Living with incontinence is tough enough.
The inability to regulate bladder and/or bowel movements may have many incontinence patients spending more time indoors to avoid the public embarrassment associated with inadvertent urinary or fecal discharge. This can take a massive toll on their social and emotional well-being, eventually reducing their overall quality of life.
It’s against that backdrop that incontinence briefs, more commonly called adult diapers, were invented.
However, while adult diapers have proven effective at soaking bodily fluids, these products can trigger skin irritation by keeping urine locked firmly against the sensitive genital area for hours.
A solution to that? Hypoallergenic diaper brands like Depend.
However, wearing incontinence briefs made from anti-irritant ingredients isn’t enough. Specific measures are still necessary to prevent skin irritation.
Below is a rundown of the top five tips for maintaining skin health using Depend diapers.
1. Pick the Right Depend Diaper Size
The right adult diaper size doesn’t only improve the wearer’s comfort. It can preserve their skin as well.
If an incontinence brief is too large, it may leak through the gaps around the thighs. This increases exposure to the chemicals in urine, many of which can reduce the skin’s barrier and open it up for entry by pathogens.
Undersized adult diapers are even more problematic for the skin. These briefs can wrap tightly around the skin, causing restricted movement, chafing, and general discomfort.
The good news is that Depends diapers are available in all sizes to suit different wearers. Some of the brand’s incontinence briefs come in as many as six Easy-Grip tabs for custom fit.
To find the best Depend brief size, it’s best to shop based on your waist, hip, and thigh measurements. You may also test-drive specific diaper sizes before making a bulk order. Ensure the diaper fits snugly (not tightly) around your waist and legs and slightly underneath your belly button.
2. Optimize Your Adult Diapers With Depend Booster Pads
Booster pads are the unsung heroes in the world of incontinence aids. While each adult diaper has a maximum absorbency capacity, booster pads let you exceed that limit, keeping your skin drier for longer.
Booster pads are typically worn inside regular adult diapers. Their design features a flow-through material that absorbs bodily fluid until it fills before allowing excess fluids to flow through to your outer briefs.
Depend booster pads can enhance your regular incontinence briefs by up to 240 milliliters (8.1 fluid ounces) or higher.
Besides increasing a diaper’s fluid retention capacity, booster pads may also extend the life of regular diapers by reducing the frequency of diaper changes.
3. Change Your Depend Diapers Regularly
Despite their super absorbency, there’s a time limit to which Depend diapers can be safely worn.
Most Depend diapers can last 4 – 6 hours before saturation. Such briefs are ideal for users with mild-to-moderate incontinence.
Diapers engineered for severe incontinence can last up to eight hours before requiring a replacement.
But as a general rule, changing your Depend diapers every three hours is important to minimize the risks of leakage. Wearing a full diaper can trigger skin irritation or worsen existing skin problems.
Fortunately, Depend understands the challenges faced by new adult diaper users in determining whether their briefs require changing. As such, all products by the brand come with a wetness indicator to reveal when they’re full.
4. Practice Proper Personal Hygiene After Every Diaper Change
Every adult diaper change presents risks of contamination, which underscores the significance of proper hygiene.
Start by washing your hands with warm water and an antibacterial soap for about 20 seconds after removing a soiled diaper. This prevents the entry of pathogens through any open wounds on your hands.
Next, use pre-moistened wipes or a disposable cloth dipped in a mild skin cleaner to thoroughly clean your genital area. Focus on the sections covered by a diaper, including the groin and upper thighs.
The idea is to reduce contact with the toxic compounds in the bladder and bowel, which may alter the skin’s pH and accelerate the entry of pathogens.
To further minimize exposure to contaminants in bodily discharge, insist on diapers with tabs or tearable side panels for easy removal.
5. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
Keeping the skin dry appears to be the overarching goal of adult diapers.
But, it’s important to note that the word “dry” is applied with respect to reduced exposure to potentially harmful compounds in urinary discharge. It doesn’t denote dehydration, which can prove more harmful to your skin.
Dehydration may cause your skin to crack open, providing an easy passageway for germs. That’s where a skin moisturizer comes in.
Apply a moisturizer to minimize water loss after thoroughly cleaning and pat-drying your skin. Some moisturizers help create a protective barrier around the skin, further reducing pathogenesis.
Needless to mention, insist on moisturizers formulated with skin-replenishing ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, alpha hydroxy acids, and glycerin. Shun products that are laced with toxic additives, including formaldehyde, phthalates, and parabens.
Wrap Up
Depend is an industry leader in the manufacture of super-absorbent incontinence briefs. The brand also prides itself on its hypoallergenic diapers, which are designed specifically to minimize skin irritation. You can sample from a variety of sizes, depending on your waist, hip, and thigh measurements.
After finding a Depend diaper that suits your incontinence needs, it’s exciting to know that you can further incorporate the above tips to maintain your skin’s health.