For years, I struggled with thick and crispy sanitary pads before later swapping to single-use tampons — and still not loving them. Essentially, I wish period pants for teens had been an option when I started menstruating at 13, cutting any worries about leaks or running out of supplies while also looking super cute.
But since learning that 45 billion (!) disposable period products are used every year, with 500 million of those going to landfill, it makes me question why we’re not talking more about the environmental impact of periods.
Although, let’s not laden teens with eco-guilt just yet — particularly if they’ve just been blessed with the burden of a monthly visit from Aunt Flo. What we are offering, instead, is an answer all their FAQs on the best period pants for teens, as well as a rundown of the very best on the market. How can we say that with confidence? Because a team of GLAMOUR editors have personally tried and tested a range themselves. So whether she’s after a bikini, a boyshort or has no idea at all, here are the best period pants to get her started.
SKIP TO: What are period pants for teens? | How much blood do period pants for teens hold? | Can you wear period pants all day at school? | How to wash period pants for teens | How we tested the best period pants for teens.
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Meet the expert:
- Ruby Raut, CEO and co-founder of WUKA.
What are period pants for teens?
Unlike menstrual cups or anything similar, period pants are exactly what they say on the tin: pants teens can wear during their TOTM (time of the month). They soak up everything — blood, urine, discharge or sweat — and keep it all contained, so they needn’t worry about leaking. And, if you/her are conscious of your ecological footprint, they’re also totally reusable.
“In recent years, people have become much more conscious of their environmental footprint with more emphasis placed on reducing our single-use plastic consumption and carbon emission contribution,” says Ruby Raut, CEO and co-founder of WUKA. “It’s encouraging to see that this demand is being driven by the younger generations as well as adults. We’ve seen this first hand with our First Period Pack — a popular first choice for adults buying for their tweens and teens resulting in a +327% growth in sales.”
How do period pants for teens work? Essentially, they have a built-in sanitary pad that she won’t have to discard every three hours. She literally can slip the pants on and forget about her period until the end of the day. They’re also really discreet — they don’t give the nappy-like look that people assume they do.
