Incontinence Pants: 8 Different Types & How to Choose

Shopping for incontinence products can get confusing quickly.

“Incontinence pants” can refer to disposable pull-up underwear, washable absorbent underwear, tabbed briefs, waterproof covers or even adaptive outer pants designed to make changing easier.

Those products do very different jobs.

The best option depends on several practical questions:

• How much protection is needed?
• Is the product disposable or reusable?
• Can the wearer pull underwear up and down independently?
• Does someone assist with changing?
• Is dressing or undressing difficult?
• Is protection needed primarily during the day or overnight?
• Is the goal absorbency, easier access, or both?

This guide explains the major types of incontinence pants and underwear and how they differ.

Quick Comparison: Types of Incontinence Pants

One important distinction:

Most of the products on this list absorb or contain leakage. Adaptive pants such as Joe & Bella's CareZips do not. They are regular-looking outer pants designed to make accessing and changing an incontinence product easier.

1. Disposable Pull-Up Incontinence Pants

Disposable pull-ups are probably what many people picture when they hear “incontinence pants.”

They look and function somewhat like regular underwear but include an absorbent core and leak-resistant construction.

You step into them and pull them up over the hips.

They are generally designed to be used once and discarded.

Pull-Ups May Work Well For Someone Who:

• Can stand or shift position during dressing
• Can pull underwear up and down
• Wants a product that resembles ordinary underwear
• Prefers disposable protection
• Needs different absorbency options for day or night

Potential Drawback

The main limitation is right there in the name:

You have to pull them up.

For someone with limited mobility, difficulty bending, one-handed dressing challenges or caregiver-assisted changing, removing and replacing a pull-up may require more movement than another product.

Some disposable pull-ups have tear-away side seams that make removal easier, but putting on a new pair can still require getting it over the feet and legs.

2. Tabbed Incontinence Briefs

Tabbed briefs are absorbent products that open completely at the sides and fasten with tabs.

You may also see them called:

• Adult briefs
• Disposable briefs
• Tab-style briefs
• Adult diapers

“Adult diaper” is a common search term, but many adults and caregivers prefer language such as briefs or absorbent underwear.

Unlike pull-ups, tabbed briefs do not necessarily have to be pulled over the feet.

That can make them useful when someone:

• Needs assistance changing
• Has significant mobility limitations
• Spends substantial time in bed
• Cannot easily pull underwear over the hips
• Needs a product that can be changed while lying or seated

They are available in different sizes and absorbency levels.

Fit matters. A brief should follow the manufacturer's sizing instructions rather than simply being made as tight as possible.

3. Washable or Reusable Incontinence Underwear

Reusable incontinence underwear looks more like traditional underwear and contains washable absorbent material.

Some designs have built-in absorbency.

Others are designed to hold a reusable liner or pad.

Reusable underwear can be attractive to someone who:

• Experiences lighter leakage
• Wants something that resembles ordinary underwear
• Prefers a washable option
• Wants to reduce disposable waste
• Is comfortable managing laundering and replacement

Check the manufacturer's stated absorbency before assuming a washable product can manage heavier leakage.

Not all reusable underwear offers the same capacity.

Wash and dry the product according to its specific care instructions because materials and waterproof layers vary considerably.

4. Pads With Fixation Pants or Regular Underwear

Not everyone needs absorbent underwear.

Some people use a separate absorbent pad inside underwear or specially designed fixation pants.

Incontinence pads are different from ordinary menstrual pads because they are designed specifically to absorb urine.

The advantages of a separate pad system can include:

• Changing the pad without replacing the entire undergarment
• Different absorbency levels
• Less bulk for lighter leakage
• Familiar underwear

The pad needs to remain properly positioned, so the underwear or fixation pant should hold it securely against the body.

This can be an especially useful distinction when comparing incontinence systems:

Sometimes the absorbent product and the pants that hold it are two separate pieces.

5. Waterproof Incontinence Cover Pants

Waterproof cover pants provide an additional outer barrier over absorbent underwear, briefs or pads.

They may be made from materials such as:

• Vinyl
• Nylon
• Polyurethane or similar waterproof fabrics

These products generally do not provide the primary absorbency themselves.

Instead, they help protect outer clothing when worn over another containment product.

They can be reusable and washable.

Waterproof covers are different from adaptive outer pants:

• Waterproof covers focus on containment

• Adaptive pants focus on dressing and access

Those functions can sometimes be used together, but they solve different problems.

6. Overnight Incontinence Pants and Briefs

“Overnight” typically describes an absorbency level or use case rather than a completely different type of garment.

Overnight products are designed for longer periods between changes and generally offer higher absorbency than lighter daytime versions.

They may come as:

• Pull-up underwear
• Tabbed briefs
• Reusable underwear

When choosing an overnight product, look at the manufacturer's:

• Absorbency information
• Sizing
• Fit recommendations
• Changing instructions

Do not assume that simply choosing the bulkiest product will result in the best fit or leak protection.

The product still needs to fit properly.

For someone who requires caregiver assistance at night, also consider how easily the product can be changed.

7. Incontinence Swimwear

Incontinence swimwear is designed specifically for aquatic use.

It is not interchangeable with ordinary absorbent underwear.

Traditional absorbent products are generally not designed to perform normally when completely immersed in water.

Specialized swimwear may be reusable and designed primarily to contain bowel leakage rather than absorb large amounts of pool water.

If swimming is part of someone's routine, choose a product specifically labeled and designed for aquatic use and follow the manufacturer's fitting instructions.

