Incontinence Products

Incontinence is common, and it is far more common than people think, because almost nobody talks about it. It affects a great many adults at some point, and managing it well makes an enormous difference to confidence, sleep, skin health and whether someone keeps going out.

Worth saying first

Incontinence is often treatable, and it is not simply an inevitable part of getting older. Pelvic floor therapy, medication, treating an infection, reviewing prescriptions, or surgery all help different people.

Products manage the symptom. They are genuinely useful and sometimes the right long term answer, but it is worth asking a doctor whether the cause can be addressed, rather than only buying supplies.

The four kinds of product

Pull-on underwear goes on like ordinary underwear. It suits someone active and independent who can manage their own toileting, and it is what most people want if they can use it.

Briefs with tabs fasten at the sides and can be changed while someone is lying down. They suit higher absorbency needs and anyone being helped by a carer.

Liners and pads are worn inside your own underwear, for lighter loss. Discreet, inexpensive, and often all that is needed.

Underpads protect the bed or chair rather than the person. Disposable ones are convenient; washable ones cost less over time and feel better against the skin.

Absorbency and size are different things

People often buy a higher absorbency when the real problem is fit. A product that is too large leaks around the legs no matter how absorbent it is, and one that is too small is uncomfortable and leaks at the waist.

Get the size right first, from hip and waist measurements, then choose absorbency for how much is needed and how long it is worn. Overnight products are more absorbent than daytime ones for that reason.

Skin matters as much as absorbency

Skin that stays damp breaks down, and the damage is quick. Moisture combined with pressure is what turns a manageable situation into a wound.

So change promptly, clean gently with wipes rather than scrubbing, and use a barrier cream to protect the skin. We stock all three, and for anyone spending long periods sitting or in bed, this is as important as the pads themselves.

Talk to us

This is a difficult thing to discuss and we are used to it. Tell us the situation and we will help you work out what is needed, discreetly and without fuss.