Everything Incontinence

What to look for in Adult Diapers

By Parentgiving Admin


Bowel incontinence is an issue that affects millions of people every year. Whether due to medical conditions, age, convenience, etc., it is important to get the proper coverage and support in order to go about your day with the utmost comfort and peace of mind. However, incontinence has a wide variety of symptoms and can affect almost anyone. For this reason, there are many products that can help contain and alleviate issues stemming from incontinence. This can be overwhelming, especially when first seeking help for incontinence and incontinence-related symptoms. With over a decade of experience in relieving incontinence and other health issues, we have had extensive experience and training on product knowledge and application and possess a vast inventory to help you find the right adult diapers for your needs. 

Adult Diapers

To begin, we will cover the different types of adult undergarments. These include pull-up and tape-on. Overnight adult diapers are also designed to retain higher volumes of liquid and also trap the moisture to protect the skin. These also come in pull-up or tape- on varieties. Individuals who are maintaining their own care without the help of another person typically use pull-ups as they provide convenience and are easy and quick to put on. Parentgiving provides a wide selection of styles and absorbency levels in its store for any situation. Adult swim diapers are designed to protect from unexpected accidents or leaks while swimming or aqua therapy.

Tape-on, or tabbed, adult briefs are helpful when needing help from a caregiver in managing incontinence. These briefs have tape tabs that make it easier for a caregiver to put on or remove a brief, while also giving adjustable comfort. These are also easily removed or applied whilst in a prone position, allowing those with limited mobility to easily deal with their incontinence issues. At Parentgiving, you can choose from plastic- backed and cloth-backed tape-on briefs and a range of absorbency levels.

Pads

In addition to adult diapers, pads are also available to provide additional protection, absorbency and comfort. These come in three main types: flow-through pads, inserts, and underpads and covers.

Flow-through pads (also known as booster pads) are placed inside an adult diaper to provide extra protection if you are experiencing more intense or frequent incontinence. These can be secured into place so that they do not move around and can provide protection throughout the day and through a wide range of activities. You can choose from a variety of sizes, absorbency levels, and brands, such as Dry Direct, Tranquility, Unique Wellness, and Tena, among others.

Inserts are the most covert item one can wear if suffering from only mild incontinence. These can be placed inside of regular underwear and can provide protection without any of the bulkiness and/or discomfort of regular adult diapers. These also come in a variety of sizes, as well as gender specific pads that provide optimal fit and coverage for any body type.

Underpads are placed on a bed to provide protection for your sheets and mattress should an accident occur where your adult diaper is insufficient. Accidents can happen to anyone and it is better to be prepared in the event of such an accident by lining your bed with a waterproof mattress pad, chux, and/or mattress cover. Incontinence can lead to costly urine and/or fecal damage when a mattress is under-protected. Accidents can also happen in any place, at any time, so consider applying chux for other pieces of furniture, such as wheelchairs, couches, and car seats. There are both reusable underpads and disposable options available.

Youth/Teen

Though more common among adults and senior citizens, bowel incontinence is a problem that exists for people of all ages. Some of the reasons teenagers suffer from incontinence include, but are not limited to, "fluctuations in hormone levels [during puberty], conditions that cause nerve damage, such as… diabetes, a bladder infection, [and/or] injury or frequent participation in high impact sport" 1.

"Adult" diapers exist and are available for youths and teens that may be dealing with incontinence. Parentgiving offers a wide variety of options for teenagers and young adults. These are fitted for a youth body type to give teenagers the confidence and comfort to deal with incontinence at a younger age. Consider first using inserts as a comfortable and inconspicuous way of dealing with youth/teenager incontinence. It is also important to talk with a teenager or youth about any mental issues, such as lowered self-confidence, or personal issues, such as bullying, they may experience as a result of incontinence.

Cleanup

Every aforementioned product so far is designed for preventive measures against incontinence. However, products designed for cleanup after any bowel movements and/or accidents are equally as important. Efficient diaper removal systems are essential for containing odors and messes that are simply too powerful for an average trash can to contain. Most diaper disposal systems also provide a hands-free approach that allows you to dispose of your diapers in an easy and sanitary fashion.

Odor eliminators are a great option for keeping you and your house smelling fresh at all times. Parentgiving also supplies body cleansers to prevent odors from lingering on your skin and provide relief from irritation. It is important to select odor eliminators that are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable to ensure your skin, clothes, and furniture does not irritate your skin and lungs and can be used wherever deemed necessary.

