Pantyliner

A pantyliner (also pantiliner, panty liner or panty shield, vaginal cover) is an absorbent piece of material used for feminine hygiene.^[1] It is worn in the gusset of a woman's panties: "the bottom of the pants that goes between your legs and would rest against your vulva".^[2] Some uses include: absorbency for daily vaginal discharge, light menstrual flow, tampon and menstrual cup backup, spotting, absorbing leaking semen that was ejaculated into the vagina during sexual intercourse, and urinary incontinence.^[1][3] Panty liners can also help women who are having discharges and about to start their cycle. Pantyliners are related to sanitary napkins in their basic construction^[2]—but are usually much thinner and often narrower than pads. As a result, they absorb much less liquid than pads—making them suitable for light discharge and everyday cleanliness. They are generally unsuitable for menstruation with medium to heavy flow, which requires them to be changed more often.^[2]

There are plenty of variations in pantyliner design, meant to allow flexibility to use, including for "heavy vaginal discharge and light period flow", according to the period tracker Flo.^[3] There are also styles intended to be worn with thong underwear.^[3]

Many pantyliners are made to be one-use, sticking temporarily to the underwear with an adhesive. Some may also have "wings" that are meant to secure the pantyliner to the user's underwear.^[3]