How Often Should Incontinence Briefs Be Changed?

First-time users of incontinence briefs tend to have many questions about how to use them, but one of the main ones that they ask is, “How often should you change your incontinence briefs?” While there is a simple answer to this question, there’s a lot more that goes into it than you might think. This blog will cover how often you should change incontinence briefs, as well as why doing it often is so important.

The Short Answer

Let’s start by answering the question posed at the beginning of this post. You should change out a person’s incontinence briefs anywhere between four and six times a day. Even though that might sound like a lot at first, the reasons you need to do this so many times will make sense as you begin to understand more about incontinence.

Common Indicators a Change Is Needed

Now that you know how often you should change a pair of incontinence briefs, it’s time to go over what indicators you should look for. You won’t change your briefs four to six times a day just for fun; in most cases, you’ll have a reason to do so.

The first thing to check is the wetness indicator. Most modern incontinence briefs have built-in wetness indicators that make it easy to visually see if your briefs are wet. If you don’t have one, you should be able to feel that your briefs are wet. Feeling for wetness still might be necessary with a wetness indicator since the smallest amount of urine can set them off. Either way, if they’re too wet, it’s time for a change. If you haven’t noticed any wetness in your briefs but can feel them leaking, that’s another clear sign that it’s time for a change.

The final indicator to be aware of is if you’ve made a bowel movement. Even though urine can remain in a pair of incontinence briefs for some time, bowel movements cannot. You’ll need to change your briefs immediately after this happens.

Why You Should Change Often

If you’re ever in doubt about whether it’s time to change your incontinence briefs, always opt to switch them out. Urine and bowel movements can cause skin irritation if pressed against your body for too long. Products that can help with these skin issues exist, but it’s always better to make sure they don’t happen in the first place.

To ensure this issue doesn’t happen, always carry a few extra pairs of incontinence briefs with you. That way, you’ll never have to worry about wearing a pair for longer than you have to, leading to a much more pleasant experience for you.