SANITARY PADS 101: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.

A sanitary pad also called a menstrual pad, a sanitary napkin, or simply a pad is a strip of material used to absorb menstrual flow. 

Women place the pad on the inside of their underwear. The pad is kept in a place where it is able to stick fast.

Sanitary pads come in different sizes, shapes, and levels of absorbency. They can be either disposable or reusable. 

Thinner pads are generally used on days of light flow, while thicker pads are used on days of heavy flow or at night.

How often should I change my sanitary pad?

How often you change your sanitary pad should depend on the intensity of your menstrual flow. 

Changing the pad every four to six hours is usually enough. 

If you are experiencing a heavy flow, however, you should change your pad more often so that it won’t get completely soaked, lose its ability to absorb, and start to leak.

During the day, check your pad every couple of hours to see if it needs changing. 

You should change your pad every four to six hours, even if you have a light flow, in order to minimize the risks of bacterial buildup and an unpleasant odor.

Is there something wrong if my sanitary pads smell?

No, there is nothing wrong. Noticing a moderate to strong smell when changing your pad is actually pretty normal. 

This happens when the blood in the pad comes into contact with air. The released odor ranges from intense to barely noticeable.

The best way to minimize bad odor is to change your pad often. 

You do not need to wash your vagina during menstruation; neither should you use scented pads or tampons because they might cause irritation. 

The vagina is a self-cleaning part of the body. 

However, if you feel that the odor coming from your genitals during your period is a bit too intense, you might want to try washing the external part of your genitals with a mild soap during your daily shower or bath.