Panties Mature Women
As a fashion designer, I designed collections for major retailers for many years in Canada, and I specialized in lingerie over the course of my career. I truly enjoyed choosing fabrics and trims, creating color combos, and designing collections that women loved to wear. Although I am no longer a fashion designer, I still have the guilty pleasure of enjoying lingerie (a lot)!
panties mature women
I can remember the days in the 80s and 90s of the past century when I swore by thong and string panties and wore practically nothing else. Today, my lingerie collection has zero thongs, zero string undies. Not a single one.
The high cut brief is designed with a larger leg opening. These can be more comfortable to wear for some women while still providing adequate coverage at the back. High cut briefs offer a more revealing look, showing more leg.
Seamless panties are usually made of a specialty fabric that is molded with the least seams. Typically, these styles offer a cotton crotch. They are great for minimizing the look of panty lines and are often used when doing sports.
The fabric should breathe, absorb, and wick moisture. Cotton and natural fibers like bamboo, for example, are good choices. If you do opt for lace panties or man-made fabrics make sure that the crotch area is made of cotton and that it is big enough.
Your panties should fit properly and not dig into your waist or thighs. This can cause them to reveal panty lines under your clothes. Not very elegant! Remember to change your panty size as your body changes over the years.
HINT: White panties or bras are not the best underwear to wear under white clothing. Many women make this mistake. Choose nude (or flesh) colored underwear. Some brands offer them in a variety of shades to match various skin tones.
Choosing lingerie as older women is a very personal experience. The fabric, the color, and the style will all depend on your personal taste, lifestyle, and preference. Of course, we expect sexy lingerie to be less comfortable than our cotton briefs, but we should still feel comfy without anything poking into our skin.
Our original testing panel consisted of three cis women and one transgender woman, and they ranged in size (S to XL) and self-described body shape (straight hips, wide hips, bigger booty); three of our testers identified themselves as having post-pregnancy tummy pooches, too. Our trans tester did not test thongs. Each tester wore each pair for a minimum of a day, but the favorite pairs quickly moved into daily rotation. And a handful of our testers have been wearing them regularly for at least a few months and up to a year. The testing panel rated the undies according to the following criteria:
We wanted to test Nubian Skin underwear, a line of intimates with four nude shades designed for women of color. But the UK-based company has a $100 free-shipping minimum, and its complicated return policy seemed a bit out of reach at the time we started testing items for this guide. (However, some styles are now available online at Net-a-Porter.com.) We would like to revisit this line for our next update.
Sometimes we just want to feel romantic, sexy or like the divas we are at 50-plus. There are plenty of provocative bras, bodysuits, thongs and panties frilled with lace and mesh that lack the balance of comfort and sauciness we're aiming for now. On the other hand, black lace never fails. Try a stretch lace bra like the Cosabella Plus Never Say Never Curvy Sweetie Soft Bra NEV1310 in black ($65, herroom.com) or a wire-free plunge style like the Wacoal Halo Lace Wireless Bra 811205 in black ($30, herroom.com), as well as stretch lace boy shorts like the Maidenform Sexy Must Haves Lace Cheeky Boyshort Panty DMCLBS in black ($12, or 3 for $30, herroom.com) or a cheeky lace hipster like the B.Tempt'D by Wacol B. Bare Hipster in night ($13, barenecessities.com). Who says we can't have it all?
Oestrogen is the primary hormone that regulates the physiology of the vulvovaginal tissues. As a woman ages, the progressivedecline in circulating oestradiol, beginning in the peri-menopausal period, results in a number of changes that can affectthe health of the genitourinary tract. The inherent sensitivity of the vulvovaginal skin, progressive oestrogen deficiencyand the close proximity of the urethral opening and the anus, combined with skin changes due to ageing make conditionsaffecting the vulvovaginal skin common and a cause of distress for many post-menopausal women.
Vulvovaginal atrophy is the term used to describe the specific atrophic changes of the vulva and vagina that occursprogressively in all women after menopause. It is also regarded as a condition in itself because the characteristicchanges due to declining oestrogen can result in a range of symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, irritation anddiscomfort. The atrophic changes also make the vulvovaginal skin more vulnerable to trauma and infection.1
In addition to vulvovaginal atrophy, a number of other conditions become more common after menopause, such as vulvaldermatitis, lichen sclerosus and less frequently, lichen planus. Lichen simplex may also occur in post-menopausalwomen, however, it is more frequently observed in younger women. The pattern of symptoms from these conditionscan often be similar, with the majority of women having itch as their primary symptom. The non-specific natureof the presenting symptoms, however, can make distinguishing between the various conditions difficult.
