One little-known fact about adult diapers, or incontinence briefs as they’re otherwise called, is that they are available in unisex and gender-specific options. In this post, we shall focus on adult diapers for men.
Read on to uncover the key differences between male and female incontinence briefs. The article shall also examine certain innovative technologies driving the (male) adult diaper market.
Introducing Adult Diapers for Men
Adult diapers for men differ from those designed for women, primarily in the placement of the absorbency core.
As with infant diapers, incontinence briefs come with an absorbency core that comprises the diaper’s innermost layer. The layer is typically made from a composite of cellulose fluff pulp and sodium polyacrylate granules.
Adult diapers for men have the absorbency core placed in the front of the brief to coincide with the male genitalia. Similarly, adult briefs for women have their absorbency material at the bottom of the underwear to cover the female genitalia.
Male and female adult diapers may also differ in their contouring. This is especially true for plus-size diapers.
Note that men typically carry extra body fat around their waists and tummies. That contrasts with women, whose weight tends to be concentrated around the hips, thighs, and bursts. Some smart adult diaper brands leverage these gendered body stats when designing briefs for their male and female wearers.
Lastly, while not always the case, male and female diapers may also have subtle aesthetic differences. Male briefs typically come in muted colors and plain designs, while their female counterparts tend to be in fancier shades and decorations.
Noteworthy Technological Innovations in Male Adult Diapers
1. Innovations in Construction Material
Most incontinence briefs contain three structural components – inner, middle, and outer layers.
The inner layer consists of a permeable, non-woven fabric. It’s followed by an absorbent pad located in the diaper’s middle layer. Finally, the outer layer is made up of an impermeable material.
During bladder or bowel movements, urine or fecal fluids penetrate the permeable layer and get trapped in the absorbent pad. The pad converts the fluid into a gel-type material, allowing the brief to retain the urine or fecal matter.
The first male incontinence briefs, invented in the 1940s, were fashioned from cloth. Popular options included wood pulp fluff, fluff cellulose, cellulose wadding, and cotton fibers.
However, these materials had lower absorbing capacity. Since the 1980s, adult diaper manufacturers have incorporated more absorbent polymers into their products to enhance their efficacy.
This marked the advent of polyacrylate, called superabsorbent polymer (SAP). SAP gels can enhance the absorbency of regular diaper fabric materials by up to 30 times.
2. Later Innovations in Absorbent Capacity
Some male adult diaper brands utilize NASA’s MAG technology to enhance their products’ absorbency capacity.
Short for Maximum Absorbency Garments, MAG is a NASA-inspired diaper design principle that was patented in the early 1980s. It uses a super absorbent version of sodium polyacrylate polymer, rated for up to 60 times more than regular diapers.
MAG diapers were initially used by astronauts in space expeditions. They’re designed to be super absorbent without impacting the wearer’s comfort levels.
Many adult diaper brands have imported MAG technology into their products. Such briefs can keep wearers dry for up to 12 hours (sometimes longer, depending on their incontinence levels). They’re excellent for overnight use and long-haul trips.
3. Innovations in the Targeted Incontinence Types
Adult diapers are synonymous with urinary incontinence. That explains why original diapers were designed exclusively to soak up urinary discharge.
However, modern adult diapers for men are just as effective against bowel incontinence.
There’s a subtle design difference in male briefs designed for urinary incontinence and those meant for bowel incontinence.
As previously mentioned, male adult diapers for men have the absorbency core placed in the front of the diaper. But that’s only true for diapers meant for urinary incontinence.
Incontinence briefs designed to soak up fecal fluids typically have the absorbency layer running from the back to the front of the diaper.
4. Innovations in Disposability
Male adult diapers were originally designed to be disposable.
Disposable adult diapers are those you chuck into the trash once they get soiled. They differ from their reusable counterparts, which you can wash and wear multiple times before tossing into the bin.
It’s important to note that many people did not appreciate the gravity of incontinence when male adult diapers first emerged. Seniors in diapers were also subjected to unnecessary ridicule and stereotypes. As such, adult diaper wearers preferred products that they could part with after the initial use.
However, the subsequent years marked a dramatic shift in perspectives on incontinence briefs. Adult diaper wearers became more confident about their newfound lifestyle, and manufacturers responded by introducing recyclable briefs.
While much must be done to fight diaper-related stereotypes, incontinence briefs are no longer regarded as foreign objects in a senior’s wardrobe or laundry basket.
Wrap Up
Adult diapers have come a long way since they were invented over half a century ago.
While originally available primarily in unisex options, incontinence briefs now come in gendered varieties to suit both sexes. The products are also engineered to fit wearers of different waist sizes and body contours.
But whether you’re a male or female user, it’s prudent to define your incontinence needs before shopping for the right adult diaper.
