Always Discreet explained: liners, pads and underwear

Always Discreet explained: liners, pads and underwear

Always Discreet is a line made for women's bladder leaks, and it steps up through three product types: liners, pads and underwear. The right starting point depends on how much you leak and whether a pad stays put for you. This guide explains each type and how its absorbency and length options step up.

A line made for women's bladder leaks

The pads and liners are shaped for women, and the underwear titles say for Women. Much of what you need to know is in the title. Take Always Discreet Incontinence Pads for Women, Moderate, Regular Length, 108 Count: Pads is the type, Moderate is the absorbency, Regular Length is the length and 108 Count is the pack. For underwear, Always Discreet Maximum Underwear for Women, Large, 76 Count gives you the absorbency (Maximum), the type, the size and the count.

Think of the line as a ladder with three steps:

  1. Liners for the lightest leaks.
  2. Pads when you need more absorbency or more length.
  3. Underwear when you want the protection built into a pull-on garment.

Liners: the thinnest protection

Liners are the thinnest and lightest type in the line. They suit very small leaks, such as a few drops, and they stick inside your own underwear the way a regular panty liner does.

What to check on a liner listing:

  • Length. A longer liner covers more of your underwear.
  • The absorbency word on the pack, which is the manufacturer's own label.
  • How it attaches. The pack shows how to position it and which side faces your underwear.

If a liner is wet through before you can change it, that is a sign to look at a pad. Liners are slim, so keeping a few in a bag or coat pocket is practical.

Pads: absorbency and length options

With pads you choose on two things at once, absorbency and length. Absorbency is stated in words, and the title of each listing gives its level, for example Always Discreet Incontinence Pads for Women, Moderate, Regular Length, 108 Count. Moderate and Maximum both appear in Always Discreet titles. The words are this line's own scale, so check the pack to see where a level sits within it.

Length is the second word to read. The listing above states Regular Length, and a longer option adds coverage toward the front and back. Match the length to the underwear you actually wear: a fuller-cut pair gives a longer pad more fabric to stick to, and a regular length sits more easily in a smaller or lower-cut pair. A 108 count pack is a lot of one length, so be sure of it before you order.

Whichever you choose, change a wet pad rather than waiting. How often depends on how much you leak and on the product, so follow the instructions on the pack.

Underwear: pull-on protection

Underwear has the absorbent layer built in, so you pull it on like regular underwear and there is no separate pad to slide out of place. Always Discreet Maximum Underwear for Women, Large, 76 Count is one option, and a Small/Medium size is listed as an 84 count pack.

Because the fit is part of the product, size matters more with underwear than with a pad. Measure rather than guess, and use our sizing guide if you are between sizes.

Moving from a pad to underwear

A pad does its job as long as it stays in place and has room to spare. These are signs it may be time to try underwear:

  • The pad shifts, bunches or slides toward the front or back during the day.
  • Leaks reach the edges or sides of the pad.
  • You change pads far more often than you would like.
  • You want a single piece for a long day, a trip or the night.

You do not have to switch completely. Some people keep pads for light days at home and wear underwear for long days or outings. Start with the smallest pack of underwear in your size, wear it at home first and see how it sits before ordering more.

A change in how much or how often you leak is worth mentioning to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, whichever product you wear.

Reading size and absorbency on the product page

  • Size: underwear sizes appear in the title, such as Large or Small/Medium. Pads and liners are chosen by length instead.
  • Absorbency: Moderate and Maximum appear in the titles. Treat them as this manufacturer's labels, not a measured unit that matches other brands.
  • Count: titles show how many come in a pack, such as 76, 84 or 108. Compare the count and the current price on the product page.
  • Delivery: each product page shows whether the listing is tagged Ships via Amazon or ships from the store's own suppliers in a plain, unmarked box.

You can browse pads and underwear in the Incontinence Products collection.

Shop this guide

Prices are on each product page. Free shipping on orders of $100 or more within Canada.

Common questions

Is underwear better than pads?

Neither is better in general. Pads give you flexibility on lighter days, and underwear keeps everything in one piece. Choose by how you leak, the clothes you wear and what feels comfortable.

Can I use a pad in the underwear I already own?

Pads are made to stick inside your own underwear. A snug pair helps hold one in place, and the pack shows how to position it.

Can I use a period pad for bladder leaks?

The two are made for different jobs, so a bladder leak liner or pad is the type to look at. Our post on period pads vs bladder leak pads explains why they are not the same.

Not sure where to start in the line? Tell us what you wear now through the contact page and we will suggest a starting point.