BEING a teenage girl with GCSEs to take this summer and a prom dress to choose is hard enough for some - but Abbi Moore has an embarrassing challenge to overcome.

She longs to be able to wear strappy sandals and a slinky dress with sequins.

But she fears an annoying condition that affects her feet will leave her feeling uncomfortable and unhappy.

The 16-year-old from Thornhill, Southampton suffers from hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating.

"I've had it since I was a baby. The sweat just pours off me and if I am stressed it gets even worse," she said.

An operation cured the sweaty palms but Abbi still suffers from sweaty feet.

"I have to wear cotton socks all the time. Even on the hottest days in the summer I have to wear socks and leather shoes.

"When I take my socks off you can see the sweat literally dripping off my feet," she said.

"Before I had the operation to cure the problem with my hands I would find it difficult to hold a pen and the ink would smudge on the page because I was sweating so much."

Mum Sharon wanted her daughter to be able to really enjoy her prom party when she finishes her exams.

"She has been through such a lot. There have been lots of operations and her father died when she was just six years old.

"I wanted her to look like a princess for the prom party but she can't wear sandals with socks," she said.

Abbi can't risk going without her socks for the one night because her feet will slip and slide inside the sandals and she could fall.

"I've been to the shop and seen the sort of dress I would like to wear but it's just impossible because my feet will show," she said.

The teenager, who plans to study hair and beauty at Southampton City College, has just had Botox treatment to ease the problem with her feet but as yet she does not know if it has worked.

"I paid for her to have it done before but it didn't work and it really hurt her," said Sharon.

"This time she has had it done on the NHS and they gave her a general anaesthetic so we will have to wait and see if it has worked."

In the meantime Sharon is keen to hear from a dress-maker who may be able to help her and she has a special request, too.

"I would love to know if there is a company that makes flesh-coloured cotton socks.

"At least she could wear those with a pretty pair of sandals," she said.

If you can help Abbi call 023 8032 7322.