What are Adult Diapers Made of?

Adult Diapers, as with all adult incontinence products, are made from materials that have been bonded together so that liquids are wicked away from the wearers skin and held in a "core" until changing. The goal is to provide the wearer dry and healthy skin to avoid other more serious conditions including rashes or pressure sores (bed sores). 

Technology used in the design and creation of adult incontinence products are always evolving and changing. These changes have allowed new materials and absorbent materials to make products thinner, yet absorb and retain more fluid. Material and technology improvements have also decreased urinary incontinence odors. 

The ultimate goal is to ensure wearer comfort and health. Sometimes understanding the terminology used when describing adult diapers and other incontinence products can be confusing. We have put together the following list of some of the components of these products that have created the most questions. We have put this information together to help you understand your options and which products are best for your needs.

Back Sheet or Backsheet: This is the material on the outside of the incontinence product that prevents liquids from leaking out. Think of this as the waterproof backing that keeps wetness inside the incontinence product. 

Top Sheet: This is the main top sheet that is the surface that comes in contact with the skin. It allows fluids to flow to the product core. This may be called the liner on some products such as bed pads and underpads.

Acquisition &  Distribution Layer (also known as ADL): This is the sub layer between the top sheet and the absorbent core. Sometimes full length, but usually a patch near the “target zone”. The ADL provides dryness to the skin by moving fluids quickly to the absorbent core

Target Zone: This is the area most urine is most likely deposited. May be called out in some products in ways such as "Blue Target Zone" which can clearly be seen on the inside of top sheet. 

Core / Absorbent Core also known as the 'Mat": This is the innermost component of the incontinence product that retains liquids and prevents liquids from returning to the surface (and being in contact with skin). Think of this as a very efficient sponge to help retain moisture for comfort. It generally consists of cellulose fibers (think cotton or similar), polyacrylate super absorbent material or a combination of both. This is the component that holds the liquid away from the wearer to keep them comfortable. 

Super Absorbent Polymer also known as SAP and or SAM (on Kimberly Clark products): This is a fine granular version of Sodium Polyacrylate in the core that absorbs and retains fluids. This item has allowed adult incontinence products to be made thinner, yet be more absorbent than traditional fluff fillers. Super Absorbent Polymer also helps reduce odors caused by urine.

Wetness Indicator: A wetness indicator is generally on the backsheet and it allows the caregiver to see wetness in the top sheet without having to remove or change a garment. This is not standard on all incontinence products.

Breathable: Incontinence products that are breathable feature a breathable top sheet that allows moisture to evaporate providing additional cooling and skin comfort. Absorbent materials used in these products to help neutralize odors and yet remain breathable for comfort.

Elastics: Elastics are used for waist and leg cuffs to improve fit and reduce or eliminate leakage from incontinence products. They are usually made of polyurethane or polyester foam, synthetic rubber or Lycra/Spandex. These may also be used in side panels to provide additional custom fit and comfort. 

Fasteners: These are the fastening devices used on adult diapers. These come in many variations, but the most popular are tape or hook and loop (think Velcro). Some fasteners allows the tabs to be connected anyplace on the diaper for a custom fit. Some are designed to be re-fastened to ensure a perfect fit and allow caregivers to check for wetness or need for a change. 

Polyethylene: This is a material that is primarily used for the backsheet/outer cover, tapes and fastening systems. Not to be confused with Superabsorbent Polymer. 

Polypropylene: This is a material commonly used in the top sheet, or layer closest to the skin. Again, not to be confused with Superabsorbent Polymers.

Adhesive Strip: This is an adhesive strip used in some pads to hold the pad in place in the underwear or incontinence garment. May be in the form of a strip or patch.

We hope this information helps you understand a bit more about adult incontinence products and the terminology used to describe their construction. Please visit our website by clicking here to see our complete listing of adult incontinence products and caregiving supplies. Thank you!

Announcing the All New Swimmates Disposable Incontinence Swimwear

Incontinence Products Plus is happy to announce the availability of the all new Swimmates Disposable Incontinence Swimwear by Tranquility. This new product allows people with bowel incontinence or leakage an opportunity to get back in the pool for exercise or fun. Swimmates is a product that will contain feces keeping the pool from getting contaminated and keeping their swimsuit clean. They truly provide dignity, confidence and discretion when using the pool for aqua therapy or leisure time in the pool. 

