Expert Column
Gary Hirsch 
Incontinence Specialist
Gary Hirsch realized the need to design and produce quality incontinence care products during...read more
Articles In This Column
- Go Green & Save Money on Adult Diapers in One Simple Step
- Going Green in Adult Diapers: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
- Can You Compost Adult Diapers?
- Adult Diaper Disposal: Environmental Awareness
- Final Words of Wisdom: Buying Adult Diapers Online
- Buyer Beware: Tips for Buying Incontinence Products Online
- Deciphering Adult Diapers from Protective Underwear from Briefs
- Adult Diapers: Pads, Liners, Inserts & Guards—Oh My!
- Disambiguation Part 1: Adult Diapers vs. Adult Briefs
- Disambiguation Part 2: Deciphering the Incontinence Care Product Aisle
- Let’s Talk Diapers: What Goes Into an Adult Brief?
- How Long Should a Longer-Lasting Adult Diaper Last?
- Managing Incontinence: Your Guide to Personal Comfort
Adult Incontinence
Comments For "Disambiguation Part 1: Adult Diapers vs. Adult Briefs"
I know that some people still call it diapers and others say briefs. Now there's pull ups or protective underwear. Is it an Incontinence Liners, Bladder Control Pads, Male Guards, or Guards for Men. It's all preference and I think it has to do alot with self esteem. It's also branding of the products. "Depends" "Attends" "Prevail" Tranquility" "Tena" "Abena" and so on. Some people are embarressed with incontinence, and others couldn't care less.
I just found this site! what a find! love that you are discussing stuff we don't get to hear much about. just learned about adverse reactions to meds and you just answered some questions I've had about my mom's incontinence. I was almost too embarassed to ask and wasn't even sure who to ask. THANKSSSSSS
One of the reasons I feel a stigma exists is due to the color as well. Why do adult diapers have to be white? For a change of pace it would be nice if a color of some type was available. One of my fears was recognition that I was wearing a diaper? At times they can be exposed to a wandering eye and should that wondering eyes see a blue or red or some other color it would not be quite so apparent. Just a thought.
Hello all, and thanks for the great comments.
@ Joe - You're correct. A lot of what you see on the market has to do with marketing and the names that companies, many of which you listed, like to call their products. My next post in this corner will cover that exact topic.
@ Joelly - thanks! I'm glad that the info you're finding here is useful! As always, a big thanks to the great people at the Gilbert Guide for putting this whole production on!
@ Blaine - your point about product color is a good one. While a lot of diapers are produced in white (including most of our Secure products), a lot of products made for institutional use have color-coding that is used for easy identification by nurses and caregivers. Most of these products are either blue, green or yellow; to date I haven't seen anything produced in red, but, with new products and styles entering the market every month, who knows!
Thanks to everyone for their great input!
As you explain, adult diapers/briefs are basically the same thing as baby diapers (absorbent, self-contained garments) except they are sized for adults; and you say, "there is no difference between an adult disposable brief and an adult disposable diaper," why not just call them adult diapers, and not briefs. It is more precise and accurate since there are many other types of underwear, not meant to be absorbent, that fall under the category of "briefs."
Actually, if the word diaper were used consistetly the stigma associated with it would wear off, and people having trouble accepting the reality of their condition would not have euphemisms to hide behind.
As I understand, manufacturers sometimes color code the briefs to designate a size, green for small, white for medium, blue for large, tan for xlarge.
It's interesting: just recently I was talking to someone else who is incontinent about leakage issues. I referred to my "brief" and was asked "you mean your diaper?"
Even in this context I was afraid to say the "d" word!
Over time I have gotten a bit less ashamed, but the shame is still there, and it shows in the language.
I use the terms interchangeably. Brief, diaper, absorbent pant, etc. It's all the same to me.
But then, I don't mince words. I call a spade a spade, and often refer to myself as a cripple. ;)
Hello Rocky, Matthew, Robert, and everyone,
Thank you for your great comments.
