Shocking, shocking, shocking – wearing pantyliner everyday would lead to vagina bacteria infection! This is such a critical issue to me that I wished I could amplify my voice to the whole world and warn all the female counterparts. Not to scare everyone off, there are also mild cases like genital acne problem or yeast infection. But, that is disturbing enough.
I asked the doctor why would wearing pantyliner on a daily basis brings about these issues. Her explanations were simple to understand and I wish to pen them down so that I can remember them and let this be a warning to all of us.
Issues #1
Firstly, the adhesive strip at the bottom of the pantyliner is made of plastic. And, we all know that skin is unable to breath through plastic.
Now image this: You pass out normal genital discharge during the day, your discharge stays on the pantyliner, which would be sticked against your skin for as long as you are still wearing the pantyliner. We also know that bacteria grow much faster in wet and high-temperature area. Now, you see, the bacteria is growing on areas like your Labia Majora and Clitoris. This will highly likely cause gential acne and irritation.
Issue #2
Well, I was thinking, how about those pantyliners that say “super absorbent” or “breathable backsheet”? The doctor said those added attributes definitely require added chemical content. Well, and God knows how those chemical is treating our skin.
Issue #3
I sort of forgotten the real purpose of pantyliner until the doctor mention it again, and here is what I found on Wiktionary. A pad worn on the inner surface of women’s underwear … during a shoulder-day of the menstrual period, designed to absorb small, spotty quantities of menstrual fluid, in contrast to a tampon or sanitary napkin, worn on heavy-flow days.
Yes, if you got it right, pantyliners are meant for spotting days, and not to be worn on a daily affair.
One thing you can do for yourself
The type of panties that we wear would contribute to the problem too. It is strongly advisable to wear panties that is made of at least 95% cotton. Cotton is absorbent and creates less abrasion against the skin, thus, lower chance of developing genital irritation.
Girls, ladies, babes, we should take care of our own bodies, because we own them. 
February 23, 2008 at 1:30 pm |
Alright… I’m one of those who wear pantyliner everyday without fail. I have got ALOT of discharge and that makes me feel so uncomfortable without the pantyliner. I’m also one who got several infections before and despite what the doctor say, i still wear them.
Stubborn me. As for those Girls who wear Gstrings (Those t-backs), it is highly likely to cause infections too.
It’s really tough to be a girl. Isn’t it?!
February 23, 2008 at 2:38 pm |
Hmm, this is a good post. With that said, my good friend once told me that when we sleep, we should try not to wear undies or wear loose boxers. This is so that our genitals down there can breathe and could prevent bacteria since they ‘grow’ in humid temperatures. So perhaps, that’s one thing we can try.
February 23, 2008 at 7:50 pm |
Oh no…I wear pantyliners everyday too…It’s a tough call..
February 24, 2008 at 12:35 am |
Oh gosh… This is shocking indeed. I did not realize that prolonged wearing of pantyliners could cause folliculitis – thought only bad shaving and ingrown hair could cause that.
Well, I am not an extensive user of pantyliners because I thought it feels a lil’ warm sometimes. So I’d line a small piece of tissue paper neatly folded on my panties. Everytime I visit the toilet I would change them. In this way, it is not too thick – my fanny could still breathe. And I could change n dispose of it quickly and easily.
I’m not too sure if this is as bad as using a pantyliner tho.
February 24, 2008 at 9:23 pm |
Shan: It is definitely tough to be a girl. We can name a list and the cows still don’t come home. Well, if you really have so much discharge, I would suggest you visit the doctor. I would think that it is not normal to have so much discharge. Let me know if you need company.
Van: Thank you for the great tip. (I tried it – it is a great cooling experience). And I think, this is all we can do to be friendlier to our dear friend down there.
bisyri: I suggest you start slow – wearing it on alternate days, then lesser, then eventually wearing it only on days when you really need it (such as spotting days).
Elaine: I was shocked too when the doctor told me that. I guess there shouldn’t be many issues with the use of tissue paper, since you change it so often.
February 27, 2008 at 4:58 am |
Thanks for your advice. Its kinda hard coz after reading your entry, I tried stopping for one or two days and then I forgot about it. Its an automatic action I do everyday…sigh. I shall stop buying after the current one runs out…perhaps that will work. Out of sight, out of mind.
May 12, 2008 at 1:41 pm |
I was googling about panty liners being unhealthy for girls and I found your site. Is it really true? *sigh* it’s a lot more difficult to wear panties all day at work for me, knowing that there’s some discharge. I’ve been wearing pantyliners everyday and lately I’ve realised that there’s some irritation. Not sure whether the pantyliners are the culprit. I’ll try to stop and see how it goes.
Thanks for the post
May 12, 2008 at 2:16 pm |
Amy: Thanks for your comments. I have personally faced that problem and my doctor explained that to me. I think her explanation do make sense. I understand how it feels when you have discharge and it kind of wet your panties. I do not like that “wet” feeling too. I guess if you really need to wear pantyliner, you can probably change it more frequently to reduce moisture build-up.
