Aug 23, 2022

6 Best Women’s Diapers for Incontinence

In this article, we have compiled a list of the six best adult diapers for women to help you make an informed decision and find the right product for your needs.

Select a product from the drop down to learn more about it.

Here are the best options for women:

Disposable Underwear for Women

Now into the first half of our list, we are highlighting three of our favorite disposable underwear products. These pull-ups offer a great variety of absorbency and additional features that set them apart from the rest.

Read on to discover why these are three of our most highly rated disposable underwear.

Tranquility Premium Overnight Disposable Absorbent Underwear (DAU)

Brand: Tranquility
Style: Pull-up Underwear
Sizes Available: XS-2XL
Price Range: $24.96-$69.99

Our most popular adult overnight diapers lead off both our Underwear section, as well as our list as a whole.

We have seen many people find success and comfort with these pull-ups. This is due to being one of our most absorbent adult diapers, specifically crafted to enable the wearer to get the good night's sleep they deserve.

Maximum absorbency for these overnight pull-ups means up to 34 oz. (or just over 4 cups) of fluid can be absorbed and retained. For a bit of context, the typical urine void is about 1 to 1.5 cups. That means the Tranquility Premium Overnight Disposable Absorbent Underwear (DAU) can withstand multiple voids without needing to be changed.

This latex free disposable underwear is simple to pull-up, wear without worry, and makes for easy removal once it's time to change products. Along with featuring the absorbent Peach Mat core we mentioned earlier, it has a cloth like outer layer as well, making it a comfortable choice when looking to get a full night's rest.

As one of our mostly highly rated products, we definitely recommend giving this product a look. That also goes for this product's daytime counterpart, the Tranquility Premium DayTime Disposable Absorbent Underwear (DAU).

Learn more about these DAUs here.

Tranquility Essential Underwear (Heavy)

Brand: Tranquility
Style: Pull-up Underwear
Sizes Available: Junior-2XL
Price Range: $17.66-$59.99

Next on our list is a bit of a lighter absorbency option for those in need of a versatile pull-up – the Tranquility Essential Underwear–Heavy.

Particularly with women, stress incontinence can be a common result from ageing or childbirth. This means super absorbent adult diapers are not always necessary, and a lighter product is more appropriate to stay clean and comfortable.

These latex free, clothlike adult diapers strike a great balance between being absorbent incontinence underwear, a breathable fit for daytime use, as well as being a bit more affordable for those who don't need maximum protection.

Tranquility's Essential line of products overall give great options that meet that balance for heavy incontinence and moderate incontinence alike. Similar to the Essential Underwear – Heavy, we recommend taking a look at the Essential Underwear – Moderate as well here to cater your product choice specifically to your absorbency needs.

Learn more about the Tranquility Essential Underwear – Heavy, here.

Depend FIT-FLEX Underwear for Women

Brand: Depend
Style: Pull-up Underwear
Sizes Available: Small-XL
Price Range: $23.50-$42.00

Rounding off our list of pull-on style products is an item from Depend, well-known voice in the world of adult diapers and other incontinence care solutions. It is no surprise one of their products has made its way onto our list, and that is the Depend FIT-FLEX Women's Incontinence Underwear.

Equipped with DryShield technology, these pull-ups immediately absorbent, keeps the skin dry and is soft against the body. This makes it perfect for postpartum incontinence as it is smooth, discreet and isn't bulky like other highly absorbent underwear.

The Depend FIT-FLEX Underwear recognizes feeling confident can be just as important as feeling comfortable when managing adult incontinence. That is why this adult diaper comes in a variety of feminine colors and designs, making the experience of these pull-ups just that much more catered to the individual wearing them.

When looking to manage adult incontinence, Depend has been a steady name in the industry, and we recommend giving these adult diapers a look when trying to find the the best adult diapers for women.

Learn more about the Depend FIT-FLEX Underwear for Women here.