8. Adaptive Pants for Incontinence Care

This final category is different from every other option on the list.

Adaptive pants for incontinence are outer clothing, not an absorbent incontinence product.

Someone might wear:

Tabbed brief + adaptive pants

or:

Disposable pull-up + adaptive pants

The incontinence product provides the protection.

The adaptive pants make dressing, undressing or accessing that product easier.

Why Does That Matter?

Imagine someone wearing a conventional pair of pants who needs an incontinence product changed.

Depending on their mobility, the process may require:

1. Unfastening the pants
2. Pulling them down
3. Repositioning the body
4. Changing the absorbent product
5. Pulling the pants back up
6. Refitting and fastening everything

That process can become particularly difficult for someone who:

• Uses a wheelchair
• Dresses while seated
• Has limited mobility
• Has difficulty standing
• Needs caregiver assistance
• Has difficulty pulling conventional pants up and down
• Requires frequent access for personal care

Adaptive pants change how the outer garment opens.

How CareZips Work With Incontinence Products

Joe & Bella's CareZips Access Pants have three zippers:

• One side zipper
• A second side zipper
• A patented inseam zipper

Together, the openings provide access through the front and lower body without requiring the entire pair of pants to be conventionally pulled down and back up.

That can make changing an incontinence product easier when mobility or assisted dressing is also part of the situation.

CareZips themselves are not absorbent underwear and do not replace an incontinence brief, pad or pull-up.

They are designed to work over those products.

That distinction matters when deciding what you actually need.

What About Side-Zip Pants?

Joe & Bella's Everyday Side-Zip Pants serve a slightly different purpose.

The side zippers create larger openings that can simplify putting the pants on and taking them off.

They can also provide additional access compared with traditional pants.

But CareZips add the patented inseam opening, making them the more access-focused option when frequent incontinence care or assisted changing is a major consideration.

Pull-Up Pants vs Tabbed Briefs: Which Is Easier?

It depends heavily on mobility.

Pull-Ups May Be Easier When:

• The wearer dresses independently
• They can step into the garment
• They can pull it over their hips
• They regularly use the toilet independently
• They prefer an underwear-like design

Tabbed Briefs May Be Easier When:

• Someone assists with changing
• Pulling underwear over the legs is difficult
• Standing is difficult or not possible
• Changes happen while lying down
• Opening the product completely at the sides is helpful

There is no universally superior option.

The easier product is the one that matches the person's abilities and care routine.

Disposable vs Reusable Incontinence Pants

Both can work well.

Disposable Products

Potential advantages include:

• No laundering
• Easy disposal
• Wide range of absorbencies
• Convenient travel or outing options

Potential disadvantages include:

• Ongoing replacement cost
• More waste
• Storage requirements

Reusable Products

Potential advantages include:

• Washable
• Less disposable waste
• Can resemble conventional underwear
• May reduce long-term product purchases

Potential disadvantages include:

• Require laundering
• Absorbency varies considerably
• May require multiple pairs in rotation

The choice does not need to be permanent.

Some people use reusable underwear in certain situations and disposable products in others.

What Are the Best Incontinence Pants for Older Adults?

Age alone does not determine which product someone should use.

Instead, consider:

Leakage

How much protection is actually needed?

Mobility

Can the person step into underwear and pull it over the hips?

Dexterity

Can they manage the waistband, tabs or other closures?

Independence

Does the person change the product independently or with assistance?

Lifestyle

Are they primarily at home, working, traveling, sleeping or participating in activities?

Fit

Does the product remain secure without being painfully tight?

Changing

How easily can it be removed and replaced?

For an older adult who can independently manage a pull-up, disposable or reusable underwear may be convenient.

For someone receiving assisted care, a tabbed brief may be easier to change.

And when conventional outer pants make the changing process more difficult, adaptive clothing such as CareZips may help simplify access.

What If Someone Has Limited Mobility?

This is where product selection and clothing selection should be considered together.

Someone may have the right absorbent brief but still struggle because their outer pants are difficult to remove.

Think about the full dressing routine:

• How does the underwear go on?
• How do the pants go on?
• Does the person have to stand?
• How much bending is involved?
• Who performs the change?
• Can the clothing provide access without complete undressing?

An occupational therapist, continence specialist or other healthcare professional may be able to help when mobility and incontinence management intersect.

Do Incontinence Products Treat Incontinence?

No.

Absorbent underwear, pads and briefs help manage leakage.

They do not identify or treat the underlying cause.

Urinary or bowel incontinence can have many causes, and new or worsening symptoms are worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

Treatment and management may include approaches beyond absorbent products depending on the cause.

Choose the Product and the Clothing Separately

One of the easiest ways to make sense of incontinence products is to separate two questions:

What provides the absorbency or containment?

and

What clothing goes over it?

For the first question, the answer might be:

• Disposable pull-ups
• Tabbed briefs
• Reusable absorbent underwear
• Pads

For the second, ordinary clothing may work perfectly well.

But when changing that product requires too much pulling, standing, repositioning or undressing, adaptive outer pants can make access easier.

The best solution is not necessarily one product.

It is the combination that works for the person's body, mobility and daily routine.

Please explore our collection of incontinence pants for men and incontinence pants for women to find a solution for you.

About the Author

Ben Graham is the VP of Marketing at Joe & Bella. He leads content creation and partnerships, bringing together caregiving, aging experts and adaptive-clothing experts so Joe & Bella customers are fully equipped with knowledge to help them on their aging and caregiving journeys. With deep experience in research and writing, Ben ensures that all content is accurate and backed by research.