@ Rocky - You bring up a good point, and one that we have addressed here a good bit. Since people are used to the term "diapers" then why not call briefs diapers? The same can be said about their familiarity with the term "briefs," however, and so we have a chicken-egg problem. I think that as soon as some of the larger adult diaper and incontinence care manufacturers start re-branding their briefs as diapers that this entire debate -- and perhaps the "diaper stigma" -- will go away. The entire naming debate is really controlled by the diaper/incontinence care products aisle at your local supermarket.
@ Matthew - if you were talking to someone about leakage issues, you surely weren't using my Secure X-Plus diapers, now were you? ;-) Thanks for your excellent comments, and remember that there should be no shame in diapers - whether you're young or old(er)!
@ Rocky - great comment, thanks!
I’ve been incontinent for most of my life, and they have always been diapers to me.
Seems like the whole “Brief/ Undergarment†thing comes from society and the need to be political correct. People in today’s world have this fear of saying anything that might be degrading or might offend others. So in effort to not hurt feels they use words for things they wouldn’t find offensive. Secondly I guess is the whole taboo of adults in diapers. Just the thought of them use the words “diaper†and “adult†in the same sentence makes them uncomfortable. My wife works in a nursing home and for “dignity reasonsâ€; she needs to call them briefs around her residents. Even NASA calls them MAGs (Maximum Absorption Garment) and not diapers. The funny thing is most of us that do use diapers, call them just that. Even in the nursing home most of my wife residents call them diapers. Society just needs to get over this whole thought of “Oh No I might offend you if I call them what they areâ€. Now I do understand that for some people who haven’t been incontinent for most of their life, “briefs†takes away a little of the shame they might feel. At the same time I have to say why feel shame at all? I’m incontinent, I wear diapers and I’m an adult, and all my friends know. I’m comfortable with that, and I see no need to replace the word “diaper†with “brief†it is what it is. You can call a duck a water fowl all you want but in the end most people will still call it a duck.
Hello Anthony,
Great comment - thank you. The need for political correctness aside, your point is one echoed here by your other fellow commenters and by our greater discussion: there's nothing to be ashamed of about adult diapers and incontinence!
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Gary
I don't understand all the who-do about what we wear. I mean its a diaper big deal. When i call to order my monthly supply i tell them I need my mothly supply of diapers I don't say Briefs. I call them what thay are Diapers!!!As for me ive been in diapers for about 3 years now and to me its like anything else. It's just something I wear. So call them what you wan't to but to me thay will always be Diapers
Hello Johnny,
Thanks for your comment and for chiming in about the great diapers-vs-briefs debate!
Your partner in comfort,
Gary
Call a spade a spade! Call them diapers. Not briefs.
If they'd start calling them diapers maybe they'd make a product worthy of being called a diaper!
It's a diaper. There's really nothing about it that's anything but a diaper. Big deal!
I'm a 35 yr old man and I wear diapers. Unlike most people, I have no problem whatsoever with the word "diaper". I don't think it's a symbol of weakness or deficiency. I believe that if someone needs to wear diapers, they should be allowed to wear without shame or worry. What's the problem?! If you need to wear diapers, wear diapers. If you like wearing diapers, wear diapers. Who cares what it's called or why it's called what it's called?
Ciao.
Jason
Although I am incontinent and need the security of leak protection, I prefer to call the products I use a diaper. I used to use an "incontinence system" but the sound of that was really degrading in my mind. Sounded like a science experiment or something.I realized after a couple years of being a total recluse from everything that, what was, is always going to be, what it is. I did some investigating and found sites, though in their infancy, pardon the pun,catered to my awareness. In the long run I felt the proper terminology for me was to call myself in diapers. It fits me.
i use depend and poise brief. i would like to know if there is anything to help the oder. even tho i change there is a very unpleasnt oder. it ca get expense.
Hello all,
Thanks for the great comments and discussion about diapers!
@Frances: The more polymer (absorbency) a diaper has, the less odor it will have. This is because the odor comes from a bacteria called "proteas," which is sterile inside the body and reacts with oxygen when outside the body to produce that terrible ammonia smell. The more polymer the product has, the more that this process is stopped.
There are products on the market that help control odor, but I have not seen any that work with great success.
Thanks for the comments!
Your Partner in Comfort,
Gary
Do you know why an autistic adult would wear diapers?
Sarah, autistic adults might be drawn to the feeling of security that wearing diapers provides for some people.
