Just like your skin and hair will differ from the girl next to you, so too will your body when it comes to your menstruation cycle – which is exactly why there are various sanitary products available; to enable you to find the products that best suit the needs of your period. That being said, a lot of girls feel too embarrassed to ask questions about their period (or talk about vaginal health altogether), so it’s no surprise that there’s confusion over what to use, and when.
We’ve pulled together some great info from becarefree.com.au on the difference between liners, pads and tampons, to help get you started in choosing the best option for you…
What are liners?
A liner sticks to your undies and is good for days when your flow is lighter and there’s less fluid. There are two types of liners: protection liners and everyday freshness liners. Protection liners are great for before and towards the end of your period as their moisture-proof backing is designed to absorb small amounts of blood. Everyday freshness liners on the other hand have a breathable backing that lets the air circulate, making them great for days in between your period to absorb discharge.
bh recommends trying: CAREFREE® Original Liners for protection, and CAREFREE® ACTI-FRESH® Linersfor everyday freshness.
What are pads?
A pad sticks to the inside of your undies and absorbs blood and any discharge – they are thicker than a liner and are designed to absorb period blood. Pads generally come in two different thicknesses: Ultra Thin and Standard. Ultra Thin pads are sleek and slender, but are still really absorbent. Standard pads are thicker and some girls like the gentle cushiony feel of these.
bh recommends trying: CAREFREE® Ultra Thin Pads, and CAREFREE® Standard Pads.
What are tampons?
A tampon is inserted into your vagina and acts like a sponge. It can be less messy than a pad but can be more uncomfortable if you haven’t got the hang of inserting it correctly (practise will make perfect though!) Tampons generally come in three different absorbencies: Mini, Regular and Super, which you can use according to the heaviness of your flow. The great thing about tampons is that you can still go swimming, which isn’t recommended with a pad.
bh recommends trying: CAREFREE® ProComfort™ Tampons, which are designed with a special SILK-EASE® cover to help make them easy to insert and remove.
So now that we’ve cleared up what each sanitary product is, when should you use what? While most women experience a period that’s heavier on certain days, and lighter towards the end, it’s also completely normal to have a consistently heavy or light flow throughout, or a period that changes from month to month. Given this, we recommend establishing a period product ‘regime’ – which, simply put, just means having a variety of products on hand that best suit the different stages of your period. The more times you have your period, the more familiar you’ll become with its flow and your product preference, so don’t be afraid to try a few different options until you find the most comfortable for you!
Visit becarefree.com.au for more information on the period products available and to get your free sample of CAREFREE® PROCOMFORT™ Tampons.
Have you ever been confused about which sanitary products to use, and when? Do you have a pad/tampon/liner ‘regime’ during your period?
