Nowadays, there are many different options when it comes to menstruation products. A pretty popular yet controversial one is the period panty. The general concept of this is a panty with various layers of absorbent fabric that works as a reusable pad of sorts. You are meant to use it for hours (depending on the style of panty and your flow), then you rinse it out and throw it in the washing machine. Seems pretty straightforward, right?
My periods usually last 5-7 days and my flow is pretty heavy during the first four. I tested out the Thinx brand period panties, both the hip-hugger and the high-waisted panties.
Photo Credit: Thinx “period-proof” underwear
How do these period panties work?
I used these throughout my entire period and interchanged them, washing each one as I used the other. A lot of people’s main concern (aside from stains) is how clean or hygienic washing period blood off and reusing them is. But if you really think about it, that is what you are doing every time you stain your normal underwear. Plus, Thinx works like a menstrual cup of sorts because it is able to absorb and “hold” a certain amount of fluid that can later be rinsed out before it is thoroughly cleaned.
What do they claim?
One of Thinx’s main claims is that their period underwear can replace the use of tampons, pads, and other products: “Depending on your flow (light, medium, heavy), our period-proof undies can replace pads, liners, and tampons, or be worn with tampons and cups for extra protection.”
I tested both of these alternatives in order to see what was right for my flow and daily routine. This was the main thing I wanted to test, as well as whether or not they were actually able to keep me stain free for at least a few hours.
How it went:
I started my period on a Sunday. I used this opportunity to try out the underwear on one of my heaviest days since I was at home and there wasn’t any danger of staining in public. They held up for about 3 hours on their own. Keep in mind: I have a very heavy flow and I did use them to exercise and do some housework. The second day was one of the scariest. It was a Monday, and I had work and class. After the previous day, I decided to play it safe and wore a pad on top of my period underwear that I would later be able to simply remove and use the underwear alone for the rest of the day. As the day progressed, I changed my pad instead of removing it completely and later used the underwear alone for about 5 hours. I had some mild staining (on that little corner the underwear never covers) but nothing noticeable. Day three was pretty much the same as the previous day. Once my flow started getting lighter (days four+), I was able to wear the underwear by itself with no issues. I would simply wash it and use it again the next day.
Pros:
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Works extremely well on medium and lighter days
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Comfortable
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Does not move around or shift throughout the day
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Reusable
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Creates less waste
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A solid investment
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Saves money in the long run
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Many different styles
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The “period smell” is subdued
Photo Credit: Thinx “period-proof” underwear
Cons:
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Usage depends on flow
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Feels “icky” after a while
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A little expensive
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Takes a little practice to get used to
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The “period smell” is still noticeable when you’ve been wearing them for a while
All in all, I would say this period underwear works. Like most clothes, it does take some getting used to and doesn’t work out the same for all bodies, but with a bit of tweaking from the wearer, it works very well. I would suggest getting at least one panty per day since you have to wash them after each use. You also have to know, if you decide to use these, that they are an investment (20-100 dollars each depending on what you get) but will save you the money you would normally use on tampons, pads, etc. They worked out pretty well for me, and I still use them. I suggest you try them out, if you’re looking for period protection alternatives, and see for yourself if they are the right for you.
*Disclaimer*
This is not a sponsored post. I just decided to test out this brand because it is the one I had heard the most of.