I have had heavy periods since I was fifteen. For twenty years, my approach was: industrial-strength pads, a change of clothes in my bag at all times, and a low-level anxiety that sat with me for five to seven days every month without fail. I'd tried everything — different brands, different absorbencies, overnight pads worn during the day, the lot. Nothing felt like a proper solution. Everything felt like damage limitation.
I was sceptical about period underwear for a long time. It sounded, frankly, too good to be true. But after a particularly bad day at work — I'm a secondary school teacher, so "nipping out to sort yourself" is not always an option — I decided I had nothing to lose by trying.
The Day That Made Me Finally Act
It was a Tuesday in November. I was mid-lesson, year ten, and I knew something had gone wrong. I had a pad in. I had a spare in my bag in the staffroom. Neither of these facts was helpful to me at that precise moment. I managed to get through the lesson, get to the staffroom, and sort myself out — but the stress of those forty minutes was something I'd been living with, in various forms, for two decades.
That evening I sat down and properly researched period underwear for the first time. Not a quick scroll, but a genuine deep dive into what was actually available, what the absorbency claims meant in practice, and what real women with heavy flows were actually saying about their experiences.
Why I Chose The Polly
There are a lot of period underwear brands out there, and I was methodical about narrowing them down. My non-negotiables were: heavy absorbency (I needed something that could genuinely handle a lot, not just light days), a high waist for security and comfort, and something that didn't look or feel like a medical garment. I wanted to actually want to wear it.
The Polly Leakproof Knicker ticked every box. The four-layer absorbent gusset holds up to 25ml — the equivalent of four to five tampons — which for a heavy flow day is genuinely meaningful protection, not just a backup. The wider gusset design and high waist were specifically called out as features for heavier periods and overnight use, which is exactly what I needed. And the lace detail meant it looked like actual underwear rather than something purely functional.
I found it through ALTOE's Lingerie collection, which is where I'd point anyone starting their search. It also sits within the broader Women's Underpants and Clothing collections if you want to browse the full range, and the Apparel & Accessories section has plenty more worth exploring.
The First Wear: Cautious but Converted
I wore The Polly for the first time on day two of my cycle — historically my worst day. I wore it alone, no backup, which felt like an act of faith bordering on recklessness. I was at school. I had back-to-back lessons until 3pm.
Nothing happened. By which I mean: nothing went wrong. I checked at lunch, cautiously, and everything was fine. I got through the full day without incident, without anxiety, without the low-level dread that had been my companion every month for twenty years. I drove home and sat in the car for a moment just feeling the absence of that stress.
The Practicalities: Washing, Drying, Wearing
The care instructions are straightforward: wash at 30 or 40 degrees, no fabric conditioner, air dry. The air drying does take longer than regular underwear — the layers of gusset need time — so I'd recommend having at least two pairs if you're planning to use them across consecutive days. I now have four, which covers my full cycle comfortably with time to wash and dry between wears.
The fabric composition — nylon and elastane outer, cotton-rich lining, polyester and nylon middle layer, waterproof TPU — means it feels comfortable against the skin while the waterproof layer does its job invisibly. After six months of regular washing, mine still look and perform exactly as they did when new.
Six Months On: What's Actually Changed
I no longer carry a change of clothes to work. I no longer plan my teaching schedule around where the nearest accessible toilet is. I no longer spend the first two days of my cycle in a state of low-grade anxiety about what might happen and when.
I've also stopped buying disposable pads entirely, which has saved me a meaningful amount of money over six months and removed a significant amount of single-use plastic from my life. The environmental case for reusable period underwear is well-documented, but I'll be honest: I didn't switch for environmental reasons. I switched because I was exhausted. The environmental benefit is a welcome bonus.
If you have heavy periods and you've been putting off trying period underwear because it sounds too good to be true, I understand that scepticism completely. I had it too. But the Polly Leakproof Knicker is the real thing. It does what it says. And for me, that has made an enormous difference to twenty-plus days of my year that used to be defined by anxiety and inconvenience.
Start with one pair. Wear it on a day when you're at home and can monitor how it goes. I'd be very surprised if you didn't order more within the week.
Gemma Forsythe is a secondary school English teacher based in Edinburgh. She writes occasionally about women's health, sustainable living, and the products that have genuinely improved her quality of life.
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