sweaty person + humid summers = sweat through scrub tops

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

Hi all. Student nurse here.

Suggestions needed!

I'm naturally a "high sweat" person at my baseline. I also live in an area that gets quite hot and humid during the summer. Combining these factors means I get pitted out/sweat through my scrub top, which is not a pleasant look or experience. It's not just armpit sweat, it's back sweat, too. Like I said, I'm just naturally a "high sweat" person.

Have any of you found that a wicking-type fabric undershirt helps with this kind of issue? Or an undershirt in general?

Thanks for any pro-tips.

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Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Normally I'd say to wear dark scrubs like black or navy blue, but since you're a student nurse I'm assuming you gotta wear whatever school colors for your scrub top. Aside from that, I'd say stick to dri-fit type of fabric for undershirt. I'm a decent sweater too, but the dri-fit fabric undershirts help me cool down and dry quickly. Cotton undershirts will only make you hotter and sweat more and take longer for you to cool/dry off. If you get sweaty feet too, I'd recommend wool socks. Definitely keeps my feet dry at work.

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

Thanks, @barcode120x, for the input.

It sounds like the dri-fit undershirts are helpful for you and are worth checking out.

We have a surprisingly decent set of colors for our student nurse uniform: white or black shoes and socks (the black shoe/sock combo was apparently hard fought battle that just went through), navy bottoms, and "ceil blue" scrub top (or ultramarine blue polo for lab or community clinicals). The light blue tops look nice in contrast with the navy bottoms, but alas, don't do bubkis for sweat.

I've found some decent athletic socks that are comfy and seem to work well to keep my feet dry. Weirdly, they are labeled L/R at a time in my life when I'm lucky to remember where my keys are at!

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Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Interesting. Only downside for dri-fit clothes, they can be pretty pricey especially from places like Nike or Under Armor. But I'm sure you'll find some cheap ones off Amazon. Not sure if you've heard of Uniqlo, but they have some affordable "cool-air" undershirts (basically a thinner, cheaper version of dri-fit). H&M also has some cheap dri-fit ones, at least for men they do.

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Use Sweat Block or similar once a week, before you go to bed, on the areas that you sweat from. Leave to dry for 5 minutes after application. That'll stop the problem at source.

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

Thanks, Leedeedee. I'm curious to see what Sweat Block is made of and will look into it when I have a litte more time.

So far I can attest the dri-fit/wicking undershirts are great!
Underwear, not so much.

TMI??? ?

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