One thing we get asked often about is period underwear here at The Agenda. One member of our team Aj has agreed to review and share her experience with period underwear.

When I was growing up, the only options I knew about were pads and tampons. Tampons were fine, but I didn’t particularly appreciate how they felt after swimming, and pads were fine, but I didn’t like how thick they felt. I was 28 before I learned about period underwear; they felt game-changing.

Period underwear is similar to reusable pads, except the ‘pad’ part is woven into the underwear. Companies like Thinx make silky pairs that make you feel beautiful while absorbing up to 3 tampons worth of blood. Depending on your flow, you can wear them for a full day (morning through the night) or a few hours.

How do you care for period underwear?

You will need to rinse in cold water and then throw in the wash. (You can also throw them straight into the wash on a cold cycle, but I notice a difference if I’m not starting a load right away by rinsing them by hand in the sink. Once they are done washing, you can air dry them. I’ve tossed mine into the dryer many times, but they feel a little different after, and many period underwear companies, such as Thinx, recommend letting them hang dry.

How long does period underwear last?

The underwear usually is about two years if cared for properly, I’ve had mine for almost four years now, and they don’t absorb like they used to, so I now wear a cup when I wear them, and they help with leaks, or I wear them by themselves but not as long.

How do you travel with the underwear?

Underwear meant for your period is perfect when you don’t want to feel bulky, but I wouldn’t recommend having it as your main period product when traveling. There were many times when traveling I wore these for comfort, but then needed to switch out, on a plane or in a hostel, when I didn’t have access to a washing machine, and just rinsed in cold water until I could put them in a wash cycle.

Which type should you buy?

If you are considering period underwear, I would recommend getting the ones that can hold 3-5 tampons. Doing so means you don’t have to worry about which day you wear them and can decide whether you want to wear them alone or with another item, like a sponge, cup, disc, or tampon. There are many different brands and different sizes. Buy a few and see what you love more. What works for one person may not feel as good for the next. Your flow is your own, and your period products should support your life and how you live it.

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