October 14, 2008 at 10:51 pm |
Yeah, I dont wear pantiliners, but i use tissue everyday, and change after I use the bathroom. If I dont wear it, my panties would be soaked.. I thought I was the only one pissing all over myself. Nah, it doesnt smell bad, but its so uncomfortable walking around with wet panties. And i wear all types of materials, silk, cotton, ect.. and it seems that the cotton ones are the most uncomfortable, cause they get the most wet.. Might just be me.
October 30, 2008 at 11:16 pm |
Felsha: That could be one way – that’s how one of my friends is doing as well. I guess different people have different preferences – most importantly, you must be comfortable with what you are wearing.
November 17, 2008 at 11:42 am |
Hi, I’ve been using panty liners everday. I’m now very afraid of getting bacterial infection. How do I do?
November 20, 2008 at 4:20 pm |
Hi Viv, thanks for dropping by. There are various ways you could try changing your usage. If you really need to wear them everyday, you may wish to change it more frequently. If you do not really need to wear them everyday, try to restrict to “spotting days” use. You may need to try out what work best for you.
take care!
November 24, 2008 at 12:07 pm |
Guilty as charged
This just the post I was looking for. Thank you. I was thinking of going super natural and getting the cloth liners since I already have the Diva cup. This post has helped in swaying me.
December 7, 2008 at 5:10 pm |
Hi konyi618, I am glad you found the entry useful.
take care…
December 15, 2008 at 10:46 pm |
Wow~! Was kinda shock went my friend link me this post… Previously i do use panty liners daily too… Cos i hav alots of yellowish discharge & its stinks sometimes… So i went to see a doctor… N she told me to stop using panty liners… She said, it will cut down in lesser of discharge n prevent from getting irriations… I think this realli helps…
But i just hate the feeling of wet down there…
December 17, 2008 at 9:00 pm |
Hi June, I am with you – but I guess “precaution is better than cure”. Alternatively, you could change your PL more frequently.
Take care!
January 5, 2009 at 5:30 am |
Hi there! I read the post and do think wearing a panty liner all day every day would start to cause some problems. But, I think a better solution would be to wear a reusable cloth panty liner. I’ve been doing a lot of research and just bought the things to make a few of my own. I have heard a lot of great personal testimonies and figure it’s worth giving a shot! Make them of 100% cotton so your skin can breathe, then just toss them in the wash with all of your other clothes. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
February 8, 2009 at 9:55 pm |
Hi Anna, thanks for sharing with us. I have not seen reusable cloth panty liner in the pharmacies. Let me go hunt for them and will try it out as well! Let me know how it goes for you. Take care there.
February 17, 2009 at 10:41 am |
Interesting article! Thank you! I’m one of those people who are completely healthy yet have a lot of discharge (my previous and current doctors have both said it’s common) and I’ve worn pantyliners my whole life because of it. Then I had kids, and my muscles aren’t as strong, so when I sneeze or cough I still sometimes get a little wet…
I switched to cloth last year and I’m so glad I did. Most cloth pantyliners are made with a few layers of flannel – I make my own (and I sell them, too) and they only have two layers – so they breathe, but they pull all the wetness away from my body.
A few weeks ago I ran out of cloth and switched back to disposables until I could do laundry – it was so uncomfortable – dry and itchy! Why do we put up with stuff like that as women?
February 21, 2009 at 8:34 pm |
Hi Candice! Thanks for sharing with us. I can certainly feel the agony of the woes of being a woman. Let’s do whatever we can to keep our body well because we deserve it!
February 24, 2009 at 4:01 am |
hi candice, i had no idea that this can do that to our body!
I wear pantyliners…darn…now what?
what about douching? is that bad, too?
March 21, 2009 at 4:49 am |
I dont like wearing pantyliner because i think they feel hot and unconfortable inside my panty so I always wear a folded tissue instead.
The problem with tissue is they tend to damage quickly and make a mess inside my panties and vagina!
Any girls have any suggestions?
September 7, 2009 at 1:13 am |
If you need a pantyliner because of moisture, the best thing you can do is simply wear a cloth pantyliner. There are cloth liners out there that are no thicker than that tissue, made from 100% cotton (no plastic liner or adhesive!) and feel like they are just an addition to your underwear, if you feel them at all.
I make and wear this kind, and it has been an epiphany for me!
June 2, 2009 at 1:40 am |
Well I knew pantylineres weren’t good but I tried using a different brand,, I used to wear Always all the time, then they made it super absorbant and it started to irritate my skin,,, I decided it to change it,, I tried Kotex,,same thing, I start to itch, is not good at all,, they carefree,, they were the best, the only bad thing is, since the adhesive is way too thick, and if you sweat, it smells sort of strong,, you have to change it frecuently in order to avoid that…
July 20, 2009 at 6:19 am |
Ah that explains so much!
I wear pantyliners everyday, and i dont have my period yet.
