Ontex Healthcare Australia
Incontinence pads are absorbent pads worn inside your own underwear, or laid on a bed or chair, to absorb urine leakage and keep skin dry. This page covers pads only: light pads, pads for women, pads for men, large shaped pads, booster pads and disposable bed pads, plus how to work out the absorbency you need.
Pads are one part of our full range of continence products. This page covers incontinence pads in detail.
Incontinence pads, also called continence pads or pads for bladder leakage, are single-use absorbent pads made specifically for urine. They are worn discreetly inside or instead of your underwear to keep you fresh and dry, and they draw fluid into a super absorbent core so it is held away from the skin.
They are not the same thing as sanitary pads. Sanitary pads are not as absorbent as incontinence pads for bladder leakage, and it is vital to use the correct product to avoid further health complications.
Which pad suits you comes down to three things: who is wearing it, how much leakage there is, and whether it is needed for the day, for overnight, or to protect a bed or chair. The table further down matches each of those to a pad type.
All six options below are pads. They differ in shape, absorbency and how they are held in place.
Light pads are one of the most popular continence aids because they line your regular underwear, have a super absorbent core, and are thin and discreet. Our light pads run from about 190ml up to about 1,030ml of absorbency.
Browse light padsShaped to the female body and worn in normal underwear, from a slim pad for a few drops through to a maxi night pad for overnight leakage. This is the usual starting point for women managing bladder weakness.
Browse pads for womenMale anatomically shaped pouches with an adhesive strip that secures the pad inside normal underwear. Designed for light incontinence, and often used by men recovering from prostatectomy surgery.
Browse pads for menAnatomically shaped pads for moderate to heavy urinary incontinence, worn with net pants that hold them in place. The iD Form range has Dry Zone Technology with fast absorption and a double wetness indicator, from 1,500ml to 3,900ml.
Browse large shaped padsBoosters are rectangle-shaped absorbent pads that can be added to all-in-ones and briefs when one product on its own is not lasting until the next change. They are hypo-allergenic with a 100% breathable air-flow system.
Browse booster padsAlso called underpads or incontinence bed pads. These are laid on the bed or chair rather than worn. The iD Expert range has a soft top layer, and the iD Protect range has a fast absorbing protection sheet with a cushion design suited to home care.
Browse disposable bed padsHolding a pad in place: light pads and men's pouches have an adhesive strip and sit in snug, normal underwear. Large shaped pads need net pants, which are figure-hugging and form-fitting and hold disposable iD Form pads securely.
Looking for something that is not a pad? Pull-up pants, all-in-one slips, belted products, washable bed protection, children's products and skin care are all on our continence products page.
Match the pad to the amount of leakage. Too little absorbency leaks through, and too much is bulkier and costs more than it needs to. Our product selector describes leakage in everyday amounts, and every pad shows its absorbency, so you can line the two up:
| Leakage level | Roughly how much | Pad type to use | Example pad and its absorbency | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra light | About a teaspoon, 10ml | Slim light pad or liner in normal underwear | iD Discreet Light Mini, 191ml | Light pads |
| Light | About a tablespoon, 80ml | Light pad in normal underwear | iD Light Normal, 295ml | Pads for women or pads for men |
| Moderate | About half a cup, 200ml | Higher absorbency light pad | iD Discreet Light Super, 693ml | Light pads |
| Heavy | About a cup, 400ml or more | Large shaped pad worn with net pants | iD Form Plus Size 2, 1,500ml | Large shaped pads |
| Overnight | A full night without a change | Maxi night light pad, or a large shaped pad for heavier leakage | iD Discreet Light Maxi Night, 1,034ml, or iD Form Maxi Size 3, 3,900ml | Large shaped pads |
| Bed or chair | Protecting the mattress or seat rather than the wearer | Disposable bed pad, laid on the surface | iD Expert Protect Super Bed Pad | Disposable bed pads |
| Topping up absorbency | Leaking through before the next change is due | Booster pad added to an all-in-one or brief | Ontex Rectangular Pad Maxi | Booster pads |
The two millilitre figures measure different things. The middle column is how much leakage there is at a time, in everyday amounts, as used in our product selector. The absorbency shown against each pad is the total the pad can hold across the hours it is worn, which is why it is much larger. Absorbency is listed on each product page.
