Don’t sweat it
Handling excessive sweating in teens
Sweating is normal but can be a cause of distress for children and teens, especially those who suffer from excessive sweating, which is more common than you know.
As many as one in five teens suffers from clinical excessive sweating, said Lisa Pieretti, executive director of the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
“Excessive sweating is a dermatological disorder that can cause an otherwise healthy person to produce up to five times more sweat than is normal or necessary,” she said. “Symptoms often start in one’s youth, which can already be an awkward time of growth and development. The added pressure of dealing with a sweating problem around peers — in a classroom setting or otherwise — can be catastrophic to self-esteem, grades and more.”
Kids and teens normally sweat when it’s hot and when exercising, anxious or nervous or experiencing a fever. Excessive sweating, a medical condition called hyperhidrosis, is different. It can cause severe embarrassment, stress, anxiety and other emotional issues. Even when students are alone, away from potential judgements, hyperhidrosis often takes a heavy toll — adversely affective a student’s productivity in myriad ways, Pieretti said.
Kids with excessive sweating can become anxious about attending school, socializing with friends or raising their hands in class for fear of embarrassment from sweat stains.
“They may resort to sitting in the back row under a dark hoodie to keep their sweating a secret, but when kids with hyperhidrosis receive support, understanding and appropriate treatment, their lives can be dramatically changed,” Pieretti said.
Hyperhidrosis is the No. 1 dermatological disease in terms of negatively affecting a person’s quality of life, but it’s also No. 1 in having the most positive effect when treated, said Dr. David Pariser, co-founder of the International Hyperhidrosis Society.
Since everyone sweats it can be difficult to know if your child has a problem with excessive sweating. Parents can compare how their child sweats to other teens in similar situations. Sweating while playing sports is normal, but if a child sweats so much he can’t hold the ball, it might be excessive.
Does sweating interfere with daily activities? Has your teen developed compensating or defensive behavior to hide excessive sweating, such as shying away from handshakes, hugs, high fives or other physical activities?
Parents and family members should be understanding and avoid cruel or negative comments, which can harm a child’s self-esteem.
Excessive sweating is not a just a hot-weather problem or something a child will outgrow, Pieretti said. According to a study by the organization, 88 percent of respondents said their excessive sweating had gotten worse or stayed the same over time. There are home treatments that can help: • Antiperspirants are not for underarms only. “You can glide, stick, spray and roll-on nearly anywhere that sweating is a problem — think hands, feet, face, back, chest and even groin. Be smart and talk to your dermatologist first before applying an antiperspirant to sensitive areas and test new products on small areas of skin first,” Pieretti said.
• Sweat production is at its lowest at night, giving the active ingredients in antiperspirants a better chance to get into your pores and block perspiration when the sun comes up and you really get moving. “Application twice daily and especially before bedtime has been studied to provide the most benefit. If you are only going to apply once, then make it before you go to bed,” Pieretti said.