The plant where I worked used female pads as filters in instrument air lines. This was a major corporation but seems the pads did a better job then the commercial filters. And they cost much less.
So you can see they can be used in many different ways.
My grandmother went shopping for napkins for the dinner table. You can guess what we found laid out at each of our places at the table that evening.
As an owner, lover, and student of vaginas I have to jump out of lurk and correct you. Most women just change their underwear everyday to keep things “nice and fresh.”
While the vagina does secrete mucus almost constantly it isn’t normal for it to drip. It’s like any other mucus membrane in the human body, and healthy eyes and noses don’t require pads. It normally secretes only enough to keep itself from drying out. During ovulation and arousal it’s going to be more copious, and I’ve heard of some women who use a tampon or a pad if they’re planning on getting extremely aroused while wearing tight clothing that might show spots, but it isn’t typical. The majority of dampness that’s going to end up on a healthy woman’s underwear will actually be sweat, since it gets hot between a woman’s thighs.
And…I am ending this now before I start making ASCII diagrams.
Actually, I’d be afraid to say anything about the pad habits of most women, since I know a very, very small percentage of the women in the world, this country, this state, or even this county. I’d also hesitate to correct someone else about the habits of their acquaintances. That’s just me, though.
Some of us are, umm, moister than others as a baseline, to say nothing of the increased secretion during certain parts of the menstrual cycle and when aroused. It’s not dripping or anything, but it’s not unusual for the old panties to get a little damp, and I really, really, REALLY fucking HATE
Actually, I’d be afraid to say anything about the pad habits of most women, since I know a very, very small percentage of the women in the world, this country, this state, or even this county. I’d also hesitate to correct someone else about the habits of their acquaintances. That’s just me, though.
Some of us are, umm, moister than others as a baseline, to say nothing of the increased secretion during certain parts of the menstrual cycle and when aroused. It’s not dripping or saturating anything, but it’s not unusual for the old panties to get a little damp, and some folks really, really, REALLY fucking HATE the feel of damp undies. So they wear pantyliners, as changing to a nice, dry liner is much more convenient than changing into nice, dry panties.
What’s an old lady’s crotch smell like?
Depends.
I’m with CrazyCatLady - there’s no way to determine what someone’s comfort level is with the, erm, amount of secretions that they may or may not produce over the course of a day. Hence, another use of pantiliners. As far as I’m concerned, their vagina, their rules.
However, post-menopausal women, especially those many years post-menopause, are known to be lacking in the “normal secretions” area. Vaginal dryness, even when one wishes for there to be anything but, is very frequently experienced. So I’d join in the speculation that in the case of the OP’s grandmother, the panty liners were more than likely a stopgap measure to deal with minor (aka “stress”) incontinence.
Well… I know a lady who frequented Comedy clubs. She would wear panty liners for just in case she started laughing and… you know, spilled…
Yup. My mom has had a hysterectomy ages ago. Bought panty-liners when she had a really bad chest cold because she would have coughing fits that were enough for a little tinkle.
For extremely minor incontinence, they come in handy.
Sometimes the elderly will need to pee, but don’t quite make it to the toidy in time. Or they’ll have a little pre-pee tinkle, or a post-pee tinkle. Not diaper-needing incontinence, just a little oopsie.
Eg/ My FIL is in his mid-70s. He’ll go to the bathroom, zip up, and make it all the way back to the living room and then suddenly – oops! Turns out he wasn’t wuite done yet. Just a little bit – maybe a teaspoon or two – but enough for him to need to change his undies. He hates it when that happens.
CrazyCatLady and tlw - you’re absolutely right. Let me amend that to say that the women that I personally know don’t wear panty liners all month, but there are obviously women who do by personal choice. I was going to throw in all sorts of qualifications into my post, but realized few people would want to read quite that much about a woman’s reproductive organs, so I went for being shorter and less acurate. :smack: Sorry. I just dislike the idea being tossed around that there’s something “gushy” about women’s bodies in general.
Well I actually never made a point of saying they were ‘gushy’. But she was right about every woman being different. And honestly, it’s not something women discuss with each other lightly.
Woman A: My what a lovely pair of shoes!
Woman B: Why thank you!
Woman A: Speaking of which…how much liquid does your vagina secrete on a daily basis? Because, my oh my, does mine go at it. I must wear those panty liners nearly every day.
Woman B: Oh I know what you mean!
Thusly, this is something that will never have an all around, 100% accurate answer 
I believe Bette Davis said it best when she said, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.”
that was hilarious. I had an aim conversation something like that once… like
Person: How’s it going (something similar)
Me: OK. (something similar)
Person: That’s good. How many times (weekly) do you masturbate?
AFAIK pantliners are made to be worn at any time of the month. The box even leads me to believe that they can be worn every day.
Is this a Rule Against Perpetuities question?
WARNING: POSSIBLY TMI
They came in very handy for me after some minor gynecological surgery. For several weeks after some procedures, it’s possible to, umm, be losing bits of tissue. Gross in the extreme, and not only women of childbearing age will need surgery from time to time. And for some women, even a routine Pap smear can cause bloody discharge for a day or two afterward.
I think it depends on the woman. As someone with fertilty problems, I don’t quite have the daily fluid secretion level of most women … however with pregnancy I’ve gone up.
Some women who have experienced this rise wore pantiliners every day of their pregnancy, some don’t.
I also expect that pantiliners, being breathable (mostly) and cottony (mostly) would be likely to help battle the conditions such as secretion, sweat, and unbreathability, that lead to incubation of the unbalancedness known as a yeast infection … as it seems that most women I know don’t wear cotton panties to begin with nor do they choose free flowing, breathing outer clothes on a regular basis.
Knowing about the heat and sweat and other lovely contributions to a YI, I’ve adjusted my habits accordingly, and instead of getting them a couple times a year like the aforementioned women, I generally get them only when I’m ill and antibiotics are wreaking havoc on my system.
Other women, it’s been my experience, wear them simply because they don’t want any icky stuff on their undies, ever.
Well, of COURSE it does, they want to sell more of them!
I only use them when I’m spotting or something – and for a day or two post-pap smear, I do! I’d think using them all the time, unless you are very damp, would be a waste of money and of all the materials that went into making them. If things get a bit damp, well, I can change my undies. These ARE the same people who sell useless irritating perfumed tampons…hey, it’s a vagina. Vaginas are a bit damp. They don’t smell like flowers, either. No biggie.
To answer the OP, I’m throwing in another vote for minor incontinence. It happens to a lot of women.