If you have searched for adult nappies or adult diapers, you are in exactly the right place. Those are the words most of us grew up with. The products have different names on the shelf, and once you know them, finding the right one gets much easier.
"Adult nappies" is the common Australian phrase, "adult diapers" is the American one, and both describe the same family of products. Manufacturers, pharmacists and continence nurses use different words again: continence products, continence aids, incontinence pants, slips, briefs and shaped pads. None of those names is more correct than the others, but the clinical ones are what appear on packets and in funding paperwork, so it helps to be able to translate.
| If you searched for | You are looking for | Find it here |
|---|---|---|
| Adult nappies, adult diapers, incontinence products | Continence products or continence aids, the whole category | All continence products |
| Adult pull-ups, adult nappy pants, incontinence underwear | Pull-up pants, also called adult pants or incontinence pants | Adult pants |
| Tab-style adult nappies, adult briefs, taped nappies | All-in-one slips, fastened with side tabs | All-in-one slips |
| Belted nappies, belted briefs | Belt systems, a pad section held by a fastening belt | Belted products |
| Nappy inserts, insert pads | Large shaped pads, worn with net pants | Large shaped pads |
| Bladder leak pads, continence pads | Incontinence pads, worn inside your own underwear | Guide to incontinence pads |
| Bed nappies, bed mats, waterproof sheets | Disposable bed pads, or washable bed protection | Bed pads and Kylie washable protection |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Worth knowing: if "nappy" is the word that feels natural to you, keep using it. Plenty of people find the clinical language colder than the products deserve. What matters is ending up with something that fits, holds what it needs to hold, and lets you get on with your day.
An adult nappy is an absorbent product made for adult bodies and adult volumes of urine, and in many cases faecal leakage as well. Fluid is drawn into a super absorbent core and held away from the skin, so the surface against you stays comparatively dry. Most products carry a wetness indicator that changes colour when a change is due, plus a breathable outer layer to help reduce heat and moisture build-up.
They are not baby nappies in a larger size. They are shaped to adult anatomy, engineered to hold far more, and considerably slimmer than most people expect. Pull-up styles in particular are made to be pulled on and off like ordinary underwear and to sit invisibly under normal clothes.
Everything worn on the body falls into one of four groups. What separates them is not mainly absorbency, it is how the product goes on and comes off, which comes down to mobility.
Worn like regular underwear, and suitable for both men and women. Absorbency runs from Normal through Plus, Super and Extra to Maxi, in a range of waist sizes, with a breathable outer, fast absorption, double anti-leak cuffs and odour control.
Best for: people who are active, can get to the toilet, and can dress themselves or with light assistance. Many women find pull-up pants feel more secure than a pad alone.
This is what most people picture when they hear "adult nappy". A tab system at each side lets the product be opened flat and fastened while the wearer is lying down or seated. Made for moderate to heavy incontinence, in sizes from small to XXL, with a double wetness indicator and integrated leak cuffs.
Best for: people with limited mobility, or anyone who needs a carer or support worker to help with changes.
A pad section held in place by a fastening belt around the waist. The belt makes changes quick with minimal assistance and suits a wide range of body shapes. Designed for moderate to severe incontinence.
Best for: people with limited mobility who still want to manage changes themselves, and carers who need speed without losing security. Fit matters especially here, because a belted brief that bunches will leak.
Anatomically formed pads for moderate to heavy urinary incontinence. They are not worn in ordinary underwear: they are held by net pants, stretchy figure-hugging fixation pants that keep the pad exactly where it needs to be. Net pants run from small to XXXL and some are washable and reusable, which keeps the ongoing cost down.
Best for: heavier leakage, and care settings where only the pad needs changing.
Browse large shaped pads or see net pants
Plenty of people searching for adult nappies actually need something smaller. Light pads and men's pouches sit inside your own underwear for light to moderate leakage. Booster pads add absorbency to an existing slip or brief when one product is not lasting until the next change. And if the concern is the mattress rather than the wearer, disposable bed pads and washable bed protection do that job instead. Our guide to incontinence pads compares every pad option side by side.
Match the product to the amount of leakage. Too little and it leaks through. Too much and it is bulkier and costs more than it needs to. Our product selector describes leakage in everyday amounts rather than millilitres, which is far easier to judge at home.
| Leakage level | Roughly how much | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Extra light | About a teaspoon, 10ml | A slim light pad or liner in normal underwear |
| Light | About a tablespoon, 80ml | A light pad, or a pad shaped for women or for men |
| Moderate | About half a cup, 200ml | A higher absorbency pad, or pull-up pants if a pad feels insecure |
| Heavy | About a cup, 400ml or more | Higher absorbency pull-up pants, an all-in-one slip, a belted brief, or a large shaped pad with net pants |
| Overnight | A full night without a change | A maxi night product, or a higher absorbency slip or shaped pad, often with bed protection as well |
| Leaking before the next change | The product is not lasting long enough | Add a booster pad rather than moving to a larger size |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Every product page on this site lists its absorbency, so you can compare like for like once you have narrowed down the style.
