The sanitary napkin (also known simply as a pad) is a menstrual hygiene product that collects menstrual blood and neutralizes its odor. It is placed in the underwear and changed when going to the toilet.
What are sanitary napkins?
Sanitary napkins are designed to catch menstrual blood and keep it as dry as possible until the sanitary napkin can be replaced with a new one. Sanitary napkins are highly absorbent, thin underwear liners used by menstruating women. They are designed to catch menstrual blood and store it as dry as possible until the sanitary napkin can be replaced with a new one. In this way, the blood does not drip into underwear or clothing. Most often sanitary napkins are used for single use, but there are also variants that can be used several times. The disposable pad is made of artificial materials that keep the collected liquid from leaking out again. Inside there is an absorbent core that catches the blood and stores it firmly. Modern sanitary pads have additional components that neutralize odors. Sanitary napkins for multiple use are worn with a special monthly panty, which was common in the previous century, in which reusable cloth sanitary napkins can be attached.
Shapes, types and types
The sanitary napkin has a smooth, leak-proof surface and an absorbent core inside. At the bottom of the sanitary napkin is an adhesive strip, with which it can be attached in the underpants. Sanitary napkins are intended to be worn in ordinary underpants, only with thongs and thongs the sanitary napkin can become too wide. Some products, in addition to the adhesive strip, have so-called wings on the edges of the sanitary napkin, which are glued under the underpants and are supposed to give it a better hold. Among the sanitary pads for single use, there are different gradations depending on the intensity of menstruation. While some sanitary napkins are intended for very light bleeding, others last an entire night without a change and are not only more absorbent, but often last longer. Sanitary napkins are also used in obstetrics, but these are extremely absorbent as they confront the week’s bleeding or amniotic fluid. These are also referred to as pads. In addition to disposable sanitary napkins, there are also reusable sanitary napkins nowadays. In the last century, they were the common way to catch menstrual blood. Today, they are placed inside a normal-looking pair of menstrual panties and washed after a change.
Structure and function
The sanitary napkin’s function is to catch leaking menstrual blood and store it safely until the napkin can be replaced. Individual requirements can also be the special flexibility of the sanitary napkin, because with it, for example, sports or the user moves a lot during sleep. In addition, the sanitary napkin protects the entire intimate area and can collect menstrual blood as soon as it escapes from the vagina. The most important component of the sanitary napkin is the absorbent core inside. The menstrual blood is bound in this, and the leak-proof surface of the sanitary napkin keeps it in the core. The absorbent core of modern sanitary napkins often contains components that ensure that no unpleasant odors occur. These can quickly develop due to the inherent odor of menstrual blood, as well as due to a longer period of wearing the sanitary napkin, and are very unpleasant for the woman concerned. Reusable sanitary napkins made of fabric also have an absorbent center, and the fabric may also be coated to protect against leakage.
Medical and health benefits
In many faith communities, the sanitary napkin is considered the only permissible means of collecting menstrual blood. Tampons, menstrual cups, or other devices inserted directly into the vagina are suspected of being able to damage a woman’s hymen, so they are prohibited, especially for unmarried and young women. From a medical point of view, these fears are usually unfounded, since in most cases the hymen already tears as a result of normal, everyday movement. Sanitary towels are basically good for women who suffer from vaginal dryness when using tampons or who have difficulty inserting tampons.In the case of fungal infections, sanitary towels are also recommended instead of tampons, since the fungus can multiply better through the tampon and the infection may not clear up as quickly as it would heal without the tampon. Because the tampon dries out the mucous membrane, it gives the vaginal fungus an even better opportunity to multiply. Pads are hygienically safe if changed every few hours with sufficient frequency. They are also recommended immediately after childbirth during the first menstrual periods – especially if the woman underwent vaginal surgery during childbirth or if an episiotomy was necessary. Due to the long healing period, the insertion of a tampon can still be painful or at least uncomfortable. Depending on the strength of menstrual bleeding, the sanitary napkin must be chosen to be appropriately absorbent, and in exceptional cases the medical pads are required for this purpose. However, this is usually the case only after surgery or after childbirth, when the bleeding is much heavier and longer.