For the Female Skaters Only

[sarahspiral]

Hello! To any men that are on here, I do apologize but please do not read any further. Trust me, you will not want to read this question. But if you do, consider yourself forewarned.



To the ladies out there, I have an embarrassing question. Can anyone recommend a brand/type of maxi pad that I can wear during a competition? I know that the obvious answer is to wear a tampon but I don't want to do that. I've worn them before but there are some personal reasons why that is just not a good option for me. Of course, I want something that is not going to be bulky enough to show through my dress b/c you know how tight these figure skating dresses are! But I also need one that is going to be heavy duty. My periods are abnormally heavy for the first few days. My other concern is that I'll be doing a lot of jumps so I don't want it to fall off! I usually wear the kind with wings which gives me confidence during my practices that it won't fall off but with my super short dress, I'm concerned about wearing one with wings. I've heard of Libra Invisible pads but I've never used them. And lastly, I certainly don't want a "crunchy" diaper sound while I'm skating! Any advice? I'm really stressing about this and I almost decided not to be in a competition because of this issue! Sorry this is so TMI but I'm embarrassed to ask my friends at the rink about this! Thanks.

 

[MalAssada]

You mention skating dresses... Would this pad be for competition, or practice?

Anyway, I recently bought the ultra-thin Always pads for Nights and I was very happy. I usually wear leggings and they don't show at all. Also, I'm not sure if it's possible (I never made it to competition stage), but could you wear thin knickers under your dress so you could use the winged pads, and also have an extra layer to prevent accidents?

 

[Spinning]

You could try taking pills to delay your period if it is only for a rare occasion.

 

[sarahspiral]

You mention skating dresses... Would this pad be for competition, or practice?

Anyway, I recently bought the ultra-thin Always pads for Nights and I was very happy. I usually wear leggings and they don't show at all. Also, I'm not sure if it's possible (I never made it to competition stage), but could you wear thin knickers under your dress so you could use the winged pads, and also have an extra layer to prevent accidents?

This would be a dress for a competition. The dress has built in panties but yeah, I could probably wear a separate pair of small panties or a thong. I normally wear Always, I've just never used them under a dress b/c I always practice in pants. Thanks for your help!

 

[sarahspiral]

You could try taking pills to delay your period if it is only for a rare occasion.

Yes, I thought about that. I may do that because I'd rather not deal with this thing at all. I certainly don't need to be cramping during my performance!!! Thank You!

 

[Curlygirly81]

Wear a pad with or without wings on a thong underwear. Either way it will go over the thong part and fold together and stick. The thong will keep it in place. Good luck!

 

[sarahspiral]

Wear a pad with or without wings on a thong underwear. Either way it will go over the thong part and fold together and stick. The thong will keep it in place. Good luck!

Thank You so much! I thought it would probably stay in place but just wanted to make sure

 

[Curlygirly81]

Thank You so much! I thought it would probably stay in place but just wanted to make sure

You're welcome!

 

[HopeSpringsEternal]

For the bulky/crunchy issue, have you tried flex foam pads? Always makes some, and they're 100x nicer than regular pads and at least as absorbent, if not more. They don't make the noise or feel like regular pads do; you barely notice that they're there, honestly.

 

[sandraskates]

It's a good question sarahspiral.

Regular underpants would also work to hold a winged pad but make sure they are pulled up enough so the elastic edge of the panties don't show under your dress. So you have panties, tights, then dress.
Pretty secure.

If you think about, you're really only in the competition stage for about an hour so you may not need the maxi pad if you can change right after your program. I would suggest a tampon (if at all possible) + a winged pad for that extra security.

I've often wondered what gymnasts do.

 

[sarahspiral]

For the bulky/crunchy issue, have you tried flex foam pads? Always makes some, and they're 100x nicer than regular pads and at least as absorbent, if not more. They don't make the noise or feel like regular pads do; you barely notice that they're there, honestly.

I haven't tried those b/c I think they cost more, but it'll be worth it not to have the noise. I will check them out! Thanks so much.

 

[karne]

First: If you consider your bleeding to be abnormally heavy, you should consult with your doctor. There are many reasons why this may be, and many of them require medical attention. Be pushy with your doctor if you have to. Period-related health issues can be serious but too many doctors don't take them seriously.

I don't know what brands you might have, but Libra have a range of "invisible" pads that I've always found very helpful. And don't be afraid to wear underwear under your dress. It's easier to get stains out of underwear than a skating dress at any rate.

 

[sarahspiral]

It's a good question sarahspiral.

Regular underpants would also work to hold a winged pad but make sure they are pulled up enough so the elastic edge of the panties don't show under your dress. So you have panties, tights, then dress.
Pretty secure.

If you think about, you're really only in the competition stage for about an hour so you may not need the maxi pad if you can change right after your program. I would suggest a tampon (if at all possible) + a winged pad for that extra security.

I've often wondered what gymnasts do.

You know what, I totally forgot about the tights, LOL! Yeah, it shouldn't go anywhere with the tights on over my underwear! I'm so glad I'm not a gymnast...it would definitely be much harder to deal with this stuff Thanks!

 

[sarahspiral]

First: If you consider your bleeding to be abnormally heavy, you should consult with your doctor. There are many reasons why this may be, and many of them require medical attention. Be pushy with your doctor if you have to. Period-related health issues can be serious but too many doctors don't take them seriously.

I don't know what brands you might have, but Libra have a range of "invisible" pads that I've always found very helpful. And don't be afraid to wear underwear under your dress. It's easier to get stains out of underwear than a skating dress at any rate.

Thanks so much Karne. I have talked to a doctor and they've run some tests so I think I'm okay but I appreciate you thinking about that I have heard of the invisible pads but haven't tried them yet. It's good to know that they work well. Thank You!

 

[hanyuufan5]

No idea about the pad problem, but the friend reading over my shoulder is insisting that I tell you to make sure that they tested your thyroid function. Her mom had ludicrously heavy periods and excruciating cramps that turned out to be from hypothyroidism.

 

[StitchMonkey]

You could look into a menstrual cup. It may have the same (perfectly valid!) problems as tampons, but I wanted to toss it out there in case it might work... or heck if someone else comes here with the same question.

I would also recommend checking out Precious Stars Pads on youtube.... she is kinda a period guru if you can believe that exists. But anyway you may be able to find some ideas. I know she did a video modeling many types of reusable pads worn in dance leotards for instance. So that could be a starting point.

 

[globalsoul]

I would totally recommend a menstrual cup! Not just for skating, but honestly just regular life. Since I got mine, I've never looked back. Plus, the savings are quite substantial as a cup is good for several YEARS.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

if anyone knows of a pad that doesn't show through leggings... I'd love to hear about it!

 

[rikaquegira]

Have you tried a menstrual cup? I think a pad moves too much... If you have a heavy period an accident can occur. There’s also menstrual panties, I’m not sure how/if it works though and they are quite expensive, but it might be worth the investment if it’s going to solve the problem.
As someone mentioned here, there are ultra thin pads that don’t show at all. I don’t know where you’re from but Always has an ultra thin line, maybe you can find it close to you, it is really great. But as I’ve said, since you’ll be moving so much I don’t know how reliable it will be. The greatest option would really be something like a tampon or even better the menstrual cup.

 

[rikaquegira]

if anyone knows of a pad that doesn't show through leggings... I'd love to hear about it!

Ultra thin pads usually don’t show all. I’ve used different brands, I think the easiest to find anywhere is Always.