Some autistics may also not be "aware" of their bodies like normal people.
I wear diapers. I use very thick multilayer cloth with plastic pants at night.
Incontinence garment,brief or diaper it's all the same to me.
They protect clothes and furniture and help avoid embarrassing situations caused by wettung accidents.
Everyone knows that they are adult diapers, so call them what they are. I think it is bordering on insulting the dumb symantics that are played with the names of these products. Look on EBAY, they are all sold there under the sub-category of adult diapers!
As for color, keep them white please! It is a nice neutral color. I hate that some manufacturers color code them so nuring home staff know which is which! I don't want to wear purple underwear, and frankly that jumps out more to someone causually getting a glance that white does.
And put on a really good super stretchy elastic waistband! And skip the cloth covering for all the reasons mentioned! Friction is the enemy.
6 tapes are much better than 4, and if you wore them on a regular basis you would understand why. You simply can't get as snug a fit with only 4 tapes.
I call them diapers because they fit the. definition found in the dictionary.
I like white for color 2 or 4 tapes. A tape landing zone all the way acc
ross the front. The thicker the better. Plastic backed only.
If pull ups were plastic backed they would probably be more useful to people who have to wear diapers all the time.
i have been in "DIAPERS" most of my 63 years. call them what you like but i still call them diapers. i do not mind a bit about using them and i am really happy that they make such a product. diapers have made my life a lot easier. once in awhile changing can be difficult due to your surroundings. hopefully they will come up with adult diaper changing stations.
I'm enjoyed reading the above article and discussion. I never really understood calling them briefs. When I hear the term "brief," I think of thin cotton underpants. When I hear the term "diaper," I not only know what it looks like, I know what it is used for and how it will help me, since I have bladder/bowel incontinence. I know it has absorbent padding to keep my clothing and bedding dry, and that it will keep the odor and mess of a BM safely inside. I know it will protect me and provide me with the security and comfort I need to get out there and live life to the fullest without the fear of embarrassment. I am so happy they make adult diapers!
Here's why people don't want call diapers.
1) They are embarrassed or ashamed wearing them.
2) Sounds babyish!
Q: Are babys embarrassed wearing diapers?
The "adult brief" term should not be legal if the product is to be used as a diaper. That would be misleading. A brief is what Hanes and Fruit Of The Loom makes for younger adults and teens who have no incontinence or any other health issue. People with disabilities who are incon can't wear briefs; they have to wear diapers. There is nothing wrong with that. Why should they have to hide behind a euphamism?
I could not agree more with Honeywell6180! "Briefs" are many different things, but a diaper is a diaper, and let's not pretend otherwise.
I was in a nursing home and the nurse told me that i would have to wear a diaper. I am not incontinent and never had to wear a diaper before. The head nurse told me that its standard procedure for all patients to wear a DIAPER.......ray
Hello, Gary Hirsch.
First let me say I loved your artical.
It's long since time some one brought this matter to light. I'm glad you wrote this artical and are so very open about this matter. You sure hit the nail on the head, It's just a stigma!! I have no problem calling them diapers! Ya, that's what they are, Ok so what!! Ian has it so right, brief's are what "Hanes & Fruit of the loom" make. I don't seem to care about the color either, white's fine with me, although most large adult diapers are blue but hay that's ok too. I do pefer the plastic backed over the cloth like outer covering though, I also think this just ads to the stigma, "it's got a cloth backing it can't be a diaper" I'm glad the plastic is there makes me think for sure it won't leak and for me it makes it easyer to put on.
Wish companys would just get over it and call them what tey are DIAPERS so what! I feel for Anthony's wife as well, I also worked in a nurseing home. Ya, State feels that we should not call them adult diapers. Sounds like they are the ones causeing the dignitey problem. the staff and resedants know what they are. They keep people dry that would other wise just pee all over, Ya lot's of dignitey to that. Been there my shelf, I'm glad they make adult diapers and I have no problems useing them and calling them what thay are, wish every one alse would do the same then we would not have any dignitey problems at all. PS. I use Secure Care Personal diapers and when I did the web serch I went to youre site because they seemed to have the curage to call there products diapers!!
Thank you Gary Hirsch and Secure Care!!