Sanitary pads are soft adhesive pads that you wear inside your underwear and most young girls choose to use this type of sanitary protection when they first start their periods.

The pads absorb your menstrual flow and sticky strips hold the pad firmly in your underwear. Sanitary pads come in lots of different shapes and sizes and you might like to try out several different kinds until you find one that suits you best.

The two main types of pads are Maxi and Ultra.

Maxi pads are usually thicker and can be good if you have heavier periods. Some girls find that maxi pads are less discreet and so prefer to opt for ultra pads.

Ultra pads are thinner absorbent pads that are more discreet. Some ultra pads come with wings (sometimes called ultra plus), which wrap around the sides of your underwear to help to secure the pad in place.

Extra protection is sometimes needed at night as you are lying down and may move around in your sleep; night pads, available in both maxi and ultra, are longer in length and will prevent any unwanted leakage on nightclothes or bed linen.

To dispose of your pad after use, it is best to wrap it in toilet roll and put it in the bin or if you are in a public place, such as at school, there is usually a sanitary bin in the toilet cubicle.