Are There Special Incontinence Products for Women?

Around 17 percent of women between the ages of 30 and 59 struggle with some degree of incontinence, and the likelihood of developing this issue increases with age. However, it's not uncommon for younger women to also experience this. Incontinence can be an embarrassing problem to live with. Fortunately, there are a variety of incontinence products for women on the market that can take away a lot of the the worry and inconvenience.

Pads and Liners

These products resemble menstrual pads in both appearance and function. Like menstrual pads and pantyliners, they feature an adhesive back that fastens to normal underwear. These are more discreet and less bulky than many other options. However, they won't be able to stand up to more than mild incontinence.


Underwear

Protective underwear come as full undergarments or shields with belts. Belted shields offer more protection than pads or liners, but are slightly more obtrusive. Full undergarments offer the best level of leak protection. The only down sides are that they're more expensive and they tend to be bulky. That said, it's important to choose carefully. There are undergarments with features such as extra absorbency, odor control and those that are designed to be thinner. Choose the one that works best for you.

Bed Pads

It may also be important to protect against leakage while sleeping. For that matter, not everyone wishes to wear protective underwear to bed. This can be highly uncomfortable and may make you more vulnerable to painful chafing. People in this situation may want to consider using plastic-backed absorbent sheets. These can be placed conveniently underneath bedding and changed as needed.

Disposable or Washable

Now that you're aware of the options available to you, there's one more thing to decide. Do you want re-usable or disposable items? A variety of incontinence products for women can be found in both forms. Re-usable ones are more discreet, comfortable and environmentally friendly, and they can help you save money. However, they require time and effort to clean. Disposables can be conveniently thrown away, but they can be costly and you must keep buying them.

Nobody likes to live with incontinence, and even a mild degree of it can interfere with your daily life. That said, there are a wide variety of products out there that can make you life easier. Just be certain to weigh the benefits carefully and take your needs into account before making a decision.