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. 🙂
Bodytreats 
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?!
hello, as i read here, you say you discharge a lot. i have the exact same problem and i wear a pantyliner everyday b/c w/o it, i feel so wet and nasty. anyways, i recently developed a rash around my vagina and it hurts so bad. there are no bumps, just red and irritated. now that i read this, i don’t think it’s safe to wear one everyday anymore. i was wondering if there was ANYTHING to control the discharge?
@ 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.
It is possible you have a scented pantyliner. you should try the unscented one. you might be too sensitive for the scented 1 as am i
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.
Oh no…I wear pantyliners everyday too…It’s a tough call..
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.
I have heard constant use of tissue paper causes vaginal infection, I mean the tiny particles from the tissue.
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. 🙂
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.
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 🙂
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.
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.
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.
Hi, I’ve been using panty liners everday. I’m now very afraid of getting bacterial infection. How do I do?
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!
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.
Hi konyi618, I am glad you found the entry useful. 🙂 take care…
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…
Hi June, I am with you – but I guess “precaution is better than cure”. Alternatively, you could change your PL more frequently. 🙂 Take care!
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!
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. 🙂
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? 🙂
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! 🙂
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?
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?
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!
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…
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
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. 🙂
I agree, it cause inspection and i found out that for a long time that i’m wearing panty liner im suffering now like having a UTI.
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!
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. 🙂
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!
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….
@ 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!
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
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.
Thank you, Candice!!!! 🙂
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.
Does this happen with sanitary napkins,too?
@ 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).
Ditto. I must be even worse, because I only change my liner every 24 hours. I have been getting alot of discharge and it smells terrible.
I always had a feeling that wearing pantyliners was bad for you…I have been doing it since I started my period 20 years ago and it has become a habit. I have had issues with BV (that stopped when I switched from tampons to pads – take note, ladies) and occasional yeast, esp. in the summers. Now that I think about it, NO DUH that it could cause problems since the adhesive back is plastic!!
I have had issues with the heavy discharge on the liners. I wear boxers overnight with no undies and don’t have discharge then. TMI, but I have also noticed a highly ammonia smell that can sometimes go through to my jeans when I wear the liners, but never when I go without the liners.
I read elsewhere that the pantyliner environment actually PROMOTES MORE discharge!! Therefore, I just ordered a week supply of cloth pantyliners and am looking forward to the change!
omg,
i wore pantyliners everyday,and now i know why my vagina felt ichy.
but when i didnt wore them, i felt uncomfortable?
*sigh
Man, this stinks. I also have to wear panty liners every single day and I switch them out once or twice. When I go without them, my underwear is soaked and my pants get damp and then I can even smell myself. Ugh!! It feels so disgusting I have to have something down there to soak it up. I guess I’ll have to try out the cloth liners. Looks like they go for about $4-$5 each. I know in the long run it will be so much better. I guess this explains why I get a bad itch down there when I have a lot of discharge that sits on my liner. Ew, I feel so gross talking about this “in public” LOL!
Hey, I’m so glad i found this post. I stopped wearing panty liners about two(2) years ago after meeting my ex that that me it’s not healthy to be them all the time. During my times of wearing liners i experienced itching and i had to visit the doctor for infections. Since i stopped wearing liners i had no problems and i felt quiet comfortable. I’ve never read about it, i just thought i look it up – now i can send this post to my stubborn friends.
Thanks for the ads, it helps me. May i know where can I buy that “Cloth Panty Liners” you said. I live here in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Thank you
I have had horrible yeast infections for months at a time nonstop since I went to college. This was two years ago. Since then I have been looking for every possible preventative measure to take, visiting my gynecologist over 20 times, and finally my physician mentioned to me that panty liners can cause infections.
I couldn’t even believe it, since I started using them when this problem began and since I have them on constantly (20 a day, every time I use the bathroom I change them). My discharge has always been so heavy that I thought this was helping. Before that, I just changed my underwear twice a day. It had never once occurred to me that the liners could actually be causing the problem to recur, not preventing it.
