Question

[cherrybabe21.livejournal.com]

Just wondering, if anyone experiences like a reaction to wear a pad? Seems like after wearing a pad while on my period after a few days, I get these welpy bumps on the lips of my vagina and the icth and look like bug bites? Dose this happen to anyone eles, and is that all it is that it is just agrivating my skin??

Comments

[turnitmyway.livejournal.com]

Same thing happens to me. I've found Kotex do it the least--seems to have a lot to do with how much plastic is going on. Try tampons! they are the greatest.

[cherrybabe21.livejournal.com]

I don't bleed alot so, I just use pads, never used a tampon tho, always been scared to use them.

[kkatie.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think I'm allergic to pads with more plastic, like Always. Kotex and and Stayfree seem to irritate me the least.

Smaller tampons with plastic applicators are a good way to try out tampons.

[mydocuments.livejournal.com]

Sounds like maybe the moisture from the pad and your blood and general sweating/vaginal moistness might be giving you a bit of a diaper rash type thing. Maybe switch to pads with a different top, or try a cloth pad??

[skeas.livejournal.com]

I definitely second the cloth pad idea.

OP, my period was a grab bag of misery until I switched to reusable menstrual products. When I used pads, I got the same rash. I switched to tampons--and after a while, I started getting recurring BV infections whenever I wore one. I tried everything from tucking the string inside me (just in case the bacteria were getting to my vag from my butt!) to wearing ultra-lite tampons so that they'd never be dry when I took them out. I wore underwear and I didn't wear underwear.

Like most other women, I thought that my period was tolerable and even enjoyable. Now I can actually say that I look forward to it every month, and with my menstrual cup, it affects me less than ever.

[hellospaceship.livejournal.com]

I had that too. Its almost like a diaper rash. Its from the wet plastic sitting on your skin. Disposable pads don't breath and can cause that. Get some diaper rash cream, keep it dry and that should clear it up.

I don't know if you would be interested but I switched to cloth pads and haven't had a problem since. They aren't for everyone though, some people are very grossed out at the thought of reusable menstrual products and I totally understand. Just throwin' it out there as a suggestion. :)

There are a few cloth pad communities here if that sounds like something you'd be interested in trying. And there are a ton of great cloth pad sellers on Etsy.com

Other than that I am of no help : )

Hope you get it cleared up.

[jeanetteblack.livejournal.com]

It sometimes happens if I get the pads that are scented or have the deoderant in them or like when I'm at school and I don't have time to change them until I get home, I'll get little red blemishes and things like that. If you have deoderized pads, you could be having a small alergic reaction, but most likely it's from the plastic on your pad.

[paraxeni.livejournal.com]

Same thing happened to me and my girlfriend, it was like nappy rash. It would just clear up then BAM, period time again!

We switched to reusable cloth pads and will never go back to disposables. They feel so great, especially the fleecy ones.

[svexsal.livejournal.com]

i most recently took to wearing pads again after i got my IUD inserted and i felt the same irritation only towards my ass, not in the front. they were always extra slim pads.
i had to stop wearing them and was glad i could go back to tampons asap.
i'd say, if you can get your hands on some baby oil or a similarly sensitive aloe lotion, you should be fine.

[yvettel.livejournal.com]

had that problem as well. and stunk on top of it. called it lovingly "swamp crotch". Ive been using organic cotton pads (and tampons) for a number of years now and havent had one issue since. (I used always pads before switching)

[nakedfaery.livejournal.com]

I used to get this reaction to disposables, so I switched to cloth and now voila, rash free! Disposables have all sorts of chemicals in to bleach the materials and soak up blood.

[silverwing26.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you asked this question as it also happens to me.

[imnotyourstarx.livejournal.com]

cloth will be your new best friend. i made the switch 2 years ago because i also had rashes and whatnot, and i havent looked back since except to wonder why i didnt switch sooner.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

I can't wear any commercial pads for exactly that reason -- put a pad near my bits for an hour, and I'll have a horrible, uncomfortable rash for a week. I've heard that cloth pads are much better on that end than commercial ones.

It really just comes down to sensitivity to the materials and chemicals used to create commercial pads.

[pygmybugs.livejournal.com]

I get that when I wear pads, too. I think there's just a ton of weird chemicals in them. I'm a cup girl now, but on occasions when I have to wear pads, I get the organic cotton ones (NatraCare is one brand that is really good). They breathe a ton better, too, so you don't feel all soggy-diaper-bottom. They make everything from pantiliners to maternity pads, so you should be able to find something that works.

[fireaphid.livejournal.com]

Yep, I got the same thing for years; it's just a property of disposable pads, especially ultra-thin ones with super-absorbent gels and plastic top and bottom layers. It got really severe when my favorite brand (Stayfree) added fragrance to their "unscented" pads, as I already have an allergy to fragrances. In general, I would say stay away from scented pads, and if you want to avoid the ones with off-label fragrances, stick to the organic ones (found in many health-food stores).

The way I solved this problem, once and for all, was switching to washable/reusable cloth pads, and I'm extremely happy with the results.

[http://users.livejournal.com/urban_faerie_/]

pads and tampons have always irritated me, to the point where i thought there was really sometihng wrong with me. i traded my tampons for a cup and my symptoms lessened, and then i traded my always pantiliners for cloth and it totally went away. you don't have to just deal with the chafing, now my period is comfy cozy!

[vinaceous.livejournal.com]

Every pad with one of those plastic-y, no leak linings does this to me. Stayfree never has and that is why I will be loyal to them forever unless I find out they're making pads from baby sea lions or something.

[burntbuffalo.livejournal.com]

:( I used to use Stay-free and they gave me the worst rashes! I had used them since my very first cycle, and then all of a sudden, after 7 or 8 years of use, my crotch was SCREAMING no more! I would irritation all around my vulva, including around my urethra to the point where I thought I was getting UTI's every period because it would burn to pee!

I switched to organic tampons for a while, but for the past 2 or 3 years I've been a cup and cloth girl. I must say, I really prefer these to conventional pads/tampons.

[burntbuffalo.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I don't know if I have a latex allergy. I wonder if I could have developed one from using them.

[immortalavalamp.livejournal.com]

Yep. Hydrocortisone cream (like cortaid)! It's useful

[as-she-melts.livejournal.com]

Just in case it hadn't sunk in yet: cloth pads! menstrual cups! omg, best decision I've ever made!

Seriously. Definitely look into it. You'll feel a lot better, your period will be more comfortable, you'll save money, and you'll waste less. Yay! I always had a terrible reaction to plastic-y pads and commercial tampons--cloth pads and my cup are a lifesaver.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

hehe, seconded!


*hugs her Mooncup*

[long-roadtoruin.livejournal.com]

IAWTC...I love my mooncup! It makes life soooooo much more manageable when I'm on my period.