Heavy periods: Effective products to manage your flow
Managing a heavy period can be stressful if you haven’t found the right treatment and period products for you. Not everyone experiences periods in the same way even with symptoms such as heavy flow, so you may need to do some experimentation to find what works best for you.
If your heavy periods are getting in the way of your day-to-day life, then it’s time to seek treatment. Treatments for heavy periods can help to lighten your flow and make it more manageable - and they don’t have to be invasive or hormonal. Evana® Heavy Period Relief Tablets are available over the counter to reduce heavy flows and alleviate the problems caused by heavy periods.
In addition to treating your symptoms with medication, you can also help take some of the anxiety out of heavy periods by being well prepared with the best period products to keep you comfortable and confident throughout your flow.
Best pads for heavy periods
When you have heavy periods, you might use pads either on their own or as additional protection - often worn alongside tampons or menstrual cups to provide added security against leaks during times of heavy flow. However you use them, choosing the right pads for you means finding the right balance between different qualities such as sustainability, comfort and confidence that you won’t bleed through as well as a price point that suits your budget.
If you find you use lots of pads during your period and want to cut down on the amount you send to landfill, then a reusable pad solution could be the way forward. Wear ‘em Out is a woman-founded sustainable period product company that offers pads for all flows - including a night or heavy day flow pad that doubles as the ideal choice for postpartum bleeding. To reuse them, all you need to do is wash them - either in the shower or the washing machine - and hang them out to dry ready for your next wear.
For those who prefer easily disposable pads, Freda is a brand that offers sustainable organic winged sanitary pads in a variety of absorbencies from liners through to night pads. Wrapped in a biodegradable film, these are as simple to use as any disposable pad, as well as being hypoallergenic and polyester, fragrance and chemical-free. For added security and peace of mind on heavy flow days, these pads come with a strong, non-slip adhesive so they’ll stay in place for as long as you need them with subtle leak-free protection.
Best heavy flow period pants
Another popular form of period protection are period pants. With highly absorbent gussets, these pants are designed to be worn all day, then washed, dried and reused, making them a sustainable alternative to disposable pads and tampons. Like other forms of period protection, period pants can be bought to suit various flows, from light liners to nighttime protection.
Nixi Body offers a range of understated period pants in neutral tones and elegant designs to suit anyone. Their heavy flow period pants can absorb as much as 25 ml or around three to four tampons, whilst WUKA offer a super heavy flow pant option that can hold up to 60ml - perfect for heavy menstrual bleeding. These period pants also offer high coverage to make them leakproof, meaning you can feel confident you won’t need to keep checking in on your flow.
Are tampons or pads better for heavy flow?
If you don’t have a specific preference for other reasons, you might wonder whether either pads or tampons are more suitable for those with heavier flows. Each type of product comes in various absorbencies, so it’s really a case of personal preference. However, it might partially depend on your lifestyle.
For example, research suggests that the risk of developing toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a condition which can be life-threatening if left untreated, increases when using tampons for longer than six hours. It’s therefore recommended that tampons should be changed around every four hours. If you’re out and about with reduced access to toilet facilities, for example, or wish to go longer without changing sanitary products for any reason, then it may be beneficial to opt for pads instead.
Alternatively, some people may find that pads are less comfortable to wear, particularly when engaging in sports or other physical activities. If this sounds familiar to you, it may be more preferable to choose a tampon of a suitable absorbency and change regularly in order to stay comfortable.
As discussed above, if your flow is especially heavy, you may feel more comfortable and securely protected against leaks by wearing pads as well as tampons - just in case you experience any leakage. If this is something you feel the need to do regularly, that’s one sign that you may have heavy periods, so you should speak to your doctor for help identifying any underlying health conditions that could be causing the problem, as well as advice on treatment options for heavy periods.
Are menstrual cups good for heavy flow?
Menstrual cups, like period pants, are a reusable, sustainable form of sanitary protection. Usually made of silicon or a similar material, they are inserted into the vagina just like you would a tampon. The cup then collects blood before it can leave the body. After use, it can be washed, dried and reused again and again.
Like tampons, menstrual cups carry a risk of TSS, but they are still considered suitable to use so long as you follow the instructions regarding how frequently you should change your cup and wash it. As for flow capacity, a recent comparative study found that tampons, pads and menstrual cups all hold roughly the same amount of blood - meaning which one you choose to use is a question of personal preference.
At the end of the day, there are many options to choose from when it comes to period products that cater specifically to heavy menstrual bleeding. Lots of things can factor into your decision, and it’s generally a good idea to experiment with different types of period products so you can find the one that best suits you.