Thank you for having such a positive website and discussion. This is a very frustrating problem and it is so helpful to see an online forum that is so optimistic.
I buy Seventh Generation pantiliners because they are chlorine free. It says on the package that most pads & pantiliners have been whitened with chlorine-containing substances that create dangerous toxins & have been linked to cancer, birth defects, & reproductive disorders. I worry about my daughter-in-law who has lost 6 babies so far & she told me she wears pantiliners every day!
I definitely do not understand why women do that. I consider pantiliners to be used for spotting and during phases of vaginal discharge. Yes, some women experience discharge throughout their entire cycle, but if it is not too bothersome, it is best to just follow regular hygiene practice and simply change underwear regularly. Both men and women have their own natural secretions and with proper hygiene, it is not necessary to have something like a pantiliner to be always absorbing, especially when the secretion is natural and does not cause major stains like menstrual-fluid would.
Good thing I only know one friend who does this and although I have told her about these risks, she still finds it very annoying to discharge onto her panties. She rather use pantiliners daily and rather throw it away than to change more often. Cotton panties are all I recommend to my girl-friends, although many of them opt for other material for “sexier occasions” which is ok as long as it is not worn all the time. Everyone gets “stains” in their underwear once in a while, it is not really a big deal unless it is not regular practice that they do laundry!
I wear Kotex Light Days everyday, though I know that they were only meant for spotting. If I don’t wear the liners my panties feel wet and uncomfortable. I discharge heavily and the unpleasant scent absorbs through my clothes and makes me smell. I shower twice a day, so it isn’t a lack of washing. I like being able to change out pads as needed during the day-it makes me feel shower fresh and I don’t worry about the smell. All that being said, I don’t wear panties at night at all, so I am getting some ventilation. Also, with some skirts I will go without the panties. With pants or shorts however, it just isn’t an option for me.
I’d rather not have to wear them at all. I try to hide the liners so the hubby can’t seem them…they are very unsexy!
I notice when I wear pantyliners for discharge, I end up having more, so I only use them for a backup when I wear tampons on my period.
Yes, they cause infections when used everyday, no one would believe me, thanks for posting this.
DON’T USE PANTY LINERS. I used to wear a panty liner every day because I had a thick, gooey discharge (no smell). I developed vulvadynia – pain with intercourse. Every once in a while, the doctor would give me medication for the discharge, but it would only work temporarily. No one mentioned anything about panty liners to me. It seemed like they might be a bad idea, but I didn’t feel I could stop because of the discharge mess. Years later (after a divore, btw), I decided to just stop wearing panty liners. I know it sounds weird, but I wrapped toilet paper around the crotch of my panties (no plastic backing – so it breathes). What do you know? After a week or two, discharge stopped completely and so did the pain problem! THE PANTY LINERS WERE THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF THE DISCHARGE. I wish the the fact that panty liners can cause real problems was more widely known. I think it could help a lot of people.
Also a bad idea to use dryer sheets or fabric softner. I use All free and clear detergent, throw my undies all in together, use hot water and rinse twice. The second rinse gets 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. My doctor also said NO soap goes near my girlie parts or anal area. I’ve been wearing white cotton undies for 54 years but have been struggling with yeast infections and BV for the last 4 years. I take probiotics every day, sleep in the buff and all the other suggestions I’ve found. The doctor says it’s an imbalance of the body. Okay, I get that but it’s still hell!