Individuals that might not be able to enjoy using a swimming pool or taking advantage of the low impact physical exercise of a pool because of fecal or bowel incontinence now have a swimwear option to get back in the pool.  

Swimmates are worn like underwear under an existing swimsuit. They feature a moisture-proof barrier to provides light urinary incontinence protection prior to entering the pool. The ample full-rise waist panel and Kufgaurds inner leg cuff contain fecal incontinence to keep the pool and bathing suit clean.

Swimmates are designed to fit a large variety of body shapes and sizes and are available for waist sizes ranging from 22” up-to 80”. Click here to go to our product page for complete information and size guide for Swimmates Swimwear. 

Swimmate Disposable Swimware are from the makers of Tranquility Incontinence Products. Tranquility is a leading manufacturer of premium disposable incontinence products including adult diapers, protective underwear, underpad bed pads, and pads and liners. Their products are designed for comfort, security and maximum heavy incontinence protection. 

Cold and Flu Prevention Tips

I woke up this morning with a dryness in my throat and a congested nose reminding me that it is that magical fall time of year that ushers in the cold and flu season. Both the cold and flu are respiratory illnesses caused by different viruses. A virus enters the body and invades cells resulting in illness. A cold is generally milder than a flu. And it is very important to understand that antibiotics are not effective against viruses. They are effective for use on bacterial infection. 

The best way to deal with a cold or flu is to avoid getting them in the first place. There are several things you can do to help decrease your risk of getting a cold or flu by boosting your immune system including exercising, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep. An annual flu vaccine is the surest way to prevent the flu and the best time to get the vaccine is October through November. 

Other prevention activities to help curb the spread of viruses are to wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others who may be sick, stay home if you are sick, cover your mouth and or nose when sneezing or coughing, and watch where you put your hands such as rubbing your eyes or rubbing your nose. It will also help if you keep homes and work places clean. 

Washing hands with warm water and soap is a fine way to ensure hands are clean. While washing the hands rub them together for at least 20 seconds to help eliminate germs. Be sure to get under the nails, between fingers, and up the wrists. You should also use a clean paper towel to turn off faucets or to touch surfaces such as handles or door knobs after your hands have been washed. If soap and water are not available, instant hand sanitizers are a handy and efficient way to clean your hands. They utilize alcohol or other antiseptics to kill germs and come in sizes that can be easily carried in case, purse, pocket or car.

Keeping house and office surfaces clean and disinfected will also help minimize risks of transmitting germs. Be sure to clean any surfaces that is used and touched by people frequently, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. Keep the office clean will have similar if not more challenges including keeping keyboards, phones, and seating and desktops and other shared surfaces disinfected. There are many options available for surface disinfection including sprays and wipes. Wipes for surface disinfection are not the same as wipes used for skin cleaning and should be applied while wearing barrier protection gloves made of vinyl or nitrile. 

Practicing cold and flu prevention also includes social distancing in which you allow extra space between you and people who are sick, sneezing or coughing. 

The CDC Says to “Take 3” Actions to Fight the Flu. Click here to go to the full CDC article with complete details. Here is a summary of these actions:

1. Take time to get the flu vaccine
2. Take everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs
3. Take antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them (these are different than antibiotics)

Remember that staying healthy this cold and flu season will benefit you and all of those around you. Keeping general health and cleanliness guidelines in mind will help control the germs and viruses you come in contact with that can cause illness. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Caregiver

Sometimes life takes an interesting turn of fate. For this supplier of caregiving products the twist comes in the fact that I am sitting in a room with my wife getting chemotherapy for breast cancer on the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2014. Here’s a brief synopsis of her story and the life journey we are taking.

My wife is a healthy and active 48 year old women. 7 Years ago she was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoman in Situ (DCIS). She had a lumpectomy in the breast and follow up radiation. She recovered and we moved on with our normal lives under the care and supervision of doctors. Fast forward 7 years later and her doctor noticed lots of little things that were new in her annual mammogram taken late in May 2014. Not good, but not necessarily bad at this point because nothing was clearly seen, understood or defined yet. 

