Depend is a renowned manufacturer of high-absorbent, disposable undergarments (including adult diapers) for people with incontinence issues. The brand’s insistence on premium-quality incontinence products explains why it dominates the United States adult diaper market, with nearly a 50% share.
However, the efficacy of Depend diapers ultimately comes down to proper usage. We’ve prepared a definitive guide to the best practices for wearing Depends incontinence briefs.
1. Look For Depend Diapers Soon Enough
Most incontinence types are progressive and irreversible. The condition’s degenerative nature makes it challenging to cure but remarkably easy to manage with incontinence briefs.
Therefore, it’s best to start shopping for depends diapers immediately after receiving a positive incontinence diagnosis. The earlier you familiarize yourself with the briefs, the faster you’ll become adept at using them.
Even for non-progressive incontinence types, such as those caused by temporary mobility issues, it’s recommended to start wearing Depend diapers as soon as possible.
2. Understand Your Incontinence Type
Incontinence falls into two major types, namely urinary/bladder incontinence and bowel/fecal incontinence. Each condition requires specific diapers to manage effectively.
The good news is that Depend manufactures adult diapers for different incontinence patients. To select the proper brief for your condition, check the placement of its core absorbency material.
Depend diapers designed for urinary incontinence have their absorbency layer placed around the genital areas. The material could be concentrated on the brief’s front side (for male wearers) or the undersides (for female wearers).
As for diapers meant for bowel incontinence, the core absorbency material usually runs from the back to the front or underside.
3. Find the Correct Size
Size is arguably the biggest determinant of an adult diaper’s efficiency. While Depend manufactures best-in-class briefs, wearing the wrong diaper size can chafe your skin or promote leakage.
A good practice is to start by measuring your waist and hip sizes. If the intended wearer is a female, you may consider the thigh measurements as well.
Then, buy Depend diapers that are slightly larger than your body stats.
Depend maintains an elaborate diaper size chart you can consult to hone in on the proper brief size for your needs.
4. Choose Between Tab-Style and Pull-Up Diapers
Tabbed Depend diapers are the most common adult diaper style, nearly resembling traditional baby diapers. They feature refastenable tabs that you can adjust to achieve the perfect fit.
Meanwhile, pull-up diapers are pant-style briefs worn by pulling them up the waist. Pull-ups’ pant-like appearance allows the briefs to align perfectly with your other undergarments, making them incredibly discreet.
Besides the design differences, the choice between tabbed diapers and pull-ups mostly depends on the extent of your mobility impairment.
Tabbed Depend diapers are ideal for incontinence patients with severe mobility issues. That’s because you can wear them from different positions, including while standing or lying on the bed.
Comparatively, Depend pull-ups are best for incontinence patients with limited-to-no mobility impairment.
5. Change Diapers Frequently (and Properly)
Investing in Depend’s premium diapers makes little sense if you’ll have the briefs all day. Wearing a soiled adult diaper can chafe your skin and disrupt its pH, exposing you to a host of infections.
But perhaps the more pressing concern here would be how often I should change my Depend diapers.
The answer to that question isn’t as cut and dry as you might expect. The thumb rule is to change your Depend briefs before they become saturated with bodily fluids.
The frequency would depend on the thickness of the diaper’s core absorbency vis-à-vis your incontinence severity. While some Depend diapers can provide up to eight hours of protection, others may need replacing after every two hours.
Remember to also proceed cautiously while changing your Depend diapers.
Always use disposable bags to minimize cross-contamination. Disposable bags are also odor-repellent, making them excellent when changing your briefs in public bathrooms.
Besides, do not flush a soiled Depend diaper, as these products aren’t meant to go down the drain. Dispose of the brief in the garbage instead.
Finally, wash and sanitize your hands properly after every diaper change.
6. Check for Diaper Rash
Frequent adult diaper changes can proactively prevent skin irritation. However, monitoring your skin for signs of redness and inflammation is important.
Note that adult diapers sit on one of the tenderest parts of the body. Therefore, there are always risks of a skin rash developing.
For most people with sensitive skin, diaper rash is more like the norm than the exception. Your best recourse would be to consult a licensed dermatologist and have them recommend the best interventions for managing the rash.
7. Balance Between Diaper Absorbency and Your Incontinence Level
As a new adult diaper user, your first instinct may be to choose a product designed with the thickest core absorbency layer.
However, while extra thickness translates to superior fluid absorption capacity, overly dense diapers may cause great discomfort. Besides, high-absorbency briefs come with a hefty price tag.
So, be sure to balance between a Depend diaper’s absorbency capacity and your incontinence level.
Unless you suffer from severe incontinence, insist on Depend diapers with medium core absorbency thickness. This way, you can still manage your incontinence problem without sacrificing comfort or splurging on a costly adult diaper.
8. Complement Your Depend Diapers With Pads
One exciting thing about Depend is that the brand manufactures different incontinence products. Besides their premium adult diapers, you can also pick from a slew of incontinence pads.
However, note that these aren’t the menstrual pads you’re probably already used to. In fact, experts discourage complementing incontinence briefs with menstrual pads.
Instead, choose booster pads and bed pads.
Booster pads are incontinence pads designed to be worn inside adult diapers. The pads feature a flow-through construction that allows them to soak up bodily fluids until they become saturated, after which the discharge flows through to the outer adult diapers.
For overnight incontinence protection, consider bed pads. Bed pads prevent your mattress and sheets from getting wet by creating an impervious barrier between you and the bedding underneath.
Wrap Up
Following these practices can help you maximize the efficiency of Depend diapers and pursue an active lifestyle despite your incontinence level or type.
If you’re new to Depend diapers or incontinence briefs in general, try to select the best diaper size based on your actual waist stats. Choosing the correct adult diaper size can address multiple issues, including discomfort and skin irritation.
Besides, unless you suffer from severe incontinence, it’s best to wear new diapers sparingly and only when necessary. This gives your skin ample time to acclimate to the product’s active compounds.
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