I disagree completly. I wear a pantyliner everyday and I am fine. It is not that serious and if it is necessary a woman should wear one. However, it is recommendable to change them throughout the day.
i HAVE to use panty liners daily because i spot daily. i use to have a regular cycle but after i got a mirena IUD (11 months ago) it has caused me to spot or have a “lighter” then normal cycle every day. i think i dont need to use anything at least 2-5 days per month is when i’m free from any of that which totally sucks. most people tell me to take the IUD out but my doc told me to give it 6 months and see if it’ll slow down and get into a better/normal cycle but it hasn’t yet. i dont want to take it out because i truly believe this IUD is helping me with the PMS and acne i get so not sure whats worse? daily spoting/period or PMS and acne that scares my face! LOL
anyhow, i’ve discovered that i’m on my 2nd irritation and possible start of another yeast infection since i’ve been using liners daily and didnt even think it could have been from the liners! makes perfect sense.
i have tried different brands and it didn’t make a difference. my doc told me to use unscented liners/pade/tampons as the scented kind can possibly cause more irritation. you need to change them often too so whatever is on the liners throughout the day isnt against your woohaa all day long.
also my doc tells me and i’ve read that vaginal discharge is normal. everyone is different on the volume they produce and the discharge can be either watery or thicker which is normal. when i’m not spotting or on a cycle my discharge is normal but sometimes it looks like i pee’d in my undies too (so i feel you all on that). its more because i’m probably either ovulating or getting aroused! ;] discharge is your bodies way of douching and she also told me to not use the store bought douches as it can upset your bodies natural chemicals (or however she put it) she also told me that the only time you need to worry is if it itches, smells or turns different texture or color then what it use to be. she also said that liners can also cause allergic reactions; hence, the reason for the irritation….makes sense as our woohaa’s can be sensitive.
also maybe (just a thought of mine) maybe you should get tested for STD’s as i’ve heard that certain ones can cause discharge (or at least a higher volume of discharge). not sure about that as i never had one….knock on wood! LOL its better to be safe then sorry ya know.
not sure what the alternative would be for my situation on the liner irriation issue i have if i spot or have a period daily. i’ve tried to find the cloth liners at all different stores like the above ladies talked about. i found nothing! i’m thinking that since i’m using these liners for spotting/light periods especially as a form as backup for my tampons i’m not sure if just using toilet paper or a home-made cloth for a liner would be enough to protect me from getting my undies or jeans bloody! (sorry, TMI!) btw, i’m not using the liners for the regular discharge, just the spotting/light back up bleeding.
also carol, i never heard of a doc tell me to not use soap around that area…. how would you clean it other then splashing water on it? i think maybe a milder soap or a hypoallergic/natural soap especially made for that part of the body should be fine.
my 10 year old which just started her period uses panty liners as her flow isnt too much. i keep telling her she needs to wash that area daily when having a cycle to prevent anything negative from happening and maybe that is the advice that others should follow too if they arent washing down there daily. i dont shower on a daily basis and just use babywipes to clean myself on the no-shower days as a way to keep clean down there….just a thought to think about.
sorry this was so long, thought i put my 2 cents in on what i’ve learned and my experience on this topic and hopefully it would help another women in the process!
off to the drug store for some vaginal yeast cream :[
hi..ive been using pantyliners eversince but im very careful and change it evrytime i go to the toilet.so far i never had any itchiness and etc..i always have heavy discharge thats why i always like to use it.i dont like the “wet”feeling..i notice sometime i have this yellow thing on it but sometimes not..is it normal?because im having that yellow spots if i drink too much softdrinks and less water,.is it sometimes the food we eat or we drink can cause this colorly discharge?
I always wear a pantyliner every day even though my manstration have not come do youthink it is ok? tll me soon! Oh I also always stuff lots of tissue into my panties is it ok?
I think its ok to stuff lots ok tissue into he panty as you have some discharge! I also Wear pantyliners everyday and Stuff some tissue into my panties… When my friends saw it they thought it was a good idea. But bad cause it looks like a Men’s Private Part
Hi! I’m also one who used wearing pantyliner everyday. But when I got an irritation last year, I stop wearing it everyday. I just change my undies morning after bath, lunch after i washed mine then evening after I take a hot bath. Then I will wear pantyliner after my menstruation for 2 – 3days
Hey!! My mom makes me wear pantyliners everyday b/c she doesn’t want me to ruin my panties. I am starting to just use toilet paper and putting a little tape on the back to make sure it doesn’t move, is that ok? I play sports and dislike tampons I’m hoping the tape doesn’t have the same affect as the adhesives does.