Disposable Briefs for Women

The second half of our list is dominated by three diverse and highly effective adult incontinence briefs. These tabbed disposable diapers are all from Tranquility. At Comfort Plus, Tranquility is the brand our consumers keep coming back to when needing a high-quality brief that suits their needs.

Read on to find out just why these have made their way into our top six best adult diapers for women.

Tranquility SmartCore Disposable Briefs

Brand: Tranquility
Style: Tabbed Briefs
Sizes Available: Small-2XL
Price Range: $17.58-$94.15

Leading off our briefs category is one of our most popular absorbent adult diapers – the Tranquility SmartCore Disposable Briefs.

These are one of the best adult diapers when concerned with both urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. These latex free tabbed briefs have all of their bases covered to be a highly effective, highly absorbent choice in the world of adult diapers. Featuring the Tranquility peach mat to absorb urine, a wetness indicator so you know when its time to change and elastic leg cuffs for leakage protection, this adult diaper has every stage of wearing covered.

These adjustable tabs allow for a secure and snug fit. Effective up to 8 hours, this absorbent adult diaper can hold up to 28 oz. of fluid, allowing for multiple voids before needing a change. Along with the ability to hold both urine and fecal matter, this adult diaper is versatile, comfortable, and a stronger contender when looking to manage urinary and bowel incontinence.

While the Tranquility SmartCore Disposable Briefs can be worn both day and night by discretion of the wearer, you may be wondering if this has an overnight counterpart, just as was mentioned for the Tranquility Premium DAUs earlier in our list. The Tranquility ATN (All-Through-the-Night) Disposable Briefs are another option for overnight diapers, and is a tabbed brief like the SmartCore. The primary difference here being instead of having a cloth like backsheet, the ATNs are made of poly-back material. This can be a great option to mix-and-match with the SmartCore as you see fit.

Learn more about the Tranquility SmartCore Disposable Briefs here.

Tranquility SlimLine Original Disposable Briefs

Brand: Tranquility
Style: Tabbed Briefs
Sizes Available: Junior-XL
Price Range: $16.99-$87.99

Next on our list is one of Tranquility's most versatile adult diapers, the Tranquility SlimLine Original Adult Disposable Briefs.

This latex free adult diaper is tailored to allow the wearer to create a snug fit to their body with its tape tabs that you can tear away and refasten. Along with elastic leg cuffs, a wetness indicator, and the Peach Mat core, these adult diapers prevent leaks and keeps bacterial growth away from the skin, preventing diaper rash or other skin irritations.

As the name may suggest, this poly-backed (plastic-backed) brief provides a slimmer profile that make it one of the best adult diapers for the day-to-day. This sleeker build creates a more discreet fit under regular clothing which can be integral to the confidence of the wearer.

The Tranquility SlimLine Original Disposable Briefs strike a great balance among briefs as being a highly performing product, as well as eliminating some of the bulk associated with other maximum absorbency diapers.

Learn more about the Tranquility SlimLine Original Disposable Briefs here.

Tranquility AIR-Plus Bariatric Brief

Brand: Tranquility
Style: Tabbed Briefs
Sizes Available: 4XL-5XL
Price Range: $30.15-$94.99

Last up on our list is a brief aimed at improving accessibility for all those needing supplies to manage their incontinence.

Tranquility manufactured the first bariatric diaper to enter the market. Using the correct size incontinence product is necessary to prevent leaks and remain comfortable while wearing them, so having a product available that is accessible to people of all sizes is critical. Tranquility recognized this and have developed multiple bariatric briefs. The one we are covering in this specifically is the Tranquility AIR-Plus Bariatric Brief.

What sets this diaper apart is it's 100% breathability to keep air circulating and allow moisture vapor to escape. Equipped also with the Peach mat core, wetness indicator, secure inner leg cuffs, and a full rise waist panel to keep everything contained– this adult diaper boasts some of the best features adult diapers have to offer while remaining comfortable.