If you are unsure, start one level lower and move up if it is not enough, rather than jumping straight to the highest absorbency. And if you are managing faecal leakage, remember that stool is not absorbed by a product designed for fluids, so lower absorbency changed more often is usually the better approach.
Size is the part people most often get wrong, and it undoes everything else. Absorbency ratings assume the product is sitting where it was designed to sit.
The quickest way through all of this is our product selector: a few questions about who the product is for, how much leakage there is and how mobile the wearer is, then a recommended style and absorbency you can order as a free sample.
Skin in prolonged contact with urine becomes more fragile, and that is worth taking seriously. Problems associated with poorly managed continence care include incontinence dermatitis, bacterial and fungal infection, and maceration, which leaves skin very delicate.
Three habits make the biggest difference. Change the product promptly once it is wet or soiled rather than waiting for a set time. Cleanse and dry the skin at each change using products designed for continence care, which are formulated to keep skin within its natural pH range of roughly 4 to 7 rather than stripping it the way ordinary soap can. And use a barrier product where skin needs extra protection. Our Serenity Care skin care range covers cleansing, moisturising and barrier products for exactly this.
Dignity belongs in the same paragraph as skin health, not in a separate one about feelings. Someone who is embarrassed by a product tends to change it less often and go out less. That is why modern pull-up pants are built to look and feel like underwear, and why it is worth spending time on the style rather than settling for the first thing that fits.
Choosing a product manages the symptom, but it is still worth understanding the cause, because a good deal of incontinence can be improved or treated. Book a conversation with your GP or a continence nurse if:
A continence nurse can assess bladder and bowel function properly and recommend both treatment and products, and that assessment is often what unlocks funding as well. Continence Health Australia runs the free National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66, staffed by continence nurse advisors.
If you are a healthcare professional, you can register for a professional account to access clinical resources and order up to 40 free samples for your workplace. Please register with your organisation's email address so we can verify you, as registrations made with a personal address are set up as customer accounts.
Continence products are an ongoing expense, and several Australian schemes exist to offset it. They are administered by the Australian Government and by state and territory health departments, not by Ontex, and you may qualify for more than one.
Our government funding guide summarises the national schemes with eligibility and contact details, and there is a separate breakdown of state and territory schemes.
Fit and absorbency are almost impossible to judge from a photograph. Answer a few questions and we will recommend a style and absorbency, then send it to you as a free sample. Consumers can order up to 4 free samples, at no cost and no obligation.
Once you know what works, you can order it from one of our distributors, or open the product on this site and use the Shop Online button on its page.
Not at all. "Adult nappies" and "adult diapers" are the words most people use, and they describe the products perfectly well. You will see "continence products", "continence aids", "incontinence pants" and "slips" on packaging and in funding paperwork, so it is useful to recognise those terms too, but nobody will mind which words you use when you ask for help.
How they go on. Pull-up pants are pulled up like underwear, so they suit people who are mobile and dressing themselves. All-in-one slips fasten with tabs at the sides, so they can be changed while the wearer is lying down or seated, which makes them the practical choice when a carer is helping or mobility is limited.
No. They are shaped for adult anatomy, they hold far more, and they are designed to be discreet under everyday clothing. Pull-up styles in particular are made to look and feel like ordinary underwear rather than like a nappy.
As soon as practical after it is wet or soiled, rather than on a fixed clock. The wetness indicator on the product is there to make that easy to judge. Faecal leakage needs changing promptly because stool is not absorbed. If you are caring for someone, a continence nurse can help you set a routine that suits their pattern.
Possibly. CAPS, the NDIS, DVA's Rehabilitation Appliances Program, My Aged Care Home Care Packages and state and territory continence schemes all help eligible people with the cost. Eligibility differs for each one, and our funding guide sets out the requirements and who to contact.
Through the distributors listed on our where to buy page, or by opening the product you want on this site and using the Shop Online button on that page. We would always suggest trying a free sample first, so you are buying a full pack of something you already know works.
Yes. Consumers can order up to 4 free samples through the product selector. Healthcare professionals can order up to 40 free samples per order for their workplace after registering with an organisation email address.
General advice only. This article provides general information about continence products and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis, advice or treatment from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional. Always speak to your GP or a continence health professional about your own circumstances, or the circumstances of the person you care for, and seek medical advice promptly if you have any concerns. Continence products are designed to help manage incontinence and do not diagnose, treat or cure any underlying condition. Funding scheme details are summarised as a general guide and can change, so please confirm current amounts and eligibility with the relevant funding body.
