There's a lot to look forward to when summer arrives: The gorgeous weather, the breezy fashions, and any excuse for ice cream. However, if you're a sweaty person, it's likely that the prospect of summer makes your hands clammy – well, more clammy than usual. Along with all the great things about summer, it also brings scorching heat, which can make even the least sweaty people start to perspire, let alone someone who literally becomes Olaf the snowman at the mere hint of sunshine.
You can, of course, try to combat the issue of sweating excessively, however, unless you are considering surgery and the personal risks if you suffer with hyperhidrosis, each of these "solutions" has general problems linked to them.
I totally understand how it feels to be a sweaty Betty. During my adolescence, I was definitely the sweatiest out of my bunch of friends and it made navigating the sea of hormones and teen life a little trickier. I know how it feels to walk down the school corridors, with sweat patches spreading further and further down your torso and having to fold your arms super tight across your chest to hide the evidence. In fact, this still happens to me now on hot days or during moments of anxiety. I learnt to live with what I like to think of as my mermaiden skin, so here’s why you really shouldn’t give a damn if you’re a sweaty person.
1. Head-To-Toe Black Can Be Uncomfortable In Summer
You might think wearing head-to-toe black during summer is the answer to all your problems, especially in relation to armpit sweat patches. But, when you're covered in black clothing, it won't take long for you to remember that dark clothes make you feel hotter and actually make your problem a million times worse. Stop trying to be chic and just let it flow.
2. You Might Still Sweat Even With A Powerful Deodorant
An option you may have been contemplating is a powerful deodorant. As someone who has ruined many a white shirt during her school days, I believe that during puberty I was a sweaty person. The main issue that I have found personally, is no matter which brand of deodorant I tried, I would still sweat buckets; sure I'd smell good, but my armpits would look like I'd forgotten to take my shirt off and splashed them with water. Occasionally, I would sweat so much that the B.O. would break through and mix with the scent of the deodorant, leaving a trail of chemical foulness in my path. So it’s probably best not to swipe loads of chemicals onto your bod, if it’s not going to work for you anyway.
3. Sweating Is Natural
As previously touched upon, there are medical sweat remedies and clever anti-sweat tips you can follow, but is it really worth the hassle? In this day and age, we should feel free to let our body do its thing the way Mother Nature intended.
4. There’s Nothing Wrong With Sweating, Even Though Society Says There Is
The beauty world seems to be heading in the right direction: The rise of the body positivity movement is helping folks understand that it's more than OK to be fat and happy about it, ladies are letting their body hair grow free with some gals even dyeing their armpit hair, and women who like shaving because of the way it feels (not because society dictates it) will be happy to learn that it's seemingly becoming more acceptable for girls to shave their faces. At the end of the day, there’s a lot of money to be made from personal hygiene products, so think about that the next time you fill your basket with your usual array of “beauty” items. Are you really using these products because you want to, not because you feel pressured to?
5. If Kiran Gandhi Can Publicly Free-Bleed, You Can Definitely Allow Yourself To Sweat
In April 2015, Kiran Gandhi ran the London Marathon while free-bleeding, which opened up a debate surrounding period shaming. In essence, this action got people questioning why women should feel ashamed of their period, when it is a normal, bodily function. My view is, this outlook should be extended to sweat and B.O. too, because nobody should ever feel ashamed of their body and its normal functions.
6. It’s Your Body, Therefore It’s Your Business
If you are someone who takes care of your body's main hygiene needs, yet you're still a sweaty person, why should anyone give a crap? Even if you didn't bathe frequently, you were always dripping with sweat, and you stank to high heaven, what business is that of anybody else's? It's your body after all. Chances are, you likely do look after your bod, but your soul-vessel does its own thing anyway and that's okay.
7. Every Body Does It
You should never, ever feel ashamed of your body and this should extend to your bodily functions, especially when every human does it.
So quit sweat-shaming yourself and put your energy into more important things, like how to make the general public more aware that sweating is beyond normal.
Images: Getty Images
