Incontinence Products for Women

Women are particularly vulnerable to urinary incontinence because of weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, often related to childbirth. You may experience small amounts of urinary leakage from stress incontinence when you cough or sneeze, or you may have urge incontinence in which your bladder muscles contract (tighten) suddenly with even a small amount of urine in the bladder. Incontinence may occur with diseases, such as muscular sclerosis or Alzheimer's.

Incontinence Pads

• Urology Channel suggests various options for incontinence care. If you have only a small amount of leakage, panty shields may be sufficient to protect your clothing, but incontinence pads specifically designed to contain urine are the best choice because they have extra absorbent material that wicks moisture away from your body to prevent skin irritation. Urine causes a strong odor, especially in warm confined areas, so choose pads with deodorant protection unless you are sensitive to the deodorant ingredients. Pads come in various sizes, shapes and thicknesses, so you may have to experiment to see which is most effective.

Disposable Briefs

• If you are incontinent of large amounts of urine, disposable briefs provide more protection and less danger of leakage than pads. These are pull-up absorbent paper panties that come in sizes ranging from extra small to extra large, according to hip size, so make sure to measure your hips and check the size chart. Typically, disposable briefs (Attends, Depend, Tena) have elastic gathers around the legs and the waist to ensure a snug fit and prevent leakage. If you are bedridden or need assistance to change your underwear, disposable briefs are available with side openers.

Skin Care

• Urinary incontinence can cause skin irritation and infection, so skin care is essential. Keep disposable wipes, such as "baby wipes" or flushable wipes, in the bathroom so that you can wipe urine off your skin after incontinence. Most wipes contain aloe, which is soothing to the skin, but avoid products with perfume as they may cause further irritation. According to Medline Plus, you should also apply a skin barrier, usually containing petrolatum jelly or lanolin, to prevent urine from reaching the skin. Products include Calmoseptine and Lantiseptic. Some products, such as Comfort Personal Cleansing Shield, provide both cleansing and barrier protection.

Bed Protection

• If you are incontinent during the night, protect your mattress with a waterproof mattress cover. Most covers contain vinyl, so place the cover under the mattress pad so your skin is not close to the vinyl as it interferes with air circulation. Nighttime disposable briefs with plastic backing for added protection are available. You may also use disposable plastic-backed underpads to protect your sheets, but they tend to bunch up if you move around at night and can be uncomfortable, so you can cover them with a piece of sheeting or flannel, but you will need to wash the covering if it becomes wet.

Considerations

• Most incontinence is treatable, so don't be too embarrassed to discuss it with your doctor. Treatments include pelvic floor exercises (Kegel) to strengthen your muscles, medications (Detrol, Ditropan), pessaries to support your bladder, bladder retraining and surgical repair.

Warning

• Urine can cause severe skin irritation that results in bacterial or fungal infections, so if you develop a rash, severe redness, irritation or itching, you should see your physician for further treatment and advice about skin care.