Women use a variety of options when it comes to menstrual products when their period comes around, with most choosing between pads or tampons, or using a combination of the two. But these are no longer the only real options out there. There is now period underwear in Australia to choose from, coming in a range of brands, styles and absorbency rates, to suit all ages and all women. Here we take a look at what it is and what benefits you can enjoy moving from what you use now to period underwear.
Understanding period underwear
Period underwear no longer means the old knickers you wear that time of the month so if a leak happens you don’t ruin good underwear. Period underwear refers to pants, knickers, shorts that you wear instead of pads or tampons or cups. You do not wear them as well as. They absorb the blood during your period, come in various looks and absorbency rates, and can suit any woman throughout their menstruation years. They also have moisture-wicking and anti-microbial properties to prevent bad odour. There is no leaking, no smell and they are washable and re-usable. If you are concerned that at your heaviest their heaviest absorbency might not work, you can of course wear a tampon or pad in addition.
Some of the benefits to choosing period underwear over traditional products
- A far more green option
Women get through thousands of pads and tampons in their lifetime. Add to that the packaging and wrapping they come in and it all adds up to a lot contributing to landfills and global pollution. Add to that the fact that a lot of brands package in plastic not paper and that impact on the environment jumps and lasts years.
- Period underwear are simple to use
You just put them on as you do a normal pair of knickers, there is no learning curve as with how to insert a tampon. It makes them a great option for girls just starting, but still for all women too. It might take time to get used to the concept of bleeding straight into your underwear, but that is all there is to it. Just get on with your life. The only thing you need to do at the start is to work out which absorbency type you need.
- Reusable so you do not have to keep replacing them
Where with normal products you have to keep buying them, with underwear like this you can wash and re-use. They last from anywhere between 2 to 5 years. Just rinse in cold water then put them in the washing machine.
- Save you money
By not having to buy products every month and likely having to replace underwear that gets ruined when leaks happen, you can save moey. Remember while the initial cost of the underwear is more than going and buying a couple of packs of tampons, you will reuse them for 2 to 5 years and stop buying other products. That could add up to thousands in savings.
- Be more comfortable during your period
There is no weird feeling like you are wearing a nappy or having to insert something inside you. It is just like wearing normal underwear. It is a lot more comfortable than the other options.
- Styles to suit every woman
There is sometimes an initial assumption by women hearing about period underwear that assume the knickers or shorts are not attractive and are ‘granny’ style, but it is not the case. You can get different styles, so if you prefer the full shape they are there, but there are also high cut, bikini style, lacey, shorts and so on to choose from.
- Less chance of being caught out
No matter how old you are and how many times you have had a period, sometimes it catches you out. It sometimes comes early and you are out without any products. If you know your period is due in a few days you can easily start wearing the period underwear a couple of days early and then you won’t have that problem.
- Wear them in the pool and when working out
One of the things a lot of women love about this underwear is that it is a lot easier to workout out in. It does not feel uncomfortable, move around and make it hard to do anything. You can even go swimming still. There is period underwear that lets you swim as long as your period is not very heavy at the time.
