Powerful Pads and Lovely Liners
Approved by our medical experts
Pads and liners are the most common types of period products you’ll come across. They’re a fave for a lot of people because they’re really easy to use.
Pads and liners are made from absorbent material. You stick them into your pants and they absorb your flow. They come in many shapes, lengths and absorbencies. You can also get reusable ones! These are kinder to the planet and save you some money.
Pads are designed for use throughout your period and are much more absorbent than liners.
Liners are much thinner and are great to use alongside other products to protect your pants from any cheeky leaks.
Which pad is right for me?
Like with all period products, there are lots of brands, styles and shapes out there.
One of the most important things to think about when choosing a pad is how absorbent you need the pad to be. Pads range from ‘light’ to ‘super’, just like tampons. There will be a little sign on the front of the pack to show you which they are. As the names suggest, light pads suit people with lighter flows, and super suits those with a heavier flow.
Find out more about flows and period colours with our guide here.
Sometimes, they’re referred to as ‘day’ and ‘night’ pads. Night pads are designed to be longer, so when you lie down, they cover further up your pants. You’ll be surprised how far that blood can travel when you lie down! They are also designed to soak up more blood. This means you can sleep with one in your pants and not need to get up and change it in the night.
Just because it says it’s a ‘night’ or ‘day’ pad, doesn’t mean you have to wear them at these times. If you have a heavy flow you may choose to wear night pads in the day too. Likewise, if you have light periods you can use day pads at night - it’s whatever works for you.
If you find you have to change your pads frequently, you might choose to use something that can soak up more. You can do this at different stages of your period too. You could use something more absorbent in the first few days of your period, then change to something a little lighter when you need to.
While pads are very easy to use, some people can find them a little uncomfortable. Many people find this more when trying to do things that need a lot of movement and flexibility.
Single use pads are held in place by a sticky strip on the bottom of the pad, and reusable ones have press studs or poppers on the other side of your pants to keep them in place. This can mean that they’re prone to moving around and getting a bit stuck together…or sticking to you!
If this happens, why not try a cup or tampon? But, if you’d rather not use products that you put into your vagina (like cups or tampons), then period pants are another good option.
How to use a pad
Using a pad or liner is super straight forward. We’re going to use pads in these instructions, but liners work exactly the same.
- As with all products, remember to wash your hands first!
- Then unfold the packet and take the pad out from the wrapper.
- Next, stick the pad into your pants.
- Some pads have ‘wings’, which are little flappy bits that fold around your pants. Don’t worry if you don’t have these. The wings help stop cheeky leaks and stop the pad moving around!
If you do have these, remove the paper backing just like a sticker! Then fold the wings around your pants and press them down to stick.
Then, you’ve done it! Your period pad is in place, and you’re ready to go! It’s really that simple.
When the pad is full, you’ll need to change it.
- Sit on the toilet and take it off your pants.
- You can then roll it u, and wrap the plastic from your next pad around it. Or you could wrap it in tissue.
- Pop it in the bin and stick a new one into your pants.
Always be sure to wash your hands before and after. And never flush your pads or liners down the toilet… No one needs a blocked toilet!
How often should I change my pad?
How often you change your pad will depend on your flow. Everyone and every flow is different.
Along with your flow, how often you need to change your pad also depends on the pads you’ve chosen and how much they can soak up.
Generally, it’s a good idea to change your pad every 4 - 6 hours. But if you find your pads are full more quickly, then you could either switch to a more absorbent pad or just change them more often.
You must regularly change your pad even if it isn’t ‘full’. Continually wearing pads for longer than 8 hours (except for while you’re sleeping) can cause some bacteria to build up, which in some cases can lead to infection.
What are reusable pads?
As we mentioned before, reusable pads are another type of pad. They also come in different fabrics, lengths, absorbencies and patterns.
They all have an absorbent core with a leak-proof outer layer to contain the blood. They are held in place by press studs, rather than the stickers on the single-use ones.
Here’s how you use a reusable pad:
- You might guess this one. Wash your hands!
- Place the pad in your pants (in the same way you would a single-use pad)
- Snap together the press studs on the wings on the outside of your pants. Then, job done!
You’ll want to change your reusable pad just as much as a single use one. When you need to change your reusable pad:
- Unsnap the press studs.
- Replace with a fresh one following the same steps.
You could rinse the used one under cold water. We do this so the blood doesn’t stain the pad. This is a good tip all round, as cold water will help you to avoid bloodstains on any fabric.
Once you’ve given it a good rinse out, you can clean it with soap under really warm water until your next wash load. Or pop it straight into the washing machine with the rest of your clothes.
Be sure to read the care instructions on whatever pads you buy so they last as long as possible and are kept in tip-top condition!
Reusable pads are great at saving you money. They may be more expensive than single use ones initially. But, you may need to use a lot of the single-use pads, depending on your flow. So it could become expensive.
Also, disposable pads aren’t very eco-friendly. A lot of plastic is used to create disposable pads and they aren’t recyclable. So, a reusable pad can help you help the planet!
If you prefer the idea of a disposable pad but want to be a bit kinder to the planet, there are more eco brands out there. Have a look, it’s worth doing some research.
Other eco and budget-friendly options are menstrual cups and period pants. Find out more about them. You don’t have to stick to one product; you can always mix and match!
Your period doesn’t have to just be a crampy time of the month. You can still live your life and do the things you want to. Choosing the right products to look after you while you’re on your period is a big part of that. So, try new things and embrace your Bloody Brilliant period. You can find out more about other period products using the links below!
