How to stop your pads leaking

Does your search engine history currently include the phrase “how to stop my pads from leaking”? If so, you are not alone. 

Whether you’re about to wear incontinence products for the first time or you’ve experienced leakages, leaky pads are a concern for anyone living with a bladder weakness. This quick guide will teach you how you can better manage urinary incontinence from impacting your life. 

Before we dive right into this and that, we should probably cover off the basics. If you want to know how to stop your pads leaking, you need to get to know your product a little better. 

‘Incontinence pads’ is a bit of a catch-all term that filters down into two main types; large shaped pads and discreet pads (we’ll talk more about the differences below). Unlike some other wearables like pants or nappies; pads are positioned manually and held in place by adhesive strips. The bigger shaped ones are usually paired with fixation pants to keep them extra secure and in place, whereas the discreet pads are more commonly worn with regular underwear. 

Large Shaped Pads: 

Large-shaped pads are a heavy-duty option, built specifically to handle big leaks. Their huge absorption capabilities and traditionally bulky design mean they’re geared mostly toward people with chronic incontinence and people who are less mobile. They tend to come packed full of technologies like TRIPLE LAYER LOCK™ and hydrophobic leg cuffs to keep you secure and comfortable. 

Taking Vivactive Shaped Pads Maxi as an example, let’s look at how they work. When you leak into the pads, the liquid disperses across the top layer to rapidly enter the core. Inside the second layer, highly absorbent fluff fibres quickly draw the urine into the core. Inside the third layer, super-absorbent molecules absorb and lock in liquid, solidifying it and turning it into a gel.  

Discreet Pads:

Discreet pads, as you may have guessed by the name, are built with discretion in mind. They tend to be smaller than large-shaped pads and are usually worn inside your regular underwear. The absorbency levels of discreet pads are lower than what you might find with large-shaped pads, but what they lack in absorbency they make up for in discretion and mobility. 

Discreet pads are a really good and versatile option for people who are still out and about a lot. Vivactive Lady Discreet Extra pads are more than 50% thinner than some other female incontinence pads. Each pad is individually wrapped for convenient portability, with an adhesive strip to securely keep the pad in place when in use for all-day comfort.

So, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at how you can stop your fancy new pads from leaking. 

The technology used in incontinence products has evolved greatly since the first products hit the shelves in the mid-20th century. Attributes like odour control technology and latex-free materials aid comfort while preventing distinct smells from surfacing. However, when it comes to keeping leaks at bay, hydrophobic leg cuffs are your best friend. 

Reinforced hydrophobic leg cuffs sit inside the pad, providing an extra layer of protection around the leg area. If you find that your pads are leaking a lot, especially around your legs, then upgrading to a pad that has hydrophobic leg cuffs might be a good idea. They provide double the protection that some other products on the market offer. The secure incontinence pads are shaped to support the absorbency of the materials, thus giving you the best support while still keeping you comfortable during daily activities.

Meanwhile, opting for gender-specific incontinence pads ensures that you will gain a snug anatomical fit that also helps prevent urine leakage. 

Over 14 million adults in the UK experience involuntary loss of urine, but each of them is unique. As such, it’s not only necessary to choose a reliable incontinence product. You must also check that the product is the right size. While incontinence pants require you to consider the waistline, incontinence pads fit inside pants. So, you just have to focus on the length. 

The wrong size can cause urine leakage as well as skin irritation and general discomfort. While it may sound counterintuitive, larger pads put you at the biggest risk. This is because they will be too loose around the area, thus creating space for urine to escape even if the majority is successfully absorbed.

On a side note, knowing how to fit your incontinence pads is vital. Otherwise, there will be a risk of leakages from at least one of the sizes.

Now that you understand the importance of getting the right size. You might be wondering how you know if you’re in the right size at all. That’s one of the benefits of shopping online I guess, you get easy access to in-depth product information like dimensions and sizing so you can take all the time you need to look at the in’s and outs. If you’re still unsure about the sizing, why not buy a size up and a size down, then try them both? It’ll cost you a touch extra but you’ll save in the long run if it turns out you’ve been in the wrong pads all this time!

Knowing what to look for when buying incontinence pads is one thing, but having 100% confidence in the product is another. Vivactive incontinence products deliver an affordable solution without compromising on quality. Check out the Vivactive Shaped Pads Maxi and other products in our huge range of incontinence pads and make urine leakage a thing of the past!