I get alot of discharge, so i wear pantyliners so i wouldnt be uncomfortable.
but wearing them makes it more uncomfortable!
i realized that there was alot of irritation when i first started wearing them! im only 13 so as you can see, this upset me alot! thank you so much! =D
oh and i have a question to anyone…
ive been getting discharge for over a year now i believe, and i still havent gotten my period. im going to the doctors for a yearly check up, but i wanna see if anyone knows! thank you =D
September 7, 2009 at 1:16 am |
Is it bloody discharge? If it’s yellow or clear, you may have a bacterial infection that has no other symptoms. But for some people it’s normal to have discharge when they don’t have their periods – it could just be that. Or you may find that if you switch to cloth liners, that the disposables were causing an irritation that increased the discharge.
August 17, 2009 at 4:26 pm |
Aww, I have to wear pantyliners everyday 24/7 because of my discharge! It’s yellow in color and it changes in viscosity during different times of the month. Anyway, I’ve been to the doctors about it and they said the discharge was normal… and then I also went to the gynecologist (not a fun experience) and she said it was heavy but there was nothing wrong with it. Because of this discharge I have been using Kotex everyday and night since I started having my period and I do change it every-time I go to the restroom, I feel weird if I don’t have them on… just because I’m so used to them. I have been itching a little bit and maybe the reason is the pantyliners but I’ve tried other types and they all irritate my skin far too much. So Kotex it is. *sighs* I have heard that they are bad for us girls and we need to breath down there but my goodness, I need to wear them 24/7!
How can I not get vaginal issues like VB and yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis? Is there something I could eat or drink or maybe change them more frequently? Any advice would be appreciated!
September 7, 2009 at 1:22 am |
I’ve said this to every other person (I’ll probably get banned from this blog, soon, lol!) but another option is cloth pantyliners. They’re easy to wash – I throw mine in the washer with my colors and I don’t do anything extra. It’s no worse than what might be on your underwear, right?
The changes in viscosity may simply be an indication of your cycles – your discharge will change depending on the part of your cycle you are in.
I’ve kept from yeast infections with a few things. I used to get them monthly.
1. changed to cloth (not as important as some of the following)
2. limit sugars and starches in my diet – for some reason, my digestion gets messed up when I eat a lot of sugar and the Candida yeast that causes yeast infections thrives on sugars.
3. Shave down there. Fewer places for bacteria to grow.
4. When I feel an infection coming on, I eat a 6 oz yogurt every day until it clears up. Make sure it has the acidophillus bacterius or however it’s spelled. That will help the good bacteria regain control of your digestion, and for some reason it helps with the rest of your body, too.
September 7, 2009 at 2:11 am
I’ll look into the cloth pantyliners – it sounds like an inexpensive way of deal with it.
I do try to limit my sugars, but starches do it too? My goodness. And I do eat yogurt too, it always helps and the bacteria is good for everything in our bodies, not just digestion. ^_^
Thanks for the information!
August 19, 2009 at 5:09 pm |
Oh..oh.. thats news to me. Dint know that wearing liners could cause infections.
But i generally wear them post my periods for a few days. Or when travelling – thought it was hygenic… but if it causes infection….
September 6, 2009 at 1:57 pm |
@ Camille: thanks for sharing your experiences. Yes, you are very right – the thickness of the adhesive sticker will cause ventilation problem. The best way out is still to change it as frequently as possible.
@ Lauren: some of my friends didnt get their period till 14-15. Some girls get them earlier, some later…
@ Alaskagirl: I believe so many other girls echo your situation. Go without wearing a pantyliner for a couple of times, try to see the brighter side of that, bear with it, and see if it works.
@ sen: it will cause infections only if it is overly used. In some cases, some girls wear it 24/7, for longer period of time with heavy discharge. Now, I am like you, I will only wear it for some days when I need to, in such cases, the chances of infection is much lower.
Thanks for all the comments girls. Am glad we are helping one another understand this problem better. Cheers!
September 30, 2009 at 3:18 pm |
Candice, thank you so much for your idea and invention. But may I know how to make cloth pantyliner? Or maybe you can tell me where to buy them off from the shelves? Thank you
November 7, 2009 at 10:10 pm |
It’s pretty easy to follow this pattern if you know how to sew: http://shewhorunsintheforest.googlepages.com/008. You can make your own patterns, too, using a disposable pad as a pattern or altering another pattern to suit you better!
They aren’t easily available at a regular store, but you might try a organic foods store. Or, if you don’t mind buying online, you can search for cloth pantyliners at Etsy.com or clothpadshop.com. Both have reputable, well known makers/sellers of cloth pads.
October 21, 2009 at 7:45 am |
Thanks for sharing that information. Lately I
have been experiencing vaginal odor, and I was wondering what was causing that. Recently I started using pantyliner’s again. I have noticed that every time i stop I’m ok and when I begin to use again the odor reappears. After reading this information I was able to put it together.
November 7, 2009 at 1:48 pm |
@ anonymous – If you need to wear it, you can still wear it, but you need to change it frequently. About the discharge, it depends on individual’s body constitution. The Chinese believes in TCM, and you can google more to understand how you should avoid eating “cooling food”. Hope it helps.
November 7, 2009 at 1:51 pm |
@ G.K – It is not so bad when it comes to sanitary napkin because you only have to wear it for about 4 days (or depending on how long your period lasts).