwKCAjwsO_4BRBBEiwAyagRTe4KRArvt7EyDA9PomTksC4ejeVwepp_ZJaTtIMM4gALbrZ8oueVhBoC_DMQAvD_BwE

John Lewis also have them.

Underarm sweat pads are what you need. You can buy disposable ones but they are pretty small and thin. My partner has sweaty armpits and his T shirts were soaking and smelly within an hour. He is allergic to most deodorants and won't use anything with aluminium in.
So I designed a washable 3 layer sweatpad. Layer 1 is wicking material that goes next to the skin. Middle layer is prewashed Zorb 2 a highly absorbant material (quite expensive and a little hard to get hold of at the moment). Last layer is waterproof PUL in case any moisture gets through Zorb (which it doesn't). Sew it all together in a large oval shape. Stick to inside of your clothes with double sided tit tape on the PUL layer. It's a bit of a faff but it has made a massive difference to my partner an no sweaty armpits or smell. He says I should sell them, but they do work out a bit pricey because of the materal cost.

Dd has always been a bit like this. Her holiday photos as a toddler have her looking certain sweaty and sticky!

She hated her jade school shirt for the same reason and in hot days she often kept her sweater on to make sure sweat patches couldn't be seen.

No amount of deodorant would prevent it unfortunately.

Now she's out of uniform she chooses top colours accordingly

Friend had botox which she found amazing then eventually surgery to remove glands.

Before she wore under shirt and changed it at lunchtime. She also found washing with soap and not shower gel helped

Would a more absorbent base layer with a looser shirt/blouse work?

I know someone who had sweat glands in their arm pits removed and found she had sweat running down her legs instead.

If she already gets BO and sweats profusely, she'll get grief about it at the white shirted school anyway. It's no longer acceptable for teenagers to be sweaty and smelly, amongst themselves, not just as far as the adults are concerned.

Or you could do something about it?

I can imagine that, Captain.

On the days I use the super powerful prescription antiperspirants because I really don't want underarm sweat patches, then I sweat much more from my face (as in, can't even apply make-up), back, legs, belly button area, etc. It's a balancing act. People have no idea.

Hi OP,
My school uniform was a blue shirt and I used to sweat quite a bit too. I wore white t shirts under my shirt, could that be an option?

I always seemed to get sweat patches at school and none of my friends did, and it's continued into adulthood - I tend to pick sleeveless clothes etc where possible.

There is no way I would pick a school for my child based on the uniform - pick the school that's best for your child! You're projecting your issues all over this, and will make your kids more self conscious because of your problem with it.

I seem to remember someone elsewhere ,suggesting adhesive panti liners applied to under arm seams.

Do what most people do in hot countries (I lived in India and worked as a Nanny in Jeddah), all the kids wore white cotton vests under their pale blue school shirts.