Pantyliners are the lite version of sanitary pads. They’re thinner, less absorbent, and perfect for your non-period days. They’re important for protecting against vaginal discharge during the day but are too light for your menstrual flow.
Think of pantyliners as stain protectors. We use them when we don’t want vaginal discharge to stain our panties. They’re placed onto our panty’s gusset and held in place with an adhesive, with or without wings.
They come in different shapes, forms, and absorbency rates depending on your preferences and needs. Like pads, there are tiny, compact liners to long, protective liners designed to protect you from heavy discharge and even light periods on your lighter days. However, they’re generally thinner and need to be changed more frequently throughout the day than pads.
When to use pantyliners
Pantyliners can fit into your everyday life just like wearing undergarments. They’re your best friend when it comes to protecting your clothes from stains and avoiding embarrassment. Because, let’s be honest, sh*t happens. Maybe you went to a party and had a little too much to drink and now you can’t even know when you’re “going.” Or maybe your vagina just decided it wants to moisturize itself. Pantyliners will come to your rescue. Normalize using them.
i. Everyday wear
No matter how confident you are about your body, you can never be certain. You know, those days when you’re the headline speaker at the main event, or maybe attending an awesome ball, or maybe a pageant, pantyliners can save your day in case something goes wrong. And you know what? They’re not bulky.
ii. Light urinary incontinence
Sometimes we burst out into laughter that we open our bladders unwillingly. Or maybe we hold up too much urine while waiting to visit the washroom and the body decides it can’t wait any longer. Or maybe it’s an infection that just doesn’t allow you to stay for long with urine. This is known as urinary incontinence. And that’s where pantyliners come into the picture. They help absorb those urine traces and prevent them from staining your panties. And your day will be saved!
iii. Before and after your periods
After ovulation, your vagina becomes wetter in anticipation of fertilization. This wetness may make you feel mushy and uncomfortable. To stay dry and fresh, you can use pantyliners as curtain-raisers for sanitary pads when your periods begin.
iv. Working out
The skin around your vagina also has sweat pores. And when you’re wearing tight or warm clothes around your groin area, you can sweat a lot. Panty liners will help protect your clothes from getting stained with sweat as you work out or while doing rigorous activities.
v. Weeks after childbirth
In the initial days after childbirth, you will need something heavy than a pantyliner to protect yourself from vaginal discharge after childbirth. But as days progress, your vaginal discharge reduces and you can shift to lighter pantyliners to prevent stains.
vi. Alongside tampons and menstrual cups
When using tampons or menstrual cups, your periods can leak out unknowingly. So rather than waiting and see, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
vii. After sex
You want to keep your vagina dry after sex and pantyliners will do exactly that. This is especially so if the man ejaculates inside the vagina and the semen comes out as a discharge. Or if the vagina tries to cleanse itself and get rid of germs after sex.
How to use a pantyliner
They’re really not that much different from pads. Make sure your hands are clean before opening the pantyliner by washing them with soap and water.
Peel out the strip to reveal the adhesive and press firmly on your panty’s gusset. Wear your panty as usual and go about your day.
What you should know before wearing pantyliners
- Pantyliners should be changed at least every 3-5 hours.
- If they become too wet/soaked, you must change them immediately.
- Avoid scented pantyliners as they may irritate your vagina. Go for organic cotton pantyliners if you can.
- Don’t wear pantyliners during sleep to allow for air to circulate freely.
- You do not need to wear more than one pantyliner.
- Pantyliners are not built for menstrual flow.