How to Manage Incontinence Symptoms - Pants

Incontinence (that’s any involuntary leaking of wee or poo) is incredibly common but not normal and this means that there are ways to prevent, manage and treat incontinence at any age. 

Having said that, incontinence can be complex, which means it can take a while to find the solutions that will work for your unique body and your unique circumstances. 

If you’re experiencing incontinence symptoms, we recommend you visit your GP or a Women’s Health Physiotherapist who can assess you and advise you on a personalised treatment plan. 

While you’re exploring your options, you’re going to need to manage your symptoms.

This is the second instalment in our series on how to manage incontinence symptoms. To learn more about incontinence pads and how they might work for you, read the first article here. 

Incontinence pants are absorbent pants (knickers) that can be worn instead of regular pants. They are similar to pants designed to absorb period blood but they can absorb much more liquid. 

For comparison, the average loss of blood during a period is 2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) over 7 days. 

The average range for ‘mild’ incontinence is 1.3g to 20g, ‘moderate’ is 21g-74g and ‘severe’ is more than 75g in 24 hours. Watch this video to find out where you fall on the scale. 

Incontinence pants can be single use or reusable.

They are a great option for sports as they offer a lot of leak protection, don't move around, and can absorb large amounts of liquids. If you want to wear a tight fitting outfit, they might be more discreet than pads.

Single use incontinence pants are made of similar materials to single use incontinence pads meaning they generally use plastic materials to make them more absorbent. For anyone who has had a baby, they are reminiscent of the maternity pants you may have worn in the hospital. They are large, feel soft but synthetic, have a bit of an odd crinkly noise to them and may irritate your delicate vulva skin.

If I'm being totally honest, there is a bit of an ick factor to these. I'm not sure if it's leftover trauma from my birth experience but even the sound of them makes my skin crawl a little. However, single use incontinence pants are discreet, very absorbent and a great option for when you are wearing an outfit where a pad might be visible. 

They come in a range of sizes, absorbencies, and colours and range from about €13 for 9 pairs to €24 for 12 pairs. They are widely available from supermarkets and pharmacies. There are premium brand options like Always and market leader Tena and own brands from Tescos and Boots. Bear in mind that more expensive doesn't necessarily mean better here and it might take a little trial and error to find a pair that are comfortable for your level of leaking and your body shape. 

Reusable incontinence pants are an entirely different animal.

They also come in various sizes, designs, and absorbencies. They contain a waterproof layer to prevent any staining of clothing, can absorb around 15-50ml of liquid and wick moisture away from the skin. They come in a range of pretty lovely styles including seam-free so they are virtually invisible under your clothes. They use antimicrobial fabrics to minimise odours and are a great choice for reducing the environmental impact of pads. They range in price from around €15-€30 per pair and they last around 5 years. They are available from big stores like Marks and Spencers and Pennys as well as from specialist manufacturers like Modibodi and Cheeky. Some testers recommend you go for a tight fit with these reusable pants to be extra secure. Cheeky offer a free sizing service though, so you can buy risk free from them. 

As with single use pants, there is bound to be a bit of trial and error here. Figure out your incontinence level and try a few different styles to get the right fit for you. 

Both of these options will need to be changed regularly depending on your level of leakage. Wet pants can create a breeding ground for unhelpful bacteria so you want to keep the area feeling as dry as possible. 

 If you are going to give reusable incontinence pads or pants a go, then you're going to need to wash them. This is pretty simple as they can go in the wash with all your other clothes. But if you're slightly squeamish like me, you need a very basic system to minimise smells and contain any germs that might be roaming about. 

How to Wash Reusable Pants or Pads

Washing your reusable pants is really simple but there are a few tricks to make it part of your routine. 

1. Get yourself a bucket with a lid and a net laundry bag with a zip. This is the kind of bag that you throw in the washing machine to protect your delicates. Line the bucket with the bag.
2. When you have a wet pair of pants, place them in the laundry bag inside the bucket and put the lid back on. Add more pants or pads as you use them. 
3. When you’re ready to do a load of laundry, take out the bag and put it in the machine on its own. Do a rinse.
4. Add the rest of the laundry and run your normal cycle (most pants manufacturers recommend <30º but check the label). Avoid fabric conditioner as this affects the absorbency.
5. Give the bucket a spray and a wipe with your usual surface cleaner before you start again. 

Keeping the wet pants in a bucket with a lid avoids any smells contaminating your other laundry and means you don’t have to wash the pants separately. 

As with pads, it’s a good idea to take breaks from wearing incontinence pants (especially disposable ones) when you can - maybe you could try cotton pants overnight for example? Or switch to a cotton liner when you’re at home and close to your bathroom? It’s important for the sensitive tissues of your vulva to be able to breathe. 

Managing your incontinence symptoms is a puzzle with ever changing pieces.

You might find reusable pants are great for most of your activities but if you’re going to be out for a while or exercising, you might prefer to wear a disposable pad. You might be happy with cotton pants, or even no pants overnight, or you might need extra protection then.

Tracking your symptoms is a really helpful way to get to know your patterns and triggers so you can work on solutions and manage your symptoms with ease. We have created a FREE symptom tracker to help you do just that. You can download it here.

How you decide to manage your unique circumstances is up to you.

We just want you to know, you’ve got options. 

For more accessible, practical content like this, follow us on Instagram (@sheela.ie) and YouTube (@sheelawomen). 

Lastly, if there is a woman out there you think might need to hear any of this, please share.

Pelvic floor issues are incredibly common but not normal and that means there are ways to prevent, manage and treat pelvic floor issues at any age.