Thanks
hi im happy to see this site.I was looking for some answer to my question that really makes me feel so embarrassed.ive been using PL for along time and i really cant stop using PL coz of my discharge.i dont want anyone to smell or see it down there.ive been thinking alot why does my discharge smells bad?i am not sexualy active and i have 2 kids already(i am divorced anyway)..can it be the cause of using pantiliner everyday?pls help
I tried wearing liners on a daily basis and started getting sick a lot. I stopped, but started it up again this week and got sick again. Some times its heavy cramping for no reason, but this time it went more into a state of confusion and dizzyness and feeling like I was going to pass out. I am convinced my pee is really smelly and I smell like pee so I really want to wear the liners but It’s just not worth feeling sick.
I use liners everyday because it makes me feel clean. I am working on changing them more frequently because as with all women our vagina produces it own natural lubricant so the liner can get “filled” I don’t know if that is the right way to put it. I don’t like seeing discharge on my panties and I believe that causes even more odor. I may try the tissue idea to see if it makes a difference. Also I will try sleeping in the buff :}. Love this site
Hey,
I just stumbled across this post. I, too, used to wear pantiliners every single day. My discharge was so heavy that I felt I had no other options. Then I started getting repeat yeast infections. Doctors couldn’t figure out why. I hadn’t told them I was wearing PLs constantly and they didn’t ask. Eventually I asked a doctor how to decrease my vaginal discharge at that point she *finally* asked if I was wearing PLs regularly. I said yes and she told me that doing so would actually increase the discharge. Having suffered years of non-stop yeast infections I tried it. I can now say that I am PL and heavy discharge free. It took a few weeks to see any change and that was a few weeks of discomfort but it was so worth it. I don’t need PLs except on spotting days before and after my periods and I regret ever using them in the first place. Nature is a much better solution. I hope this helps someone decide to give up the liners! I’m glad I did 🙂
Wow. I’ve been wearing pantyliners daily for years due to a lot of discharge. I, too, have had irritation issues, all of which I attributed to problems in childbirth (natural delivery but 3rd degree tear). I’ve tried to get answers from my gyn, but no luck. This is the FIRST time I’ve heard the potential connection between liners and irritation, and it really does make sense. I’m going to try some of the alternatives mentioned, including purchasing cloth panytliners online. Thank you all so much!
i was very glad when i found this site!.your comments and advices was very helpful and it helped to release my worries.now I am suffering of itching and discharge and I cant help to stop wearing panty liners everyday!i am very worried about the infections and diseases that i may had,and i read it on the articles in the net.i am very worried if i had STD or what.but any alternatives for using PANTY LINERS?help please…thanks..
I totally agree with the idea of ditching out the pantyliner and may substitute with tissue instead. Me too have to wear pantyliner everyday otherwise I will feel uneasy and no confident to walk around. Reading the post I will try to replace it with tissue instead, i think it should work. Sone day at home I will try not to wear and can see that the discharge is much lesser than the day I wear it all day. Thanks for these comments, now I know I am not alone having this issue. I also think this pantyliner will be a big turn off in bedroom!
girl… you can still wear cloth pantyliner ! they are way more breathable ! no chemical thing inside to absorbe ! Cheap and good for the environnement. You just wash them after like you wash your panties !
