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Absorbents – Reusable
Description
Reusable Absorbents are made from cotton cloth which can be laundried many times. They are highly absorbent and comfortable.
Main Features & Drawbacks
Features
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Drawbacks
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Cost
The cost varies considerably due to difference in cost for degrees of absorbency, size of the absorbent, and personal preference for changing. The costs below provide an estimated range of possibilities
| Estimated Annual Cost | Cost | Cost After Insurance |
| Lower Cost Level but not Lowest | $ 400/yr | $ 400/yr |
| Higher Cost Level but not Highest | $ 550/yr | $ 550/yr |
| ** Not covered by insurance |
More Information
There are significant advantages and disadvantages to wearing reusable vs. disposable absorbents. They are:
Advantages: Reusable absorbents made from cotton cloth have over disposable absorbents. Comfort – A soft cotton absorbent feels and is simply more comfortable than wearing a disposable absorbents made with Super Absorbent Polymer crystals. Secure – A cotton cloth absorbent with a plastic pants over them is less prone to embarrassing leaks than are disposable absorbents. With cotton absorbents you have to wear a plastic pant over them to prevent leaking. In cotton liquid will transfer though out the absorbent until the whole area is wet. The plastic pant protects any loss of liquid. Highly Absorbent & Wicker Well – Cotton is a unique material, it is highly absorbent and the liquid spreads evenly over the whole area. Disposable absorbents are not as absorbent and usually is only wet in the crotch where the rest is still dry. The spreading of liquid out is what is called wickering. The primary advantage is you can make less frequent changes over disposables due to both the high absorbency and wickering ability of cotton cloth. Less Expensive – Although the up front cost is more, because they can be put through the laundry many times, cloth reusable absorbents are one of the least expensive methods of managing incontinence. |
Disadvantages: Although there are significant advantages for reusable cloth absorbents, some of the disadvantages weigh the other way. Bulky – At night or around the house the bulkiness of cotton cloth absorbents is generally not as big a issue. However, at other times the bulkiness of them is a major factor. It is hard to conceal the bulk of them. Laundry – It is a major chore to collect the cloth absorbents in pails, wash them, and then dry them. It is far more convenient to just throw a disposable absorbent away. |
Things You Need to Know:
There are several things you need to know about reusable cotton cloth absorbents. They are:
Fastening – You can fasten them with either large safety pins or you can purchase them with sewn on Velcro fasteners. It’s a preference item.
Weight – Cotton cloth absorbents come in different weights. As you may have guessed, the lighter weights are less absorbent and less bulky and the heavier weights are more absorbent but more bulky. Generally a medium weight works well for day use and heavy weight is good for night use.
Types of Cotton – There are three types of cotton cloth reusable. They are gauze, flannel, and birdseye. Each is discussed below.
A). Flannel – Flannel is soft and fluffy and is the most popular cotton cloth reusable sold today. It is very absorbent and wickers well. If it is napped on both sides, then both sides is fuzzy rather than just one. Some what of a drawback is that it heavier and more bulky than Gauze. However, in function, the flannel cloth absorbent has the others beat, hands down.
B). Gauze – Gauze is soft, loosely woven, and finely spun. It’s the lightest of all the diaper cloths. No other cloth diaper allows air to circulate as well as gauze. However, it is not nearly as absorbent as flannel. For light incontinence or for frequent changes, it works well.
C). Birdseye – The cotton cloth is not used a great deal in adult reusable absorbents because it is not made in the widths necessary for adults except for expensive special runs. It is a good option for children’s diapers.
Bleached vs. Unbleached – Bleaching makes the reusable white and attractive. Factory bleaching doesn’t seem to diminish the effectiveness of the cotton. That is not the case for home bleaching.
Breaking them In – New cotton cloth absorbents are not very absorbent due to sizing added to the all cloth fabrics. One washing will wash the sizing out making the cloth very absorbable. Do not wear them until you have washed them once, if you don’t, you will get wet.
