The Difference Between Sanitary Pads and Incontinence Pads
Sanitary pads, or sanitary napkins, are thin pieces of cotton material that women insert into their underwear to absorb the blood and other fluids resulting from menstruation. They are designed to be worn discreetly underneath your clothing to prevent stains and discomfort.
When you consider purchasing sanitary pads. It can be useful to understand the differences between sanitary pads and incontinence pads before deciding. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between sanitary pads and incontinence pads.
Sanitary pads are designed for light to moderate flow days
If you’re using a sanitary towel for light to moderate flow days, you’ll want something to keep you comfortable. Depending on your flow, you might opt for regular or super absorbency, with either one working as long as it’s comfortable and doesn’t leak. If it does leak on your light-flow days, try choosing another pad style or looking at other products we offer to see if they would be better suited for your body.
If your flow starts to get heavier than normal—or if you experience a sudden uptick in bleeding. You may need an incontinence pad. These are designed specifically for heavy flows and often have special linings that can lock away fluids without leaking through to clothes (and leave you feeling dry).
Incontinence pads have extra layers of protection from leaks
It’s no secret that incontinence pads are bigger than your average sanitary pad. The reason is simple: they need to be. If a woman is wearing a pad because she’s on her period, it may be soaked in an hour or so. But for women who have bladder issues, sometimes their leaks can last for hours—so extra absorbency is critical.
Pads explicitly designed for bladder leaks usually contain multiple layers of protection to ensure that urine stays exactly where it belongs. inside your underwear, not on them! Some pads even use odor-control fibers to keep you feeling fresh throughout the day. The special material wicks fluid away from the skin while keeping you dry and comfortable.
Sanitary pad brands also produce a super plus line
These are larger than regular pads but smaller than super plus tampons. These brands Always include Kotex, Tampax, Playtex, and U by Kotex. They differ from their super plus cousins in that they can be used for light days only—they’re not intended to replace normal-flow tampons or pads completely.
Some come with wings (which provide a leak-proof barrier), while others don’t. Regardless of what kind you get, sanitary pad brands also make it easy to find these products in stores near you with their online store locator feature on their websites.
You can use either brand in any season or temperature
During the summer months, you may find that normal pads become too hot. Both types of pads have different absorbency levels, meaning you may have to change them more often than you are used to. However, there are great benefits to using incontinence pads during warmer weather, making having these extra daily changes worth it.
The material is designed to keep cool air moving through and out of them. They feel cooler on your skin while absorbing moisture just as effectively as other sanitary or incontinence pads do in colder conditions.
If you’re looking for something a little thinner but with similar absorbency levels, try a daytime pad that will be cooler and less bulky than an overnight version.
Both brands are available in different absorbencies
Heavy, moderate, light, and extra-light. Read through a brief description of each type to determine which best fits your needs. Heavy absorbency pads handle daily flow or discharge associated with gynecological problems or a heavy menstrual flow.
Moderate absorbency can be used by women who experience a medium flow during their period or occasionally after giving birth or having an abortion.
Both brands are comfortable, easy to change, and secure
Choosing between brands can be difficult, but there’s no need to worry. Today’s most popular sanitary napkin brands—Tampax, Always, Kotex, etc.—and incontinence pads are manufactured to be more comfortable than traditional products.
These modern choices often have a waterproof backing that sticks to your underwear. They don’t slide around and bunch up like traditional sanitary napkins or cloth diapers.
Many of these products don’t feel like you’re wearing a pad! When it comes to product quality, consider going with a well-known brand for peace of mind. But keep in mind that affordability is just as important as comfort when using disposables.
Conclusion
While there are apparent differences between incontinence pads and sanitary pads, there is some overlap in purpose. The main difference between them is that incontinence pads absorb more than 20 ml of liquid while sanitary pads only need to absorb 15 ml of liquid. Although it can be argued that many other variables might differentiate these two products, in actuality. Most women who experience urinary incontinence don’t use a pad; they choose to wear pull-up diapers instead.