Ok, I didn’t read through all of the comments, so I don’t know if this was already mentioned or not. If cotton panties are ok, why not cotton pantyliners. They are washable and reusable and made from regular cotton fabric. You can buy them online. One brand is Lunapads. Or just search for reusable pantyliners 🙂
Awwh! a sigh of relief at the above ladies shared experiences on pantyliners. i noticed i started feeling a bit uncomfortable after i wore CAREFREE THONG PANTYLINER cos i noticed my clitoris was looking really abnormal guush and with pains. i felt more pains after i had an intercourse.i became really worried and thought OMG! I had an infection or what? i went to see my pharmacist who gave me some vagina tabs and cream. i got better a few days later. i had an intercourse angain and felt a slight pain in my vagina OMG! i said whats happening to me. i went back to my pharmacist so he gave me some tabs and will b taking 3days injection just to totally clear the mess.
i was so pleased and relieved to find this blog site and indeed amazed that pantyliners could cause irritations and all that. So definetely i got irritations from the pantyliners! Mehn its incredible! i must watch out for non-adhesive pantyliners.
Thanks ladies for sharing your experiences and saving a soul :))
I used to wear pantiliners everyday and it lead to me getting a yeast infection, which trust me, is not anything nice. I get a lot of discharge and wearing pantiliners helps. I try not to wear pantiliners anymore because I am afraid of getting another yeast infection, but its so hard.
I had the same problem so I started wearing organic cloth snap in pantyliner. I found this site http://www.nicrah.com and they are only 5 dollars. I love them because I wash and reuse and if I get too wet, I snap in a new one. I love to wear dresses and in the summer my inner thighs rub together and the other reusable panty liners won’t snap into my thigh length underwear but these can. I was so excited because my thighs don’t rub when I wear pants but if I wear a dress, ouch. So my choices are stay wet, wear toilet paper which gives me a rash, or use the nicrah snap in panty liner. I hope this helps yall as much as it helped me. It is so good to see I am not alone with this wet underwear business
I’m 17 years old and I wear panty liners everyday. It’s true you feel kinda yucky without them. Anyway I think I might have thrush. It is very red and sore down there and extremely itchy. I’ve had it for about five months – too shy to do anything about it. The strange thing is, it doesn’t affect me at all when I have my period. I don’t use tampons – only pads. I find myself looking forward to my period so the irritation stops. I’m starting to think that I got this from wearing a liner everyday. From now on I will try not to. Do you think putting loo paper down there would be better? Just change it overtime you use the bathroom? I am quite worried about a little extra leakage.
Sorry for the long post
I wear a panty liner everyday for more than a year now because I didn’t know about the side-effects and my mother failed to inform me about it.
I only knew about the effects last week when a topic in connection came up with my friends.
Looking back, so far I didn’t experience anything out of the ordinary. I do watch my vagina everyday with feminine wash.
For those who always discharge, I suggest to use tissue to wipe your vagina after peeing before putting back your panty.
hi, this site is sooo helpful….because i am a culprit of using the pantyliners everyday. I also realised that i switched from using my regular “always” pads to “kotex”, and after my period i went back to the pantyliners and i realised a bit of irritation and burning down there…i think its because of using “kotex”, which i am unfamiliar to….i will also consider not using the pantyliners……thanks sooo much for the information on this site, it was really helpful…. 🙂
Thanks to all for sharing your own experiences. Your comments help us care more for our bodies. I have been trying to use thinner panty liners, hoping that it is more breathable, but have found them to be too thin. By mid-day, the cotton on the top layer starts to disintegrate a bit.
I think some of you are very spot on – the key is to change your panty liners throughout the day. Fresh, clean, dry panty liners would definitely help reduce the development of yeast. 🙂
Take care all you lovely ladies. Bodytreats.
I was told by a friend of mine that wearing panty liner everyday can cause cancer. I read this entry, now i’m trying not to use. I taught i was the few who have problems with heavy discharge. I wore panty liner for two years now, without fail. I never had such problems with rashes or lumps. Is it ok if i continue?
I have worn PL’s since 11 years old, and now I am 19. Worn them EVERY DAY for 8 years. I have had bad odor and yellow discharge, seen many doctors, and been tested for BV, yeast infection, etc. Nobody ever knew the problem. Last week I decided to stop wearing PL’s cold turkey! And do I dare say it? The odor and discharge seems to have decreased already. I can’t believe it. Dr. appt tomorrow, I’ll have to talk to her about it.