Men's Health · Bladder & Prostate

3 Reasons Why Doctors Are Telling Men To Stop Wearing Adult Nappies

For years, men with urinary leaks had only one option: disposable nappies. And those very nappies often became the real source of their suffering. The chafing, the smell, the shame of buying them. Things have changed. A discreet revolution is giving men their lives back. I'll share the solution I trust most at the end of this article.

If you're a man over 50 dealing with leaks, read this before you buy another pack of Depend or TENA.

1-ADV (1).jpg__PID:3edeed4c-711a-46cc-b036-e8de3f7886a8

— Reason 01 —

Nappies smell. And the smell is bacterial.

Most men assume the odour from disposable nappies comes from urine itself. It doesn't. After two to three hours of wear, the warm, occlusive environment created by the nappy promotes the growth of urease-producing bacteria, which break down urea and release ammonia. The smell you and others detect isn't waste — it's a bacterial reaction occurring directly on the skin. This is why no amount of changing pads or deodorant can neutralise it for long. The disposable nappy doesn't mask the problem. It creates it.

ADV-4.jpg__PID:2df2ebc7-1a21-4435-81f6-970acafac385

— Reason 02 —

Nappies cause permanent skin damage.

Dermatologists have a name for the rash adult nappy users develop: Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis, or IAD. The plastic backing prevents airflow. Acidic urine sits against the skin. Friction does the rest. The result is chronic redness, raw patches, and in serious cases, open wounds that won't heal as long as the nappy is worn. Studies show that 40% of long-term adult nappy users develop IAD within six months. Most learn to live with it because they don't realise the nappy is the cause.

1-ADV.jpg__PID:d62d4b91-271e-4962-8d45-2b32bcbc725b

— Reason 03 —

Nappies actually make incontinence worse.

This is a point rarely discussed, and yet it is essential. When a man wears a disposable nappy continuously, his pelvic floor gradually stops working. The brain eventually registers that retention is no longer necessary: the nappy handles everything. Within twelve to eighteen months, what began as light leakage frequently progresses to moderate, and sometimes heavy, leakage. The nappy hasn't protected your body. It has trained it to leak more. This is precisely why recommendations are now shifting towards modern absorbent underwear, which keeps the pelvic muscles actively engaged.

What I now recommend

The shift towards absorbent underwear

The clinical consensus has been moving in one direction for some time now: away from disposable nappies and towards modern absorbent underwear. The reasoning is straightforward. Underwear keeps the pelvic floor engaged, allows the skin to breathe, and, perhaps most importantly, preserves the patient’s sense of normality, which has measurable effects on recovery and long-term adherence.

Among the products currently on the market, the one I have seen produce the most consistent results in my own practice is a brand called Orykas.

What makes them clinically interesting is the choice of bamboo fibre rather than synthetic blends. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, which significantly reduces the dermatitis cases I used to see constantly with disposable users. The absorbent core is properly engineered — up to 300 ml — and the cut is genuinely indistinguishable from a regular boxer, which matters more than people realise. Patients who do not feel like patients tend to stay active, and active patients have better outcomes.

I will add one practical observation: their stock is genuinely difficult to obtain right now. Bamboo production does not scale the way synthetic fabric does, and the brand frequently runs out of common sizes for weeks at a time. If you decide to try them, I would suggest doing so promptly rather than waiting.