Embrace Freedom with Heavy Flow Pads: Say Goodbye to Stains and Leaks!

“I started facing heavy flow during periods around the time of my second semester in college,” says Latika, a design student from Pune. “I tried researching heavy period causes, but it didn’t help. Every 2 hours, I had to change my pad. I could not wear any light-coloured clothes. Once I was sitting in for a practical exam. I was very scared. It was a three-hour paper. Halfway through the invigilator came to me, and asked me to leave the class. I was terrified. Turns out the entire back of my jeans had been stained. I was ashamed and went back home. I could not complete my paper. I did badly in my favourite subject. I felt like I had been cursed.”

Heavy flow during periods can be very difficult to manage. The fear of staining and leakage, coupled with the anxiety of having to change one’s pad can be traumatising.

“In those days there were no special heavy flow pads,” says Chandini, 42, from Delhi. “We used to make pads for ourselves at home for heavy periods—two, three pads squeezed together on the same underwear. I used to wear three—and leave home at 7 am for work. I was a salesgirl for Baja Mixers. I used to go from home to home and sell mixers. This often required a lot of walking, climbing stairs. The pads would run against my skin. My skin would get rough, and even tear. But I had to keep going. If I went home, I would lose a day’s payment. There was no other way, no special pads for heavy periods. Those days were horrible. I am glad I have retired now.”

Staining, leakage, and the terrible rashes—women clenching their teeth and going on, carrying on, somehow, through all the pain. The stories of those who had to deal with heavy flow periods are unending and heartbreaking.

But the suffering? That has an end. It is time to say enough and stop managing.

Normal Flow vs Heavy Flow – A Brief Overview

Reasons for heavy periods can include hormonal changes or issues such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, polyps, fibroids, and pregnancy. Heavy flow periods, clinically known as menorrhagia are characterised as the condition wherein menstruators lose more than 40ml of blood.

While normal bleeding is between 20 and 40ml of blood for around 3 to 5 days, with minimal leakage and no need for nighttime checking, a heavy period causes the following:

• • Frequent staining
  • Soaking a regular pad/tampon every 2-3 hours
  • Having to get up at night at least once to change your pad
  • The passing of large, coin-sized clots
  • Bleeding along with intense pain
  • Heavy bleeding for more than 5 days.
  • Heavy bleeding more than once in 30 days.
  • Anemia, tiredness or fatigue
  • The appearance of dark/black coloured blood.

If you are facing three or more of these symptoms it may be a good idea to visit a doctor and discuss the reasons for heavy periods. An early diagnosis and manage later complications, if any.

Why Do You Need Heavy Flow Pads for Managing Heavy Flow?

“As a homemaker you cannot take a leave on a heavy period day. You have to cook, you have to take care of your kid,” says 35-year old Channi from Thiruvananthapuram. “I’d been diagnosed with endometriosis, so I’d just bleed a lot.

The doctor gave me medicines but could not recommend any good sanitary pads for heavy flow. So I was managing.”

“Then, one day, my son came to the kitchen and started screaming. I had a huge pool of blood in my sari, and he thought I was hurt. I somehow changed my sari and calmed him. He told my in-laws, my husband. It was all very embarrassing. He was 5, sacred and I did not know what to explain to him. My husband got me this one pack of RIO heavy flow pads. I have been using them for a year now, and I swear, they are the best sanitary pads for heavy flow in India. They have made my life easy. I can wear an RIO pad for 5-6 hours. No staining.”

Heavy flow pads are special pads that can help manage the heavy flow. They are usually thicker, longer and with better anti-leak technology. When RIO launched in 2020, we realised that there were very few specialised sanitary pads for heavy flow in the market. Post pads that claimed to be ‘heavy flow pads’ were simply slightly longer and thicker, and gave perhaps an hour more absorbency. And so, we decided to make the best sanitary pads for heavy flow in India.

Key Value Propositions of Heavy Flow Pads

RIO Heavy Flow Pads have several features that distinguish them from normal sanitary napkins.

• • 1. 3X ABSORBENCY: RIO heavy flow pads are sturdier and contain high-quality Super Absorbent Polymer. This sand-like polymer is what constitutes the filling in most pads and diapers. Our SAP is imported from one of the best makers in the world and can hold up to 1000x its weight in liquid. SAP turns liquids into gel form immediately on coming in contact with them, binding them to itself and making sure no blood remains on the pad surface.
    2. RAPID ABSORPTION: RIO’s rapid absorption technology quickly collects blood and clots from the surface of the pad and locks it in, making sure users do not face any sort of wetness, itching or rashes.
    3. DOUBLE WINGS: RIO pads come with wings in the side and at the back to make sure the pad remains fixed, reducing any chances of leakage. The back wings help prevent the pad from bunching, crimping or rolling into the bottom.
    4. SIDE LEG GUARDS: RIO, awarded one of India’s best period pads, also comes with side-leg guards which are small standees of water-resistant material that tuck themselves in along the user’s thigh making sure no period blood can trickle out or spill.
    5. SUPER SOFTNESS: RIO pads are made of super-soft cotton fibre, and aloevera enhanced making sure your skin remains protected and rash-free. The additional length and hourglass shape also make sure you are covered all the way from front to back for an ever secure feeling.

We at RIO understand how taxing heavy flow periods can be, which is why we put hours into researching what can make the best period pads for you. No one deserves to go through the trauma of stains, leaks and using multiple pads at the same time. So stop managing and switch to RIO. 🙂