What Should You Look For When Choosing Diapers?
According to a 2019 research article published by Incontinence UK, incontinence—lack of voluntary control over urination or defecation—affects around 300m people worldwide, about 5% of the population.
This article further suggests that the statistics could be higher because incontinence is rarely discussed, and many people could suffer in silence.
While incontinence is not a disease, it is usually an indicator of some underlying health conditions, most of which can be treated. The problems come when the underlying conditions cannot be treated, and one has to learn how to live with involuntary bowel and urinary movements.
Patients can benefit from various therapies and lifestyle changes. However, they must have incontinence devices, with adult diapers being the best option.
Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing adult diapers:
1. Brand Quality
Brand quality matters when going for adult diapers and should never be ignored.
There are many diaper providers, and as the demand increases, more are attracted to the market. While the ability to meet your need is the most important thing when dealing with incontinence, you can’t be assured of it, with every brand claiming to provide adult briefs and incontinence devices.
Remember, nothing can be worse than being messed up with an adult diaper in public. I don’t want to imagine it; it is a dignity-stripping affliction.
Going for well-established and consistent brands like Attends Adult Incontinence products will ensure you get the best quality of tried and tested adult diapers. You can always access reviews by satisfied customers and users’ advice on using adult diapers to sort your unique needs.
Once you find a quality brand, you should maintain and consider other issues like meeting the budget and not trying to find other brands that could mess you up.
2. Costs
According to Givers, Diapering adults can cost between $160-$240 each month. This can be a lot if you calculate it annually and probably for most of your life. Cost is an integral consideration for diapers, especially for adults who may not be looking forward to outgrowing the need, as in the case of children.
Because of recurring costs, you have all the reasons to have a carefully done budget to know how much you need to spend on diapers every month.
You can find a way of going around the budget by shopping for a good deal in the market. As you window shop for a good deal, don’t betray quality, or you will betray yourself into a trap. You can also deal with the costs by shopping in bulk to benefit from the benefits of bulk buying—a reduction in the unit price.
Don’t forget that cheap can be expensive, especially for adult diapers.
3. Size
Like our clothing, diapers come in sizes. While you can walk around in a baggy pair of trousers or shirt, an oversized diaper is a complete mess. You don’t need to experience the mess diaper leakage can cause you and your loved ones. On the other extreme, a too-tight diaper will cause you discomfort. The only right thing to do is find and maintain the right size.
Before shopping for adult diapers, you should measure the waist and hip of an individual to find the perfect size. With sizes in mind, you can review the size chart and find what will work well for you. Typically, your measurements will fit into four categories; small, medium, large, and extra large.
4. Leakage Condition
Leakage condition concerns the quantity and frequency of leakage in a day. Based on the data of your leakage intensity, you should choose an adult diaper that perfectly suits your condition.
More intense leakage will need a more robust diaper choice. Otherwise, continuous leakage sometimes suggests a diaper size or absorbency problem. A good example is when an individual uses multiple adult diapers daily and still faces urine leakage problems.
5. Material
The material from which an adult diaper is made is very important. The choice of material greatly influences its effectiveness and comfort. Some adult diapers have a plastic backing which tends to provide more protection and prevent leakage.
The challenge that comes with plastic-backed adult diapers is the bulk it comes with. Most people may find that uncomfortable and go for non-plastic (breathable diapers).
While breathable diapers may not assure as much protection as their plastic-backed counterparts, they are a more comfortable option, especially for those experiencing less intense leakage. They allow more air to circulate, avoiding rashes resulting from too-tight diapers.
They are also a good option for overnight adult diaper changes. Otherwise, different occasions may demand different levels of protection, and you should be well-equipped to handle both.
6. Absorbency
Absorbency is the most important aspect of adult diapers and probably the primary reason we may need them. The degree of absorbency of one’s adult diaper is directly related to the amount of leakage.
For instance, if a person suffers from severe urinary incontinence, they must buy diapers with quick liquid absorbency and high retention capacity. The need would differ with mild incontinence, for whom diapers with medium absorbency will do a good job.
You should understand that the body will likely release more urine overnight, hence the need to use diapers with high absorbency.
Otherwise, you can have everything in control by going for special overnight diapers. Also, when going for a more engaging outdoor activity, a highly absorbent diaper option will be a great option to have in your basket.
7. Odor Eradication
Adult diapers are only helpful to the extent that they help one maintain their hygiene. At this core is odor eradication, which can save one from embarrassment and poor self-image. In order to prevent bad odor, it is imperative to look for high-quality diapers that manage incontinence and minimize the bacteria that cause odor.
Besides causing bad odors, such bacteria can also cause skin infections, and by dealing with them, you solve many problems. Finding a perfect size will help you deal with most issues related to hygiene and enhance a person’s comfort and respect.
Conclusion
Adult diapers are essential and cannot be avoided if someone has to live with incontinence. You need to exercise much care when choosing adult diapers since not just any diaper in the stores can work for everyone.
Such considerations as size and absorbency are extremely crucial when choosing adult diapers. Follow these guidelines to ensure you don’t waste money buying what you don’t need.