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It seems like common sense, but it's easy to overlook a basic factor in managing incontinence. That is, preventing the skin from being wet or staying moist. Just like a wet sock on a long walk, wet material against moist skin results in more friction, excess heat and skin irritation. Eventually, the skin as a protective layer becomes chafed or broken open. Wet or moist human skin due to a loss of bladder control will result in skin breakdown and the development of pressure sores. The caregiver who purchases bladder incontinence products or the consumer who personally uses them should select the product that will absorb moisture, contain the volume of urine and also prevent urine from leaking out. Urine leakage can be a problem especially when the undergarment or pad is under the pressure of the person’s body weight. Skin that is regularly exposed to urine must be kept as dry as possible to keep the skin healthy.

Uncontained urine or the leakage of urine onto everyday clothing leads to unnecessary, unpleasant and embarrassing odor. The ammonia smell of urine is very distressing and is a very common characteristic of urinary incontinence. This problem can be managed by using the right bladder incontinence undergarment. Choose a product that will best eliminate the odor of urine and keep the odor isolated until the disposable undergarment, brief, liner or adult diaper is changed. The natural pH level of urine is typically either a dilute acid or base liquid. Urine becomes more acidic as the amount of sodium and excess acid is retained by the human body. In contrast, alkaline urine containing bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffer is normally excreted by the kidneys when there is too much base or alkali in the body. Urine can, therefore, be more acidic or more alkaline depending on the kidney function. Many different diseases and conditions can influence normal kidney function. Unfortunately, normal urine or urine with abnormally high or low acid or alkali can have a corrosive or damaging effect on the skin. This problem worsens the longer and more regularly skin is exposed to urine. An effective bladder incontinence product captures and contains urine and even more importantly provides the additional effect of neutralizing the pH level of the urine to support the healthiest skin possible.

Another unseen, but very important, urinary incontinence factor that must be effectively managed is the risk of bacterial or fungal infections. Urine is sterile when it empties out of the bladder. However, if the urine is left to saturate clothing or over-saturate the incontinence undergarment and remain in constant contact with the skin, bacteria and other organisms can grow. This sets the stage for preventable complications, including skin surface breakdown and urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infections caused by this situation are more common in women because of the shorter distance between the opening to the bladder (where the urine exits the body, through the urinary urethra) and the external environment of the unabsorbed urine on the skin surface. The urine-to-skin contact creates a bacterial breeding ground and a higher chance that bacteria and other organisms may enter the bladder through the urethra. The best incontinence products for men and women lock away urine and create a physical barrier to help protect the skin.

The risk of urinary tract infection is even greater when the individual or patient has both bladder and bowel incontinence. While it’s not something that people typically talk about, we all know a normally functioning human body makes liquid and solid waste. The solid waste, stool or bowel movement naturally has bacteria and flora in it. This sets the stage for bacteria, especially in solid fluid waste, to easily enter the urinary tract system. This can lead to urinary tract, bladder and even kidney infections. To prevent infections, the individual or caregivers should try to maintain a regular toileting routine. For example, making a trip to the bathroom every two hours (during non-sleeping hours) is one easy way to avoid prolonged exposure of the skin and urethra to solid waste from bladder and bowel incontinence. Wearing a heavier pad or undergarment during the night time, and changing it promptly upon waking, is another way to avoid infections.

Individuals who use incontinence products should investigate and learn all they can about the liquid absorption capability of their selected incontinence product. Most incontinence product labels describe or show the volume of urine or solid fluid waste that that particular brand or model can effectively hold. How to select the proper liquid absorption and capacity for incontinence disposable briefs is further discussed below.

Protection of the skin is most important when one is selecting a bladder incontinence absorbent product. Moist human skin is highly susceptible to friction, heat, irritation, breakdown and the formation of pressure sores (bed sores). One way to determine or quickly learn the quality of a product is to see how it holds urine and solid fluid. Ideally the urine or fluids will not “squeeze out” even under pressure of one’s body weight in a seated or lying position. Patients or individuals suffering from bladder incontinence are not always able to pay close attention and monitor the appearance of their skin in this covered area. Skin that is continuously in contact with moisture can quickly become unhealthy and can become damaged. This is especially true when the involved area is under direct pressure upon a specific area such as the tail bone or hip. Routine repositioning and changing the way the individual or patient is seated, reclining or lying down helps to reduce isolated pressure points on wet, damp skin. Most products have package labeling that explains some degree or measure of absorbency, such as light, moderate or heavy degrees of incontinence. This may be communicated visually by showing how many cups in volume of pressure a product can hold and still keep the customer patient protected from the excessive moisture.

Another feature of an effective incontinence brief or undergarment is how it releases heat and air ventilation. The pelvic area of the human body has a very rich blood supply because of the vital organs contained in that area. There is naturally more heat released as well. Surrounding the genitals and pelvic area with tight fitting or poorly made material encloses that heat and causes more perspiration. This of course leads to more moist skin. This is the very problem that the incontinence product is supposed to be preventing. Read and learn more about what the product you are using is made of and how the air flow works. For example there are differences between the sides of a pull up adult diaper and one that fits around the leg and fastens with closure tabs. The layers of material, the polymers that absorb the moisture are different between products. This remarkably affects heat release, air flow, comfort and the way the brief or adult diaper feels when the individual user has clothing on top of the undergarment. More layers means more heat being contained. The ventilation capability of the product or how air naturally moves through it really does make a difference in how it feels.

Leakage of urine can be prevented using a variety of methods such as frequent toileting, how often the incontinence product is changed, the quality of the product, the fit of the incontinence brief or liner, the customer or patient’s cognitive ability or the ability to participate in the personalized toileting program. Bigger or thicker product does not ensure it can hold more fluid than other products. The material and fibers that the brief, liner or undergarment is made of is much more of an influencing factor than size alone. Liquid volume absorbency or the high performance capabilities of a product have improved significantly over recent years. It is well worth the time investment for the customer or caregiver to invest to take advantage of science and manufacturing advances. This will result in greater protection of the skin, improved physical comfort and less mental distress.

The stigma of incontinence, the physical discomfort, and the worry about odor, the complexity of remembering to carry the extra brief or pad when away from home can be a truly defeating experience for patient, caregiver and family members. A product with a lower absorption capacity needs to be changed more frequently, requiring more of a caregiver's limited time. A natural but unnecessary response for the patient or family members is to say “let’s just stay home” because the person dealing with incontinence “might have an accident.” Incontinence alone does not mean anyone has to give up enjoying life and being as active as they want to be.

Be patient, experiment with different incontinence products. Taking the time to find the “best product for that person” means they will stay dry, odor free, and more comfortable longer. The right choice of product will absorb and neutralize much more urine than lower performing products. Invest the time to learn more or as a caregiver support the person with bladder incontinence, talk about their experience with different products and what they like or don’t like.

Finding the ideal urinary incontinence brief, adult diaper, liner or pad reduces laundry, ensures a better nights sleep, reduces the risk of skin break down and leads to greater freedom from worry about odor and leakage. Don’t be a victim of urinary incontinence or allow it to influence what you as an individual or you as a caregiver want to do. Take advantage of the many choices and advances that have been made in managing the situation with the best available products.