How to choose the best adult diaper for your needs – National Association For Continence (2024)

According to the Global Forum on Incontinence, around 400 million people worldwide suffer from some form of incontinence. This is a little over 5% of the population. Experts expect this percentage to grow as the population ages.

Incontinence is a dignity-stripping affliction. It can cause severe mental anguish and social withdrawal. It is not a disease, in itself. It is, in most cases, the symptom of another underlying cause. And causes, more often than not, can be treated.

A proportion of incontinence patients, will, however, not achieve a cure. For these patients, managing the incontinence and living with it is the only option. Patients may benefit from various physical therapies and lifestyle changes.

Most, however, would be well served by any of the popular incontinence devices. Amongst these, the adult diaper is the most popular and the least invasive or obtrusive. If you’re looking to buy adult diapers, let us show you what you should look out for.

LIFESTYLE

Your level of activity plays a big role in your choice. People who want to continue with an active lifestyle will want something that can be worn under their clothes. They need to be as unobtrusive as possible. These diapers are commonly referred to as pull-ups and resemble brief style underwear. Some patients are able to continue a perfectly normal lifestyle. They can continue working and playing sports with confidence.

On the other hand, more sedentary patients may opt for tab-style diapers. These are, as the name suggests, similar to baby diapers. They are closed around the waist by adhesive tabs. They tend to be somewhat bulkier than pull-ups. They are considered better for absorbency. The flipside, though, is that they are usually bulkier than pull-ups. For heavy incontinence sufferers, these diapers are the best choice.

SIZE

To provide proper protection, a diaper needs to fit correctly. It should be snug but not tight. Although the diapers are categorized by waist size, the fit around the legs is more important. Garment sizing is based on measurements and ratios collected over more than a century. If your legs are thicker or thinner than average, you should adjust the waist size accordingly.

Choosing the right size may sometimes come down to trial and error. If the waistline becomes looser or opens up completely after a while, you should probably switch to a smaller size. Likewise, if you regularly experience leaks around the legs, you most certainly need a smaller size.

Conversely, if you notice “ligature marks”, then you should go up one size. Long-term constriction can cause skin damage. In extreme cases, more serious problems may develop.

ABSORBENCY

Incontinence diapers are all about the absorption of fluids. People suffer from different levels of incontinence. And diapers come in a wide range of absorbency levels. At the low end, a diaper may have a capacity of a few hundred milliliters. The top-end, or overnight adult diapers, can have a capacity of several liters. Note that pull-ups will generally have a lower absorbency as they are designed to be more discreet.

In addition to the absorbency of the diaper, you can also consider booster pads. These are designed to be worn inside the diaper to provide additional absorbency. This may allow the option of using a diaper with lower absorbency for discretion and comfort while allowing a “boost” of absorption from the pad itself.

MATERIAL

Diapers have, for the most part, always been plastic-backed to improve fluid retention. In recent years, though, breathable, or cloth-backed diapers have been developed and are more widespread. Although they are not 100% leakproof, they are very effective in retaining fluids. The biggest difference is the wearer’s comfort. Breathable diapers are quieter and are breathable, allowing the skin to dry faster.

Due to the increased air circulation, breathable diapers may help to reduce skin rash. They are also cooler to wear in summer when the wearer may be likely to sweat more. To avoid or reduce skin rash and discomfort, however, these diapers must be changed promptly when they are full. They are more likely to leak if left on too long.

Some people still prefer plastic-backed diapers though. They provide a feeling of security knowing that they won’t leak through the outer layer.

COST

Cost is always a major driver in our buying decisions. Adult diapers are no exception. The prices can vary greatly. And higher cost does not always assure higher quality. As with a lot of things, sometimes you pay a premium for a name.

Whilst cost is not the only consideration, you should set yourself an affordable limit. Finding a solution that works for you within this budget will give you peace of mind further on. The cost of your diaper requirements does not need to depend on only one particular diaper either. It might be possible to optimize costs by selecting different diapers for day and night. Or for active time and downtime.

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

The factors we have looked at are the most important factors for most people. However, there are a few other factors that differentiate between product options. Some of these factors may be important to some sufferers. Let’s look at a few of these.

• REUSABLE OR DISPOSABLE

  Washable diapers are now readily available. These diapers are made of cloth can be washed and reused many times. Although they are quite expensive initially, the cost does level out over time and is usually more economical than disposable diapers. They are also more eco-friendly as they save space in landfills. Cloth diapers do require you to wear plastic pants to prevent leaks.

• WETNESS INDICATOR

  Some diapers have a built-in indicator that will let the wearer (or caregiver) know when it is full. This is very useful in preventing overflow leakage.

• WICKING

  Wearing a wet diaper for any length of time is uncomfortable. With extended wear, a wet diaper may cause a rash or other more serious skin conditions. In recent years, various types of top layers have been developed that help to keep the skin dry. They work by wicking the urine away from the skin and into the padded core of the diaper. This helps to keep the skin dry no matter how full the diaper is.

• ODOR CONTROL

  Although common, odor control is not present in every diaper and the efficiency varies between products. If odor control is a feature, it will usually be present in the description of the product or on the packaging.

How to choose the best adult diaper for your needs?

WRAPPING UP

As you have read, there are many factors to consider when choosing an adult diaper. The choice can be overwhelming and scary for someone looking for adult diapers for the first time. With our knowledgeable staff, LL Medico is here to help you figure out the best product for your needs. We also offer samples of many of our products so you can try a product before you buy a whole pack or case. You can learn more about our sample program here https://www.llmedico.com/samples/

If you need help choosing the right product for your situation, please call us at 855-422-4556 or email us at support@llmedico.com.