Friday, September 26, 2014

Gel Pads


**disclaimer** this article may be offensive to some viewers


I'm a chick, so I use pantyliners every once in a while when I remember to buy them. I never remember what kind I normally buy, so I end up getting whatever is the cheapest for the most. Last time I bought Carefree acti-fresh body shape.


I used them for a bit thinking they were normal pantyliners. I was wrong. Very wrong. I stupidly left one on when I gave my dog a bath. I got out of the shower and I was like "what is this thing hanging between my legs?" I think I know what is feels like to have a tucked penis now.


The pad had inflated more than ten times its original size. There was this weird beaded-gel leaking out the side, down my leg, and all over my underwear. What the hell had I been wearing in my underpants? What if I had gone swimming with one on? That would have been embarrassing. I'm glad that this happened in my private bathroom rather than at the pool. I re-read the entire packaging and no where do they warn you that you shouldn't swim with this device in place.


I tried to look up this alien substance. I couldn't definitively find out what it is because feminine hygiene products are not required to share their list of components with the public. I did find out that it is probably a superabsorbent polymer , most likely sodium polyacrylate. Sodium polyacrylate isn't the most horrible substance on the planet, but it can cause irritation to the eyes and other mucus membranes. I'm assuming if it can irritate your nostrils it can irritate your lady bits. In the 1980's it was added to some tampons, which increased the risk of TSS, and was subsequently removed. It has also been linked to cancer in rats, but no studies have been done on humans. Here is my source for this info.


I think I will be avoiding pantyliners for a bit. I'm kinda freaked out. I mean, what if some of those little beads get into my urethra and expand? I have a feeling that would be painful.

2 comments:

  1. I lol'd so hard, love your honesty! That is really freaky. The same thing happens when my son gets his diaper wet. It's crazy how absorbent that stuff is but I never had that experience with a panty liner before. Definitely bizarre. My middle son was allergic to this stuff so I had to get him Seventh Generation diapers when I didn't use cloth. They had some sort of gel thing too but it didn't cause the reaction unlike the huggies and pampers gel. He would get little blisters with those brands. I think your right to avoid it if you can.

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  2. I too use those same pantiliners and have lately been getting irritated "down there" when i wear them and although I havent noticed that gel like substance while wearing them. Yesterday I washed a load of laundry attempted to put my clothes in the dryer and the beady gel like goo was all over my clothes. This stuff cant be healthy for most womens lady parts and this is most likey what makes me irritaed and itchy if i wear a pantiliner on a hot day.

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