Period Pad Change Frequency: Hygiene & Health Concerns

Question
hi im a 19 year old female and i was just wondering how often you are supposed to change your period pad? i think i leave it on too long. i wear a period pad in the morning and change it the next day. is that bad? what could happen because of this?
i also sometimes get bumps on my vagina.
thanks

Answer
Hi Zoe,

You should change your pads more frequently for hygienic and comfort reasons; hygienically we need to change pads to avoid infection (bacteria love dark, moist environments).  Everyone is a little different, and your flow is heavier on the first few days, but I would change your pad at a minimum every 6-8 hours (same goes for tampons if you use them, they can cause serious life-threatening infections if left in for more then 8 hours). You also need to wash with a gentle soap and water between pad changes to help prevent the bumps.

Wishing you all the best,
Margot