In some women, more than one vulval condition may be present simultaneously or there may be a more generalised underlyingdermatological condition, e.g. psoriasis. Itching from a primary dermatosis may lead to scratching and excessive use ofhygienic measures, leading to secondary lichen simplex and irritant contact dermatitis. Other diagnoses should be considered,therefore, if an initial treatment regimen has failed to produce an improvement in symptoms.2 Making a diagnosis can bedifficult in some patients, so it is generally recommended that referral to a Dermatologist or a Gynaecologist (preferablywith a special interest in vulval dermatoses) should be considered for confirmation of a diagnosis if the vulval disorderhas failed to respond to initial treatment.
Acknowledging that changes in vulvovaginal health are an expected part of ageing and initiating a conversation aboutthe presence of any symptoms may encourage women to share their concerns and be more receptive about the options for treatment.6 Some women may not reveal that they have a skin disorder affecting the vulva because they are uncomfortable or embarrassedby the need for a clinical examination of the vulvovaginal area. Their concerns should be acknowledged and if appropriate,other options could be offered, e.g. seeing a female General Practitioner in the practice if their regular General Practitioneris male.
Women who are peri- or post-menopausal may present with symptoms due to pelvic organ prolapse. The symptoms includea dragging sensation in the pelvis, urinary incontinence or difficulties with micturition and defaecation. Examinationwill usually reveal bulging of the vaginal walls due to prolapse of the uterus, rectum or bladder and in some women descentof the cervix (or vaginal vault in women following hysterectomy) that depending on the stage of the prolapse may extendthrough the introitus with straining. Treatment options include pelvic floor exercises (often guided by a physiotherapist),topical oestrogen, use of a vaginal ring pessary or surgery.
Lichen simplex arises as a result of excessive scratching and rubbing of an area affected with an underlying condition,e.g. contact dermatitis or neuropathic pruritus. This leads to lichenification of hair-bearing skin, usuallyon the labia majora or perineum, where the skin becomes thickened with increased skin markings and follicular prominence(Figure 1).Lichen simplex is itself intensely itchy, therefore excoriations and broken off hairs are also frequently seen. Pruritusresults in a characteristic itch-scratch-itch cycle with symptoms often worse at night or aggravated by heat, humidity,soaps or the presence of urine or faeces on the affected areas.8 In addition to itch, sometimes women describe a feelingof burning or pain. Symptoms can be intermittent or persistent and the history may extend back for months or years.8 Lichensimplex can occur anywhere on the body but the vulval area is one of a number of sites more commonly affected, othersbeing the lower legs, forearms, wrists and the back of the scalp and neck.9 On the vulva, lichen simplex can be localisedto one area or widespread, although mucosal or glabrous (hairless) areas are not affected.8
In addition, cool packs to control itch short-term, and emollients to reduce dryness and itch, can be applied frequentlyand may be helpful. Erosions and fissures can be caused by scratching and, although uncommon, can predispose the patientto secondary bacterial infections which may require oral antibiotics.8 Treatment can often result in complete resolutionof symptoms, however, this relies heavily on an effective approach to the elimination of vulval irritants and being ableto stop the itch-scratch-itch cycle. For some women, lichen simplex can become chronic and cause significant distress.Long-term use of a tricyclic antidepressant, and intermittent applications of topical corticosteroid ointments (e.g.,as weekend pulses), may be required in these women.
Eliminating any aggravating factors is an important step in the management of women with conditions affecting the vulvovaginalarea.8 Aggravating factors include scratching and rubbing, products and routines used for cleansing, exposure to urineor faeces and medicines or products used to reduce symptoms from the underlying condition.8 Women who are post-menopausalare more likely to be affected by these factors than younger women, as the barrier that the vulvovaginal skin forms ismore vulnerable due to oestrogen deficiency.
Lichen sclerosus is an inflammatory skin disorder, thought to be of autoimmune origin, but with influences from genes,hormones, irritants and infection.8, 11 It can occur in women of any age, but most frequently in those aged over 50 years.11 Lichen sclerosus primarily affects the glabrous (hairless) vulval, perineal and perianal skin but does not involve thevagina itself. Longstanding disease can extend to involve the labia majora and inguinal folds. Approximately 10% of womenwith vulval lichen sclerosus will also have non-genital areas of skin affected,11 and up to 20% may have another autoimmunedisease, such as thyroid dysfunction, vitiligo, psoriasis or pernicious anaemia.8, 11 041b061a72