How to Stop Your Adult Diaper from Leaking (and What to Do If It Won't)

It should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: no incontinence product can give a 100% guarantee that their product won’t leak. This is because a product’s effectiveness also depends on the wearer. Is it the right type of product, the right fit, the right absorbency, and is it changed according to product guidelines? If you want to stop your adult diaper or incontinence underwear from leaking, you’ll need to take a look at both the product and how you’re using it.

Few things are more frustrating than spending money on an incontinence product only to find that you are frequently tending to messy leaks, whether for yourself or for someone else. But all is not lost! By making a few adjustments and implementing some key information, you can find a better solution. Here are some practical tips for keeping your adult diaper from leaking.

Adjust the Size

While there are several factors to consider when dealing with a leaky incontinence product, the first thing to check is the fit. Even if you had a perfectly made product that's right for your symptoms, an improper fit would still cause leaks.

Aim for a snug fit. This means not too tight, and definitely not too loose. Leaks often occur from the leg portion of the diaper or underwear, so assess the snugness in this area especially. Even if you have a quality product, you’re left open to urine leaks if it's not snug enough around the legs.

How do you purchase the right size product? Well-made incontinence briefs (diapers) or underwear can be appropriately sized by measuring your waist and choosing the corresponding product size. You can obtain an accurate waist measurement by placing a tape measure at the top of one hip bone and wrapping it around your body staying level with your belly button.

Just be sure to not to purchase a size larger than you need.

Choose a Brand with Effective Leg Cuffs

When it comes to preventing adult diaper leaks, take note of the leg cuff construction. Flimsy or “barely there” leg cuffs mean your incontinence product is more likely to leak. Find a product with a strong elastic to facilitate a snug fit. The best adult diapers and incontinence underwear are designed with tall leg cuffs that hold liquid in for quick absorption.

Change Styles

If you're wearing incontinence underwear (pull-ups) and struggling to find the right fit to stop the leaks, then it might be time to switch to incontinence briefs (the traditional adult diaper). This style can provide a more custom fit for some people due to the tab fasteners that adjust to your body size.

Change More Frequently

Just because an incontinence product claims it can be worn for up to eight hours doesn’t mean that you can wait that long between changes. Depending on how much you drink, the size of your bladder, and the company’s degree of accuracy in product testing, you might need to change more often. Other than at night, an eight-hour stretch is a long time to go without a fresh incontinence product. You might be able to stop your adult diaper from leaking simply by changing a few more times a day.

Increase Product Absorbency

If you want to stop adult diaper leaks, another key component is absorbency level. If you haven't already, try a higher absorbency product to accommodate your needs. This is especially important if you're not able to change often enough.

A healthy bladder of average capacity can hold 12-16 ounces of fluid during the day and up to 32 ounces at night. Depending on your size, how much you drink, how often you go, and the degree of bladder control you have, you might need to step up absorbency to curb leaks.

Use a Booster Pad

If you have incontinence briefs or incontinence underwear that aren't absorbent enough, you can add a booster pad to increase overall absorbency. But it’s still a good idea to eventually purchase a product that suits your needs.

This is also a good option if you only need more absorbency at certain times of day or at night. Booster pads can also help to prevent leaks on long trips or when you can’t change as frequently as you normally would. You can simply add the booster pad when you need it. The adhesive strip on the back of each pad secures it to your incontinence underwear and also helps keep pads in place when you stack them to increase absorbency.

For more information, check out our resource page, Types of Incontinence Pads and When to Use Them.

Choose a Brand with Moisture-Wicking Technology

Premium brands like LivDry (produced and sold by TYE Medical) create incontinence products that whisk moisture away from your skin, locking it into a super-absorbent gel core. This helps curb leaks and keeps you feeling dry. Without this technology, the moisture spreads to the edge of the product and typically leaks through the leg opening, even if you haven’t exceeded the absorbency level.

Why Wearing Two Adult Diapers Isn’t the Answer

You might have heard some people refer to “doubling up” on adult diapers. This means wearing two incontinence briefs at the same time to increase absorbency and prevent leaks. First of all, there is the obvious expense. It’s often less expensive to purchase the correct absorbency than it is to use two at one time.

But the most important drawback is that you’re not actually increasing absorbency at all. Since adult diapers and incontinence underwear have a waterproof or non-pass through exterior, the excess liquid from the first diaper won’t be able to pass through to the next. Instead, it will leak out the leg openings once the product is saturated.

In short, you’re not stopping your adult diaper from leaking and may actually make your problem worse.

Use Overnight Incontinence Products

If you find that your adult diaper leaks mostly at night, consider using an “overnight” product. This isn’t a marketing gimmick. These products are designed to protect against leaks even while you move around in your sleep. They’re also more absorbent to ensure you’re protected all night. Our overnight incontinence underwear holds up to 70 ounces without a booster pad.

Watch Your Fluid Intake

You could be experiencing leaky adult diapers because you’re overhydrating or drinking too much at one time. While it’s never good to drink too little, since this can irritate your bladder and trigger infections, drinking too much is also a common problem.

This is especially true if you suffer from incontinence and have other health conditions like diabetes. Some conditions and medications increase thirst or cause dry mouth, which leaves you frequently reaching for a beverage. This can overload your bladder and your adult diaper. Take note of how much you drink in a span of a few hours. And if you think overhydration could be a problem, try cutting back to see if you notice any improvement in frequency or severity of leaks.

Avoid Using Vaseline

You might have noticed that your incontinence underwear or briefs seem to leak when you use Vaseline. Yes, there is a connection! When you apply Vaseline to your perineal area, some of it will inevitably transfer to your incontinence product. This creates a barrier that keeps the product from absorbing moisture, leaving your prone to adult diaper leaks. Just as Vaseline blocks moisture from your skin, it can also block it from being absorbed by your incontinence product.

Instead of Vaseline, try using products made for the perineal area. We recommend our Formula 2 moisturizer and barrier cream. It helps to heal and nourish skin while also acting as a barrier to keep your skin dry. Because Formula 2 is a cream and not a petroleum product, it won’t affect your incontinence product like Vaseline does.

Use Plus Size Incontinence Products When Appropriate

As mentioned above, size does matter when it comes to stopping adult diaper leaks. You might need to look for plus size products to find the fit and leak protection you need. Wearing incontinence underwear that are too tight is also problematic.

TYE Medical offers incontinence underwear in sizes XL, 2XL, and 3XL to fit waists that are 55-92 inches.

Make the Switch: Try LivDry by TYE Medical

Our incontinence underwear and adult diapers check all the boxes. So, if you’ve tried to make adjustments in how you use your current brand, but are still battling frequent leaks, it might be time to make a switch.

We offer a variety of sizes with leakage barrier leg cuffs and a super-absorbent gel core to whisk away moisture. We also have a wide range of absorbency levels including up to 90 ounces for our incontinence underwear and shaped pads, and up to 150 ounces for our briefs.

Our booster pads add up to 23 ounces of leak protection per pad when you need it. They also feature our super-absorbent gel core to keep moisture locked away, leaving your skin dry.

Stop putting up with your leaky adult diaper and shop our online store to get free, discreet shipping on all orders.