Tranquility also currently offers two other bariatric diaper options that cater to different sizes and come with different features such as the HI-Rise Bariatric Briefs, as well as the more standard-fitted Bariatric Briefs.

Learn more about the Tranquility AIR-Plus Bariatric Disposable Brief here.

Products That Offer Additional Support for Women

Looking for products to compliment your high-quality adult diaper? Below we've listed two great options for products to pair with one of the adult diapers listed above if you are in need of additional support. If you're interested in more products like these, check out our Continue Reading section at the bottom where you will find more lists and articles detailing other fantastic incontinence supplies.

Booster Pads

Booster pads are a great product if you're looking to extend the lifetime of your adult diaper. It is applied to disposable underwear or disposable briefs, and are not to be used in normal underwear due to their flow-through design.

From allowing you to keep from changing your disposable underwear in the middle of the night, to letting you get through the day without needing to plan for as many changes. Booster pads can save both money and time, and are a worthwhile product to look into if you haven't already.

We recommend starting with the Tranquility TopLiner Booster Pads. They are a high quality booster pad adding up to nearly 11 oz. of absorbent capacity under pressure to your primary incontinence product. They are highly performing in order control, keeping the skin dry and are easy to apply and tear away from the diaper as needed.

Learn more about booster pads here.

Underpads

Underpads, sometimes referred to as Chux, are the last line of defense when managing incontinence. Typically these are used on beds or other surfaces such as motorized wheelchairs for those with limited mobility. Underpads work to catch and absorb any excess urine that may have leaked or overfilled from another incontinence product.

Even when using the most effective adult diapers, when paired with overnight adult diapers it can be reassuring to have an underpad in place on the bed to give the wearer peace of mind while they sleep. Underpads can make it so less laundry needs to be done, protecting sheets from needing washed.

When it comes to underpads, we suggest the Tranquility Heavy Duty Underpad. Covering 30'x36" of space, this underpad can hold up to 34 oz. of fluid, is excellent at maintaining odor control and has strong clothlike material that resists tearing.

Learn more about underpads here.

An Informational Overview of Incontinence for Women

While incontinence is a condition that can affect anyone at any age, it is much more widespread amongst women than men. One-in-five women over the age of 40 are noted to be affected by some level of incontinence, as reported by the Urology Foundation. Experts attribute a large portion of this difference across sexes to be due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and the structural differences in the female anatomy. It is important to note that anyone can experience incontinence, and this is not a challenge exclusive to the elderly or disabled communities. Younger populations and older adults can experience it. Active adults and those with a more laid-back lifestyle alike have the potential to need some level of incontinence care. There are five primary types of urinary incontinence: urge incontinence (or overactive bladder), stress incontinence, mixed incontinence, functional incontinence and overflow incontinence. What is the difference between these four types? Below are a few quick definitions to help make sense of how varying this condition can be across people. Urge Incontinence is the contracting of your bladder without you wanting it to. Like the name may suggest, this comes with an urgent feeling of needing to urinate, and possibly some leakage. Stress Incontinence is leakage caused by the pressure on your abdomen when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or otherwise engage your core suddenly or intensely. This is a much more common type of incontinence for women than men, often resulting from childbirth or ageing. Mixed Incontinence is typically just referring to some kind of mixture of urge and stress incontinence. Functional Incontinence is referring to the practical obstacles that can prevent someone from making it to the toilet before urinating. Physical or mental conditions can make it difficult to get to a bathroom on time, and these situations fall under the umbrella of functional incontinence. Overflow Incontinence occurs when an overfilled bladder can not be properly emptied. The pressure that grows within the bladder can lead to continuous leakage. However, unlike stress incontinence, this type of incontinence is more closely associate with men than women. Fecal incontinence, or bowel incontinence, is another type that can effect a variety of populations. Incontinence is not exclusive to urinary movements, and the need for bowel containment is another factor to consider when entering the market for a new product. With all of these types in mind, you can take this knowledge with you into looking for the right adult diaper for you or your loved one. Different types make some features of incontinence products more important than others, such as absorbency, style of diaper, or the material. For women challenged with incontinence, no matter the type listed above, it is important to have access to the correct products in order to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle. Having access to these products also means having the right information easily available. Below we strive to do just that by presenting some key features to look for when searching for your perfect adult diapers. Please note as a general disclaimer, this article goes into fantastic disposable incontinence products only, not reusable diapers, or any other reusable item. However, if products such as reusable diapers are what you or your loved one would prefer, the below information can still be helpful in figuring out what styles or features may work best for you.