Five questions get most people to the right pad on the first try.
Still not sure? The product selector asks a few quick questions about gender, leakage level and mobility, then recommends a pad and lets you order it as a free sample.
Absorbency and fit are hard to judge from a photo, so try a pad before you commit to a pack. Samples are free and are sent to your door.
Find the right fit with up to 4 free samples. Work through the product selector, review your recommendations, then choose the pads you want to try at home. It is simple, discreet and completely free.
If you're a healthcare professional, you can access a wide range of exclusive resources and order up to 40 free samples. Register today and let us help you make a difference in delivering trusted and affordable continence care. Those 40 free samples are for your workplace, so you can trial products with the people in your care. Please register with your organisation's email address so we can verify you as a healthcare professional; registrations made with a personal address are set up as customer accounts.
Open the pad you want from any of the ranges above, then use the Shop Online button on that product page to order it from one of our distributors, with delivery anywhere in Australia. You can also see every distributor that carries our pads on the where to buy page, or call us on 1300 788 872 if you would like help working out what to order.
The Australian Government and state and territory health departments run continence subsidy schemes that can help offset the cost of incontinence pads, pants and other continence products. What is covered and who is eligible varies by state, so check the scheme where you live before you buy.
No. Sanitary pads are not as absorbent as incontinence pads for bladder leakage, and it is vital to use the correct product to avoid further health complications. Incontinence pads are made for urine: they hold much more, and they pull fluid into a super absorbent core so it stays away from the skin.
It depends on the type. Our light pads run from about 191ml, for a few drops, up to about 1,034ml for overnight use. Our large shaped pads run from 1,500ml to 3,900ml for moderate to heavy incontinence. The absorbency of each pad is listed on its product page, so you can compare before ordering a sample.
Change a pad once it is wet rather than on a fixed timetable, because how long one lasts depends on the absorbency of the pad and how much leakage there is. Products in the iD Form and iD Slip ranges carry a double wetness indicator to make that easier to judge. If a pad is leaking through, or it is being changed far more often than is practical, move up an absorbency level or switch to a pad type made for heavier leakage.
Yes. Pads for men are male anatomically shaped pouches with an adhesive strip that secures the pad inside normal underwear, and are often used after prostatectomy surgery. Pads for women are shaped for the female body. Large shaped pads and booster pads are unisex.
Light pads and men's pouches have an adhesive strip and are held by snug, normal underwear. Large shaped pads are held with net pants, which are figure-hugging, form-fitting and comfortable to wear with incontinence pads, and which hold disposable iD Form pads in place when you need extra security and greater freedom of movement.
The pads on this page are disposable: they are single-use products that are thrown away after use, which is why disposable pads are the most popular option. For beds and chairs you can choose either a disposable bed pad or washable Kylie bed protection that is laundered and reused.
You can order free samples of our pads: up to 4 free samples for individuals and carers through the product selector, and up to 40 free samples for healthcare professionals who register with their organisation's email address. Separately, government continence subsidy schemes can help with ongoing costs. Eligibility and what is covered vary by state, so start with the state schemes guide.
Start with the wearer and the leakage level, using the table above, then order that pad as a free sample along with the absorbency one step higher. Comparing two at home is the quickest way to settle it. If a pad keeps shifting or leaking at the sides even at the right absorbency, the fit is the problem rather than the pad, so look at net pants or a different pad shape.
Order free samples of any pad on this page and have them delivered to your door, anywhere in Australia.
New to managing bladder leakage? Read the incontinence guide for the types and causes of incontinence, browse advice and support, or see the full range of continence products.
