Simple Menstrual Pad Hack Is Here To Change Lives

Lex Gabrielle
woman handing another woman maxi pad in public bathroom
Unsplash | Annika Gordon

Every woman goes through the troubles and struggles that come along with getting her period. That week-week and a half that arrives once a month can be a true stressor for many women.

From the PMS to the cramps to the bleeding, it's hard to keep up with our daily, regular lives when we feel like we want to crawl into bed for days on end.

Periods come in all different "shapes and sizes."

pads and tampons for period
Unsplash | Natracare

Every women's body is different. Although most people assume that women have similar menstrual cycles, every woman's body is totally different and therefore experiences periods vastly different, as well. Some women have longer periods, while others have shorter ones.

Not to mention, PMS can differ from woman to woman, too.

woman covering face with hands sitting in chair
Unsplash | Ivan Aleksic

There are those who have super bad mood swings and cravings for food, while others lose their appetite and feel pretty quiet and mellow. Then, there are those who totally rage out and just feel angry.

Flow is also a big thing.

max pad with drops of blood
Unsplash | Alexander Sergienko

"Flow" describes the way in which a woman bleeds during her period cycle. Some women bleed a little, some bleed pretty averagely, and then there are those women who have pretty heavy cycles and flows.

Those women who have heavier periods struggle with "stopping" their bleeds.

tampons all lined up
Unsplash | Natracare

When you have a heavy flow, it can be hard to find the right products to support your daily needs. Sure, they make heavy flow tampons and pads, but that doesn't always stop leaks and accidents.

There is nothing worse than having a bad leak.

I hate it gif
Giphy

For women, having a leak can mean a few things. For one, you stained your underwear and probably your pants or even a dress. Not to mention, if you're at work or out, it can be truly embarrassing to leak.

Fortunately, one TikTok user showed us a pretty smart hack to stop those leaks.

maxi paid laid out and open
Unsplash | Natracare

If you're a heavy flow girl, wearing pads are usually your best friend. Using tampons may seem easier, but they fill pretty quickly and you're forced to change them often.

The TikTok user says first, place a pad as you normally would.

Placing a pad on your underwear
TikTok | TikTok l alicewillliams

The first step is making sure you place a decently sized pad as you normally would in your underwear. Make sure it's far enough up that you won't leak in the front.

Now, take a second pad.

placing second pad in underwear for leak protection on period
TikTok | TikTok l alicewillliams

Using the second pad, you want to place it horizontally on the back of your underwear, near your butt. Make a T shape with the pads. This will stop any leaks from going onto your clothing or through your underwear.

It's "extra protection."

woman showing pads in underwear for leak protection on period
TikTok | TikTok l alicewillliams

The TikTok user shares that this trick helps to give you a little extra protection, especially on those heavier days. This is also a great idea when you're sleeping so when you move, everything is also protected.

The TikTok user, Alice, is actually the CEO of a company specializing in periods.

Alice is the CEO and founder of Ovira, which is a company that focuses on making periods less painful. She came up with the company and the pad hack after years of dealing with endometriosis.

Alice told BuzzFeed, that the hack helped her save a lot of clothing and bed sheets over the years.

"I was finding that no matter how I placed my pad, I could never get the coverage and protection I needed for my heavy days. I suffer extremely long, heavy, and painful periods, so I’ve had to get creative with how I manage them.

This little hack came to me after years of heavy bleeding and losing countless pairs of undies and sets of sheets to my monthly flow," she shared.

Genius!