With the ever-growing amount of products filling the market, we know it can feel overwhelming finding where to start when looking for a product that's right for you or your loved one. However, because of the plethora of options available, more than ever before you are able to find the specific product that is just right for you.

So – where do you start?

There are many factors that can take an incontinence product from good to great, and in this article we get into some of the products that raise the standard. Before we get to this list, though, we've broken down the features to look out for when selecting the incontinence products.

Briefs vs. Underwear

One of the first major decisions to make is whether you'd prefer tabbed briefs, or pull-up diapers, otherwise known as disposable underwear.

We recommend briefs with tabs if the wearer experiences challenges with mobility, is in need of assistance when changing out incontinence products, or prefers the more traditional style of diaper with tabs.

We recommend pull-on style underwear if the wearer typically changes themselves, needs a product that is quicker to change out, or prefers the a style of diaper similar to regular underwear.

Day vs. Night Use

Another important factor to keep in mind would be the time of day and duration you require one diaper to last.

For some, only a light absorbency diaper or pad throughout the day when moving around is necessary. For others, a maximum absorbency diaper is integral to getting a full night's rest. There are also those who require more absorbency during the day while they are active, and do not have the same necessity while sleeping.

There is no hard and fast rule about what exact times of day you can wear any particular product. However, if you recognize a pattern throughout the day of how your personal incontinence condition affects you, daytime versus nighttime incontinence products are a good thing to keep in mind.

Material for Absorbency and Skin Health

Our last major category of factors to keep an eye out for is the material and design of the adult diaper.

Allergies to certain materials may tighten the scope of products to look out for, like needing latex free designs. For those with sensitive skin, a cloth like material may be preferable to a poly-backed (plastic backed diapers) one to avoid skin irritation. However, some may prefer poly-back as it can bring a stronger sense of security.

Keeping your skin healthy and changing out products when necessary is critical to proper incontinence care. A wetness indicator is a useful tool to alert the wearer or caregiver when it is time for a change. Kufguards ® are inner leg cuffs that can be key to a secure fit and to prevent leaks.

One feature that is recurring on this list is patented technology from Tranquility – a brand we highlight many times on our list, this feature being one of the reasons why. The Tranquility Peach Mat core was crafted to keep harmful bacteria growths away from the skin by neutralizing the pH of urine. This prevents urinary tract infections, diaper rash, and improves leakage protection and odor control. Not only do you want your product to absorb as much as possible, you want to be sure it can retain it too.

Conclusion

Women of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes deserve to feel confident, clean and comfortable during the day and through the night, no matter the level of incontinence challenge. If you are unsure what your incontinence may mean for you, we always suggest looking to a medical professional for advice first for your individual situation.

When it comes to picking out the right product, having access to the right information is key. Below we have listed information to contact us if you need additional assisting, and also have some links to other articles and lists you may be interested in.

We hope this list has helped you learn more about your options so that you can have the perfect incontinence solution for you or your loved one.

Contact Us

If you need help selecting the right products to stop leaks and reduce potential odor, please call a Comfort Plus representative at 1-888-656-8055 or email service@comfortplusonline.com.

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This article was verified by Judy Borcherdt RN, BSN, CWCMS