Washing – Wash reusable cotton cloth absorbents like any other cotton fabric. Do not bleach or you will greatly shorten the life of the cotton cloth.
Plastic Pants – Since cotton cloth absorbents wicker and eventually get wet all over it will also get wet anything it touches. Therefore it is a requirement that you wear plastic water proof pants over them to keep your clothes and/or bed dry.
Rustling & Diaper Noise – Lighter weight plastic pants will be quieter than thicker ones.
Size - This is a easy one; all absorbents are sized to standard waist size ranges.
Day/Night Strategies - A strategy might be to wear the lighter weight reusable during the day and change more frequently (it is still less frequent than the disposables). At night wear the heavy weight ones to carry you through the night.
What you drink will have an effect on your scheduled changes. If you want to extend the time between changes, drink little until you can again make changes easily.
Overnight & Bedwetting: Keeping the pajamas and the bed dry all night can be a major challenge. For those who are married, there is additional incentive (or pressure) to keep the bed dry.
If you do not want to set an alarm clock then extra protection is order to get through the night. Although a extra heavy cloth absorbent might be the best solution, there are times or reasons (such as traveling) to use a disposable absorbent.
If you choose sleeping through the night dry, the best solution is to use a high heavy weight cotton cloth absorbent. They work well for overnight.
It always helps not to drink anything a couple of hours before bedtime.
In case of accidents, you should use a complete mattress cover or at least a plastic draw sheet to protect the bed. In addition place a towel over the area that you sleep or a disposable pad. If you have it figured out well, this added protection for the bed will not be used often but when it does, it’s a saver,
Learning Curve:
There is a leaning time to find out what works best for you. You need to experiment and be patient until you have your personalized system working.
Situations when the reusable cotton cloth absorbent works well:
- Good when there is moderate to serve penis retraction
- At home a lot so the bulky reusable absorbent is not a problem
- Like the soft comfortable feel of soft cotton
- When it is a chore to change more frequently as compared to disposables
- When you are on a restricted budget
- Dislikes adhesives of a external catheter
- Dislikes leg bag of a external catheter
- Dislikes clamps
- When one is not mentally alert and can learn other methods
- When allergic to latex of the one-piece external catheter
Situations when the reusable cotton cloth absorbent does not work well:
- Experiencing skin breakdown
- Where changing in public places is often required
- Does not like the bulky look
- When it is difficult to get over clothes
- When doing the laundry is a burden
- Does not like the feeling of wet for a long period of time
- Dislikes the idea of wearing diapers
- Has an active life style
Cost:
The reusable cotton cloth absorbent is the least expensive system in that they can be used over and over again. You may have sticker shock at the initial cost but after that is paid the daily cost is low. Medicare and other insurances do not provide any reimbursement for disposable absorbents.
Examples of Combinations of Dryness Management
Example 1 – Day Strategy –Plan your day based on times you know you can easily make a change. We generally recommend that you use a medium weight reusable during the day because they are less bulky and it is easier to change a little more often.
Consider using disposables during the day for their convenience and a heavy duty reusable at night when you need the maximum protection.
Example 2 – Night Strategy – You might want to use a reusable heavy duty cotton absorbent at night and disposables during the day. The laundry problem is diminished and a person gets a good night sleep.
Example 3 – Public vs. Private Times – Consider using the disposables when you know you are going to be and about in public for the convenience of changing and disposing of them. Then in private use the reusables because the reusable ones are more comfortable and allow for longer time between changes. It will also be easier on your pocket book.
Example 4 – Air Time from External Catheters – You need to give your penis some air time each day from wearing an external catheter. During this time wear an reusable absorbent.
Example 5 – Rest Time from External Catheters/Clamps – To give the penis a lot of rest time consider wearing the external catheter and leg bag only during the day while active and wearing a heavy duty reusable absorbent at night.