This started a series of tests and agonizing waits for results including an MRI and biopsies. Unfortunately there were cancer cells and after review with doctors it was determined that a mastectomy on one side would be the best course of action. This leads us to the genetic DNA testing to see if she carried the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes which indicate a high propensity for cancer in the other breast or ovaries in the future. If positive results come back on this test it would be prudent to have a double mastectomy. Luckily for her these tests results came back negative and she did not have a higher risk for there cancers as indicated by these results.

With this information in hand we consulted with the doctors and scheduled her surgery in mid July 2014. The surgery would remove one breast, remove a couple of sentinel lymph nodes for testing and get the reconstructive plastic surgery started by having a spacer implant installed. The lymph nodes are sent for testing to see if there are any cancer cells in them indicating any spread of cancer. They also sent the tumor off for Oncotype DX testing to determine how effective chemotherapy would be in helping to sterilize the blood of any cancer cells that might be hiding out in the blood stream. 

Luckily the lymph nodes came back cancer free. The tumor was larger than could be seen on the MRI and mammogram so the Oncotype testing became an important part of the test to determine if chemo was needed. These test results indicated that chemotherapy would increase her 10 year survivability rate by an additional 7-8%, which in medical survivability is substantial.

So the end result of her journey was a mastectomy followed by 4 sessions of chemotherapy. Radiation was not included in her treatment as it was determined to not increase survivability and or reduce spread of the cancer. 

As a caregiver, supporter and partner in this breast cancer journey I have learned more than I ever wanted to learn. Here are some of these highlights:

• There are lots of tests with agonizing waits for results
• Every test that comes back, good or bad, leads to more tests or treatment plans
• Everyone is different so one person may have a completely different treatment plan than another
• Cancer is physically, mentally and emotionally draining for the survivor and the caregiver
• Try not to do random research on the internet - always contact your doctor(s) for information and guidance 
• Remember to be patient with the survivor. This is a roller coaster ride of emotions and thoughts
• A woman losing her hair is emotionally damaging and one of the most feared and apprehensive parts of the process. Remember to tell her she is beautiful!
• Be as prepared as you can to help the survivor in advance so that you are not scrambling around for products to help care for the survivor or make them comfortable

Here are some items that we found very helpful on our journey:

• A comfortable reclining chair 
• A bed rest booster for use to sit up in bed
• Lots of pillows in various sizes to prop up and support all kinds of body parts
• Rinse-free skin and hair cleaners (we found Aloe Vesta Bathing Cloths to be awesome)
• Skin moisturizing creams and lotions. Chemo does a number on skin (we found Sween 24 Moisturizing Cream to be a household favorite)
• Cold packs to place on hot spots during heat flashes. We use reusable cold packs that can be placed on forehead, under neck and on feet during hot flash episodes
• Medical grade room deodorizer with limited scent or unscented to cover up nasty chemo induced bathroom smells. We found ByeBye Odor to work well and not overpower the room with fragrance 
• Hand Sanitizers to help avoid spreading germs - we have pump bottles in the house and even have one right by the front door so folks that stop by to visit can sanitize their hands on the way in. 

Any item(s) that we use have been cleared with our doctors to ensure we were not causing any complications. We learned that when in doubt, call a doctor. They are more than happy to take calls (even those at 2 am and the pain seems to be escalating and fear growing). We have been blessed with an awesome team of compassionate doctors that have been so incredibly helpful. We can only hope that anyone going through this has the level of fantastic care.

Our journey continued on as she fights the good fight. Her prognosis is good and we know that there are many women having a much more difficult time and will have longer treatments. She is fighting the fight, but I am right there by her side with hugs, glasses of water, back massages or whatever she needs. My caregiver job has quickly become the ability to anticipate what she may need in advance or react quickly when she needs something. 

I love my wife and hate to see her going through this process. I am so proud of her for her spirit, courage and strength. Mostly I love her newly adopted slogan - Fight Like a Girl. So to all of you who may be going through this in your life I wish you the very best and alway remember to Fight Like a Girl!