All About Periods

What is Napkin Dermatitis?

Otherwise known as pad rash, Napkin Dermatitis is a condition where the skin around a woman’s intimate area gets inflamed, leading to itchiness and discomfort. This condition usually stems from wearing sanitary pads during the time of the month.

The term “dermatitis” refers to an inflammation of the skin which causes rashes and itchiness. This condition happens commonly happens in areas of the body with the least protective skin layers; in this case, a woman’s intimate parts. This area is known to have an average thickness of 6 layers, making it thinner than our eyelids. This calls for extra care on that region to avoid discomfort and soreness. This condition is also not just limited to women with sensitive skin; in fact, 7 out of 10 women are reported to experience some form of skin irritation around their intimate areas during their period.

Cause of Napkin Dermatitis

Excessive humidity between the napkin and your skin

Perspiration builds up in the confined space between the napkin and your skin. Along with the presence of menstrual blood, relative humidity can reach 85% or higher, thus making your skin tender and susceptible to swelling.

Physical contact between the napkin’s surface and your skin

When your skin is tender, even light rubbing against the napkin can feel unpleasant as the skin’s natural barrier to friction from physical contact is significantly reduced.

Care & Preventive Measures

While following some general hygiene guidelines such as changing your napkin more frequently would help, experts also recommend you choose a higher quality sanitary napkin that has been designed specially to target these factors with characteristics like:

• Good absorbency that reduces menstrual blood on the napkin’s surface
• High breathability that relieves stuffiness
• Soft skin-friendly surface that has little contact with the skin, thus keeping friction to a minimum.