Skincare

In order to avoid an infection that may occur from using adult diapers, it is important to properly clean and moisturize your body. Diapers should be changed at least four times a day or shortly after becoming soiled. Apart from actually containing incontinence itself, Parentgiving also offers supplies to keep your skin clean and moisturized. From aloe- based, alcohol-free skin cleansers and lotions to rinse free bathing wipes to antifungal products, there are a number of options to choose from in order to deal with incontinence-related cleaning.

Parentgiving Picks (Recommendations)

Though Parentgiving stands behind all of its products, here are a few of Parentgiving's top picks:

Best Overall Underwear:

Dry Direct Ultimate Underwear
The culmination of years of research, surveys, reviews, and testing, this adult diaper provides three times the absorbency of any product found in physical stores. Also ideal for nighttime use, this underwear provides elastic leg cuffs, breathable cloth-stretch panels, a soft cotton outer layer, and an odor lock core. This underwear utilizes the pull-up design with tear-away panels for easy removal and has a unisex design. We offer a sample package ($1.99) so you can test it and see if it is the right underwear for you before committing. This underwear promises less changes per day and less leaks, perfect for family caregivers and for staying economically sound.

Everyday Value Diaper:

Incontinence supplies can cut heavily into your budget. Parentgiving is committed to providing products that are economically viable for any household, while still providing excellent security from incontinence.

TENA Super Briefs
With cases starting at only $19.99 (case of 28), the TENA Super Brief is a very affordable option that nonetheless supplies excellent protection. This adult diaper features an Instadri skin-caring system that improves surface dryness and promotes healthier skin with a transfer layer. Moisture-proof lining protects clothing and linen against wetness and is color-coded for correct product selection. This product is also designed for both men and women and is a tape-on variety of adult undergarment. This is one of the best values in our inventory.

Best Pad:

Tranquility Topliner Super Booster Pad
This pad features a Flow-Through design and a super absorbent liner that can extend the use of any disposable undergarment. This pad offers top-notch protection from leaks, rashes, and nighttime discomfort and is extremely easy to change and dispose of. Parentgiving also provides a sample of this product for only $1.99 and it comes in a variety of sizes.

Clean-up Essentials

Aloe Vesta Perineal Skin Cleanser
One of the best skin cleansers and odor eliminators sold on the market, this aloe-based alcohol-free cleanser is perfect for caregivers when performing their duties. It comes in a spray form that is much more convenient to use than soap or water cleansing from a basin. This cleanser also provides moisturizing for fragile skin, as well as a fresh lemon fragrance for combating odors.

Skincare Essentials

Though many cleanser products offer some level of skin moisturizing and care, there is no substitute for a skin repair or antifungal cream in order to ensure those using adult diapers can enjoy the utmost comfort and health quality possible.

Remedy Skin Repair Cream
This skincare cream helps protect and relieve dries, cracked, inflamed, red, and/or itchy skin by providing a medley of nutrients designed for healing skin cells, such as Olivamine and Dimethicone. This product is non-sensitizing, non-allergenic, and latex friendly and comes in packets, tubes, and pump bottles.

Covid-19

Experiencing incontinence during the COVID-19 pandemic may heighten the need for adult diapers when going out in public. Public bathrooms may be closed and many restaurants/shops/bars will either be closed or not allow people to come inside. Even if you are able to find a location where facilities are accessible, it is always a risk to go into a public bathroom during a pandemic, even with all precautions accounted for (mask, hand sanitizer, gloves, social distancing, etc.). Quarantine and lockdown orders should also be observed at all times.

However, there are times when going out in public is necessary, either for going to the grocery store or just for getting some fresh air. An adult diaper can be a solid backup plan for dealing with incontinence while out and about. Even if not suffering from incontinence, UTIs and other infections can occur when holding your bladder for extended periods of time, which is something that could easily happen in a time where most public places typically used for their bathroom are either shut down or unsanitary.

Conclusion

There are many products that provide help in dealing with incontinence. We are simply trying to provide some helpful advice to guide you in the right direction. Incontinence is enough of a problem on its own without having to add the hassle of perusing the entire store looking for which product works best for each situation. However, as the customer, a bit of trial and error will be necessary to ensure any and all incontinence supplies are exactly to your specific desires, so make sure you experiment, especially if a current product is leaving you unsatisfied. Stay clean and stay safe!