The Most Common Mistakes People Make with Continence Products

It’s so important to use the right continence products - for comfort, hygiene, and daily confidence. However, it’s just as important to make sure you use them properly and to plan your schedule to prevent skin problems, leaks, and potential embarrassments.

Having supported many people who have lived with incontinence across my career, I know that it can be difficult to adapt to this common, but still life-changing condition. In this guide, I’ll explore common errors people make when choosing and using continence products, how to avoid these mistakes, and tips on how to keep clean and safe.

Understanding the Importance of Correct Continence Product Use 

Using continence products incorrectly or improperly can lead to discomfort, embarrassment, and potentially further lifestyle and health impacts. Wearing the right sizes, changing and cleaning regularly, and adapting your lifestyle help to prevent skin conditions and keep you feeling comfortable and confident, no matter what you do.

Unfortunately, it's not always easy choosing continence products, and you shouldn’t assume they will work for you right out of the packet. Using too many products at once, poor-fitting pads, or simply wearing them for too long, can all lead to increased risk of leaks and soreness, and restrict what you feel comfortable doing from day to day.

Whether you are managing your own incontinence or are supporting someone else’s continence management in aged care, it’s crucial to follow professional advice and what product manufacturers say.

Common Mistakes in Continence Product Selection and Fit

The most common mistakes people make when using continence products include choosing the wrong type, ignoring fit and absorbency, using improper alternatives, and ignoring lifestyle recommendations. What’s more, many people fail to plan for buying more products and any toilet needs that might arise.

It is not the end of the world if you make these mistakes, and many people do - but the sooner you recognise them, the better - for your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Mistake #1: Choosing the Wrong Product Type

It is easy to assume that certain products, such as menstrual pads, will do enough to prevent urinary or faecal leaks. However, in this example, they are simply not strong enough to handle heavier flow over long periods.

Choosing the wrong product type often leads to leaking and added discomfort, which in turn, restricts you in your everyday activities. Instead, I recommend prioritizing products that are specifically developed for incontinence, such as the Abena incontinence range.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Absorbency Levels and Fit

If you are just noticing continence problems, you may not understand your absorbency needs right away, which is why it’s vital to speak to a medical professional who can help you choose the right products.

A low-absorbency pad, for example, may not give enough protection across the day, especially if you are experiencing faecal incontinence.

What’s more, choosing the right size and fit is important for comfort, leak protection, and preventing soreness. It is perhaps tempting to choose small pads because they appear more discreet than others, but going too small can make difficulties more obvious.

Mistake #3: Using Improper Substitute Materials

Some people with incontinence use extra toilet roll or even extra pads or pull-ups lined inside each other, whether to save money or to try and boost their comfort. However, doing so can mean that your inner padding leaks over your outer padding. Toilet paper alone, in fact, simply won’t absorb and stop leakage.

It’s so important, again, to prioritise a comfortable, appropriate fit for your absorbency needs. 

Mistake #4: Overlooking Pelvic Floor Exercises and Lifestyle Management

Incontinence products can only do so much if, for example, you ignore medical advice when it comes to exercises and lifestyle changes. Pelvic floor exercises are fantastic for managing bladder and bowel control and increasing predictability, and they are adaptable for people of all ages without the need for extra equipment.

If your doctor or nurse recommends changing lifestyle choices to help prevent incontinence from getting worse, you must pay attention. Otherwise, you may find your condition gets harder to predict and to protect against.

Mistake #5: Failing in Product Availability and Planning

Don’t always assume that you have ‘just enough’ pads or products to see you through the week. Incontinence is sometimes unpredictable, which is why it is always worth having a stock of products in reserve.

You should never use incontinence products for longer than the packaging or your doctor recommends. Otherwise, you risk extra discomfort, leakage, and potential skin problems.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Toileting and Environmental Strategies

When first experiencing incontinence, it is wise to plan ahead potential trips to the toilet based on how often (and what times of day) you go on average. Think carefully about where you may be going for the day, too - will there definitely be easy access to a toilet, regardless of the protection you wear? Will you be able to change your pads regularly?

