How to Choose the Best Period Underwear for Women

How to Choose the Best Period Underwear for Women

Period underwear for women has become increasingly popular in the last couple of years, and leakproof underwear is a great alternative to tampons, pads, and other period products. Offering you a safe user experience while saving you money in the long run, period panties are a fantastic investment for your menstruation, incontinence, or endometriosis, or anyone looking for a good pair of postpartum underwear.

There are many reasons people choose to switch to menstrual underwear for their period protection.  Period Underwear is a great eco-friendly solution, instead of using disposable products each month.  Furthermore, many people don’t like the discomfort of plastic and stuffy pads touching their skin. There are also health concerns surrounding disposables, which use heavy chemicals that are harmful to our bodies.

Today we’re going to look further into how to choose the best period underwear for teen girls. We’ll look at various features that you need to consider when choosing your period panties and give you our recommendation for the top model of period underwear for women available on the market today. 

Leak Proof Underwear

For anyone using period panties for the first time, you’ll find that one of your biggest concerns is leaks. As a wearer, you want to be reassured that you won’t experience any embarrassment while using menstrual underwear instead of your regular protection method. To minimize the chance of leaking, you want a crotch width that is wider than your regular panties. If the crotch area is too narrow, it will leak into your pants. A wider crotch of period underwear is similar to wearing pads with wings, as opposed to a narrow crotch, which is more like pads without wings. 

Another consideration is the absorbency of period underwear for women. You’ll want to find out how many tampons worth of blood that panty pad can absorb to ensure they are leak-proof underwear for heavy flow. Less absorbency requires you to change your period underwear every few hours to avoid leaks. Just as you would have to change your pads or tampons every few hours, the same would be needed if you choose a pair of period underwear with low absorbency. On the other hand, high-absorbency period panties will give you comfort for many hours, so you won’t have to worry about changing your period underwear often throughout the day.

thinxs

Some brands such as Bambody only have an absorbency amount of two tampons, so you’ll want to consider an option such as Trendix, which has up to six tampons worth of absorbency in their leakproof panties. This will give you peace of mind throughout the day, regardless of how heavy your flow is. The majority of brands on the market, including Thinx and Modi Bodi, offer panties that have the same crotch width as your regular underwear, but Trendix period underwear has a wider crotch area by more than double of regular underwear. This will help to avoid leaks and any concerns when you are on the go.

Wear Comfort of Period Underwear

When wearing leak-proof underwear, there’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable all day long.  Some important factors that affect the comfort level, include the speed of absorption, the thickness of the underwear, breathable material, and the waistband. If the blood is not absorbed quickly, it will feel wet on your skin, making you feel incredibly uncomfortable. Trendix’s absorption is test proven to be faster than other leading brands, as its top layer comes with premium moisture-wicking. This quick absorbency rate will ensure you are comfortable and protected throughout the day. Also, you’ll want to wear underwear that feels just like your regular underwear and isn’t too thick to be seen through your clothing. Many brands nowadays, including Trendix and Modi Bodi, offer underwear that’s the same thickness as your regular panties and are made using breathable fabric. This means you can wear them all year round, without feeling too hot and stuffy. 

When choosing period underwear, you’ll want to find a good waistband. If the waistband is too thin, such as is the case with Modi Bodi and Eva, you’ll find it rolls down to your waist and is uncomfortable to wear. Finally, in regards to comfort, you’ll also want to ensure your period undies have been treated to avoid odor. While disposable sanitary pads or tampons use heavy chlorine chemicals to avoid bad smells, period underwear can offer you a healthier way to avoid odor. Some brands don’t indicate whether they are anti-odor, so stick with one that does, such as Thinx or Trendix. 

Health Concerns on Period Panties

If it’s your first time using menstrual underwear, you might have health concerns surrounding this product. You need to ensure that your new panties are anti-bacterial; otherwise, they will begin to smell and leave bacteria on the crotch, even after washing. With some products, you’ll still see your bloodstains after washing them, which is a sign of a poor-quality pair of menstrual underwear. Some brands don’t indicate if they offer anti-bacterial protection, which is quite concerning for wearers.

Recent studies revealed that Thinx and Knix contain PFAS chemicals that could be harmful to our health. Thank goodness for Modi Bodi & Trendix! They have you covered with their anti-bacterial adult and teen period panties, giving you all the protection needed when wearing these panties!  In addition, Trendix underwear is Oeko-Tex Certified. 

