Types of Incontinence Pads and When to Use Them

Incontinence Pad Basics

Urinary incontinence pads are designed to wear with regular underwear or other incontinence products such as front-fastening briefs or protective underwear. Pads for bladder leaks fall into one of two major categories: 

Insert Pads

This type of pad doesn’t pass the liquid through to your cloth underwear, protective underwear, or brief. It features a plastic backing to prevent the pass-through of liquid. When you soil, you change only the pad and not your wearable incontinence product. TYE Medical’s Shaped Pads (for use with Protective Underwear or Premium Briefs) and Ultra-Thin Pads (for use with cloth underwear) are types of insert pads. They both feature fast absorption technology and leakproof features such as leakage barrier leg cuffs. 

Booster Pads

These pads don’t have a waterproof or leakproof plastic backing. They’re also highly absorbent but will pass the liquid through to your undergarment or wearable incontinence product. Unless you replace the booster pad very quickly, it will leak through. The advantage to these pads is that you can add absorbency to your protective underwear or briefs if you are in a situation where you want an extra “boost”– for example, a long flight where you may go longer than normal between changes. 

We recommend that men position booster pads higher in the front of their protective underwear or brief to gain the most benefit. 

When to Use Incontinence Pads

Light Incontinence Pads

Suppose you’re a woman with lighter leaks and aren’t ready to wear pull-up incontinence products (protective underwear) or front-fastening briefs (adult diapers). In that case, light incontinence pads are a practical solution. 

Our LivDry Ultra-Thin Pads will keep your skin and underwear dry. They feature a discreet, absorbent design with odor control technology. The leakage barrier leg cuffs help prevent side leaks around the legs.

For men interested in a light incontinence pad, we recommend our LivDry Titan Thins (only available on Amazon).

Incontinence Pads for Sensitive Skin

When liquid remains trapped against your skin for too long or too frequently, the warm moisture promotes bacteria growth. And since bacteria is already present in your urine, this creates an unhealthy situation for your skin and urinary tract. 

Without the right incontinence products or treatments, your skin can become sore and irritated. You can also develop bladder infections. If you already have sensitive skin, irritation and rashes can be a constant battle. But with the right stay-dry products, your skin can heal. 

All our incontinence pads are hypoallergenic and feature a super absorbent gel core that allows for rapid absorption. When moisture is absorbed and locked away quickly, the top layer remains dry. This helps prevent irritations, especially for those with sensitive skin. You’re far less likely to develop rashes and infections when your skin is protected from moisture and bacteria. 

Incontinence barrier cream is another way to protect sensitive skin. It healthily moisturizes skin while protecting it from soiled incontinence pads and bacteria. Barrier creams even offer soothing pain relief.  

When you apply our Formula 2 Skin Care Cream with each change, you can prevent and treat incontinence dermatitis and skin irritations.

Overnight Incontinence Pads

Even if you don’t wear incontinence pads with your protective underwear or briefs during the day, you probably require some additional protection at night. If your nighttime leaks are heavy, and you don’t often wake in the night to use the bathroom, you might want more security than your overnight protective underwear or brief can offer. 

You can gain additional protection and peace of might while sleeping if you use an insert pad (Shaped Pad) or booster pad with your wearable incontinence product. This gives you an additional layer of protection at night, ensuring no surprise leaks disturb your sleep and soil your bed. It can also keep you from upgrading your wearable incontinence product to a more expensive higher absorbency. (Pads are typically cheaper than protective underwear or adult diapers.)

Overnight Incontinence Bed Pads

If you don’t want to wear a pad and protective underwear to bed, or if you want an added measure of safety, you can purchase disposable incontinence bed pads. These have a waterproof backing and super absorbent polymer core to keep your bed dry even if you leak through your wearable incontinence product. 

Our disposable bed wetting pads for adults measure 28” X 30”, offering plenty of protection. They’re most helpful when used along with our Overnight Protective Underwear or anytime you want to protect bedding or furniture. 

Purchase Urinary Incontinence Pads to Suit Your Needs

When choosing an incontinence pad, first decide your level of need. Is your incontinence light, moderate, or heavy?  Then determine if you want protection from pass-through liquid (leakproof insert pads) or if you’re content with using booster pads. 

And lastly, consider whether you need additional protection overnight and if you want a product that’s best for sensitive skin. Even if your skin isn’t especially sensitive, you will still benefit from pads that quickly absorb moisture and leave you with a dry top layer.

For more information about our products, please contact us for assistance. Our associates can help you by live chat, phone, or contact form. 

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