On the flip side, never assume that you can stave off incontinence by going to the toilet ahead of time. This effectively trains your bladder to hold even less than usual, meaning you are training it to need the toilet more frequently.

I recommend using a template such as The Urology Foundation’s bladder diary, which can help you track when you need to use the toilet and to what extent.

Best Practices to Avoid Common Continence Product Mistakes

All of the mistakes I’ve discussed above are avoidable, provided you keep in touch with healthcare professionals, track your usage and toilet schedules,  and store plenty of incontinence products readily available to use.

Let’s break down these best practices in more detail.

Consult Healthcare Professionals for Personalized Guidance

It can be difficult to talk about incontinence, especially if you are just starting to notice symptoms. However, healthcare professionals, like your doctor, are on your side to help you manage your lifestyle with care and empathy.

Instead of choosing and purchasing incontinence products yourself out of embarrassment, consider talking to a healthcare professional about the best choices that fit your body. Doing so will help you prevent long-term discomfort, leaks, and even health issues further down the line.

It’s also important to ask for help from medical professionals if you believe your toilet visits are increasing or have no clear pattern:

“Leaking for no obvious reason and leaking all the time are clinical markers of incontinence severity.”

Gómez de Vicente, J.M., et al.

Track Usage and Changing Schedules to Prevent Errors

Again, while it may feel embarrassing at first, it’s important to understand your body’s needs when experiencing incontinence. Take note of trigger points for leaks and when you notice you need the toilet the most, and consider how you can adapt schedules around your needs.

For example, when out and about, you may want to ensure you go places and do activities where you can access a toilet at least once an hour. Your doctor, again, can help you manage your schedule.

Follow Proper Skin Care and Hygiene Practices

Urine and faecal incontinence can lead to sore, even detrimental skin conditions such as Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis (IAD) if bacteria and moisture are left to persist against the skin. 

Caring for your skin health, such as by drying and cleaning the lower half of your body regularly (and changing pads when you need to), helps prevent irritation, severe discomfort, and even pain.

Store Products Properly and Keep Spares Handy

Keeping incontinence products stored in dry, accessible places means you can always rely on them even if an emergency occurs. Always make sure you carry more protection with you than you anticipate needing, which you can do discreetly with the right disposable pads and pull-up pads.

Final Thoughts

Incontinence affects millions of Australians, and among those people, there are many who might accidentally buy or use the wrong pads, wear them for too long, or even assume they can overcome their difficulties in the short term.

Ensuring you buy the right incontinence products for your specific needs and fitting them properly can help you avoid further discomfort and health issues further down the line. Remember, health professionals are on your side and want to help you lead a healthy, confident life - don’t be afraid to ask for help.

 

Sources

Cumper, C. (2025). Caring for Skin Health When Using Continence Aids. In Medshop Australia. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.medshop.com.au/blogs/news/caring-skin-health-when-using-continence-aids

Cumper, S. (2025). Continence Management in Aged Care. In Medshop Australia. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.medshop.com.au/blogs/news/continence-management-in-aged-care

Disposable Pads & Pull-Up Pants. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/disposable-pads-pull-up-pants

Gómez de Vicente, J.M. et al. (2023). Leaking all the time and for no obvious reason are clinical markers of incontinence severity: A cross-sectional study. In Continence Reports, Vol. 6, 100029. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772974523000091 

Key statistics on incontinence. (2025). In Continence Health Australia (formerly the Continence Foundation of Australia). Continence Foundation of Australia. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.continence.org.au/about-us/our-work/key-statistics-incontinence

Shop Abena Incontinence Products. (n.d.). In Medshop Australia. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.medshop.com.au/collections/abena-incontinence

Bladder Diary (2024). The Urology Foundation. Retrieved March 18, 2026, from https://www.theurologyfoundation.org/app/uploads/2024/01/Bladder-diary.pdf