Maintenance of Menstrual Underwear

If you are used to panty pads, disposable period products, sanitary towels, C-section underwear postpartum, or other pregnancy essentials, you might be concerned about the maintenance and washing of period panties. Ideally, you want them to be machine washable and dried in one day to wear again within the period cycle. With the average period cycle lasting seven days, underwear that can dry within a day is your best option, as you’ll be able to wear it at least three times during one cycle. Most period underwear has three to four layers of material, making it hard to dry. When the panties don’t dry quickly after washing, you’ll have to buy more leak-proof underwear for your full period cycle. You might also experience a wet and uncomfortable feeling in the crotch pad area when you wear them again, as although they might feel dry, the layered areas of the product may not be fully dry yet. 

Very few of the products on the market nowadays can be machine washed and dried within a day, so it’s well worth investing in a pair such as those from Trendix which can do just that.  You also won’t risk feeling uncomfortable all day long with a damp crotch, which could leave you feeling self-conscious when going about your daily life. 

Portable

As with any form of period protection, if you are outside of your home for a long day at work or school, you’ll need to know how you are going to change and store your worn panties. During the heaviest time of your period, you’ll want to have that fresh and dry feeling throughout your time at work or school. However, you’ll need to think about where you’ll put the worn panties once you are finished with the first pair of the day. Some brands leave you with no option but to use disposable plastic zip bags, which are not a discreet option like most women would like and could cause a horrible odor in your purse by the end of the day. One of the biggest reasons for switching to period underwear instead of using a disposable pad or tampon is environmental concerns. You don’t want to undo all of your good work by then using plastic bags each time you are using your new menstrual panties. 

Unfortunately, most women’s period underwear on the market, such as Modi Bodi, Bambody, and Thinx, do not offer period pouches. This means you need to rely on disposable plastic zip bags, which are not the most discreet option for storing in your handbag. We love Trendix's inconspicuous period pouch. It offers anti-odor protection in your bag and can be machine-washed with your panties.

period underwear for teens

Convenient Changing

Another big concern for first-time period underwear users is the changeover procedure. Most of us are used to using tampons or pads, which are quick and reasonably discreet to change. You may be concerned about changing outside of your home, to begin with, as you have to remove your shoes, pants, hosiery, and then the worn panties, just to put them all back on again in order. This can be both time-consuming and a little embarrassing to do during office hours, yet you still want to have a fresh and dry feeling throughout the day. 

modi bodi period panties

Featured in the New York Times as the Best Pick, Trendix offers a model called Hooked On You” without the hassle of removing everything to change your underwear.  On each side of the period panties are a set of hooks, which allow you to quickly and conveniently change them over during the day when you are at school or work. This is so much better than the awkward undressing saga you’ll experience with most other options, which can be quite challenging in a small bathroom cubicle at work!

Our Recommendation for the Best Period Underwear

Now that you know what to look for in regards to the best period underwear for women, it’s much easier to know how to choose a good pair of period underwear for teen girls. Trendix ranks at the top for all of the categories listed above, as it resolves all of the issues one would expect from a pair of menstrual underwear.  Thinx and Bambody, unfortunately, lack anti-bacterial protection, and Modi Bodi still doesn’t offer the wide crotch area that’s so important for avoiding leaks. A great addition to the Trendix period panties is the period pouch.  For most other brands, you will need to rely on a plastic bag when changing during the day. Trendix was founded to help reduce the stigma surrounding this time of the month for teen girls and women. Their microfiber period underwear is available in seven different sizes, suitable for younger girls through to plus-size women. Young girls will feel confident wearing these teen period panties to school every day, as they are discreet with the included pouch and offer anti-odor protection. You’ll also save money in the long run by using this form of protection while reducing the stress from monthly periods or incontinence. 

best period underwear

Trendix period panties come in three different designs. Hooked On You is a great option for quick and easy daytime changes. The Overnight style offers high waist full coverage from front to back, and they are made from premium breathable bamboo material. Finally, the Luna design offers you discreet coverage with a high level of protection. They are a great option for a high-end pair of period panties that will provide you with lasting protection throughout the day and night.  

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Special Discount Code: Get 10% off for the purchase of any 3 pairs.  Enter B3G10%off  at check out

Making the transition to period panties is so important for the environment and can provide you with many health and comfort benefits as well. Whether you are looking to wear them as C-section underwear postpartum or period underwear for women with heavy flow, you’ll want to find a pair that offers you a comfortable and discreet user experience. By following our recommendations above, you’ll enjoy a pair of safe and comfy period underwear that you’ll appreciate wearing for years to come.  Let’s end Period Poverty!

 

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1 comment

I bought several pairs of the “Hooked on You” style, I found them to be a mixed bag of good and bad. I like how easy it is to swap out the same underwear but the sides roll on me and the the hooks start digging into me. I am at the maximum hip width for the largest size so I would like to see a larger size and size one more hook on each side, three instead of the current two for less rolling. I also don’t like wearing my underwear under my belly so the bikini cut is not my favorite.

Mary

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