Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, affects 200 million people worldwide – 8% of females and 3% of males respectively.
It isn't a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of other diseases. Read more about the causes of incontinence.
Urinary incontinence can have a devastating effect
The only two functions of the bladder are to store urine and to expel it, and the tone within the bladder neck and sphincter (valve) is what normally prevents urine from leaking out. When we urinate, the bladder muscle contracts while the sphincter relaxes in a coordinated fashion.
When these processes don't work due to one of the causes of incontinence, embarrassing leaking of urine occurs.
Health24's resident GP Dr. Owen Wiese says, "Incontinence, although quite common, can make women feel vulnerable and are they often so embarrassed they don't want to talk about it. So much so that doctors sometimes only find out about the problem by accident. It is often mentioned by ladies 'on their way out of your office'. The condition has an impact on personal and family life and even one's career."
Because incontinence is such a common problem, an innovative company in New Zealand called ConfiTEX, has taken the solution to a new level by launching a range of sexy absorbent underwear.
How the underwear works
The New Zealand Herald reported that the idea initially started as a sportswear line for athletes, but was developed after the company founders Mark Davey and Frantisek Riha-Scott discovered that there was a wider need for the underwear, and that this need was not being met by conventional incontinence pads
So the clever people at ConfiTEX developed and patented the world's first underwear technology – fashionable, washable, absorbent, pad-less and waterproof underwear that is aimed at those struggling with urinary incontinence.
The manufacturers claim the underwear is can store up to a cup of liquid at a time and is completely washable.
Read: Common medicines that cause incontinence
Image: Diagram of how ConfiTEX is engineered to absorb fluids and offer maximum protection. (from Confitex)
Features and benefits
The ConfiTEX range is available in boy leg, hipster and briefs for women, as well as a full brief range for men. They also come in a wide range of sizes (from XS to XXL) and have different absorbency levels to suit all leakage needs.
Image: The incontinence underwear is available in a wide range of sizes, colours and styles (from ConfiTEX)
Image: The men's range of full briefs has different sizes, colours and functions (from ConfiTEX)
There are two catches though. The underwear is not cheap – prices range between $29.90 (R354.00) and $34.90 (R413.00) a pair, and the range is currently only available in New Zealand and the USA.
Read More:
Kris Jenner has urinary incontinence
How to choose the best absorbency product for you
10 things you didn’t know about urinary incontinence