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Menstrual Products

This Vulvapedia entry will give you an overview of your menstrual products options, along with some other handy info.

Contents


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Menstrual Products...they're not just pads and tampons anymore!

If that sentence made you go "whaaa?", hang tight. The VP wiki is going to take you on a tour of your menstrual product options.

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Yo' Momma's Menstrual Products

In this section, we'll give you a very brief overview of menstrual products of the past. If you'd like more information, please visit The Museum of Menstruation website.

According to the aforementioned mum.org, women of the past used lots of things to deal with their menstrual flow. Some of these things include grass, sponges, rags or other pieces of cloth, or tampons and pads, depending on the culture and the point in history. It's believed that many women simply bled onto their clothes, or wore no underwear and simply bled onto the ground.

The first Kotex ad campaign appeared in 1921. A prototype of that ad tells us that Kotex developed disposable pads as wound dressings for soliders in war time! In the early days of disposable products, pads were different than the disposable, self-stick kind many women use today. In those days, women used pads that strapped onto their underwear. The first tampons were relatively similar to the disposable tampons of today - though many had no applicator and at least one brand didn't even have a string! Tampax offered the first one with an applicator in 1936.

For more information, see these links and other resources:

The Curse: Confronting the Last Unmentionable Taboo: Menstruation, Karen Houppert. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, c1999

The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls, Joan Jacobs Brumberg. Vintage Books, c1997

The Curse: A Cultural History of Menstruation, Janice Delaney, Mary Jane Lupton, Emily Toth. c1976


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Disposable Pads

This is a pretty straightforward one for most women and girls - most everyone is familiar with disposable pads. They're those mysterious things in the big, squishy bags in the "feminine hygiene" section of the grocery store. They're very easy to use - just open up the package, unfold the pad, and stick it to your underwear. Done! Change as necessary, disposing of the used one.

Obviously, the ease of use is an advantage. But the disadvantage? Think about all the waste disposable pads create! Consider how many pads you use in a day during a regular period. Multiply that by the number of days you usually bleed. Now, consider how many months in a year and how many years the average woman menstruates. That's your potential trash creation if you use disposable pads. When you consider the potential waste produced by the hundreds of millions of menstruating women...it gets a little scary, doesn't it? Other possible disadvantages depend on personal taste, but many women find that disposable pads are bulky, plasticky, and feel like diapers. Some don't like the way they hold heat and moisture close to the body. If the disadvantages of disposable pads bother you, but you'd still prefer to use a pad for other reasons, you're going to really like the next section!

Some popular U.S. brands of disposable pads include:


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Reusable Cloth Pads

Reusable, you say? Do people really use reusable pads? Indeed they do, and many people think they're pretty darn great! Reusable pads are made of soft cloth. This concept has been around for as long as women have been using something absorbant to catch their menstrual flow. Nowadays, you can buy reusable pads designed for your comfort, or you can make them yourself. Here's a brief rundown of the advantages and disadvantages of cloth pads.

One major advantage of the cloth pad is the reusability! The waste factor of disposable pads is completely eliminated by using cloth pads. Cloth pads are also economical, as they last for years and years and can be used in place of disposable products that need to be replaced frequently. Another great advantage is how comfortable they are. Cloth pads are soft and cozy, and many women find them far more comfortable than their disposable counterparts. They're great for women who prefer pads over insertable methods of collecting menstrual flow, but don't like disposables or want to make more of an effort to conserve.

There are a few disadvantages, however. Cloth pads are a bit more trouble to take care of, since you don't just throw them out when you're done. Cleaning them is not hard, but it does take more time than simply throwing them out and putting on a new one. The cleaning process goes like this: when the pad is used and you want to change to a new one, you can simply rinse it out in the sink, wring it out, and throw it in your dirty laundry, to be washed with the rest of your clothes. Or, you can soak it in a bowl of water for a while, then rinse and hand wash. How you do it is up to you! You will have to come in contact with your menses, which not everyone is comfortable with. (Just as a note: remember that your menses aren't dirty or germy or anything like that - it's just your own blood and tissue! However, your comfort level with your blood is important and needs to be taken into account.) Other possible disadvantages include the initial cost. While reusables are cheaper in the long run, buying them premade can be expensive at first. If this is an issue for you, you can make your own! Lastly, some women just prefer an insertable menstrual product. If this is the case for you, read on.

Purchase Cloth Pads - or make your own!

If you're interested in cloth pads, here are some links that you may find useful:


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Tampons

Tampons are convenient and easy, but they are fraught with issues for many people. Many women prefer tampons because they are easy to use (as long as you are comfortable touching your vulva and putting your fingers in your vagina). Many women find them to be more comfortable than a pad, and many report that they don't feel them at all when they are wearing one. Tampons need to be changed regularly, but they can be left in during swimming and other activities where a pad would be inconvenient and/or visible. (Tampons should not be used during penetrative sex, however.)

The various issues with tampons are somewhat complex. Some women are uncomfortable inserting an object into their vagina. If you're uncomfortable touching your body, they will not be the best choice for you. Sometimes, girls and women are worried about whether they will still be virgins if they use tampons (and the answer to that question is YES! ) Some women do feel them and find the sensation uncomfortable. But the major concern with tampons is TSS, or toxic shock syndrome.


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Toxic Shock Syndrome

What is Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)?

TSS is a rare but serious bacterial infection that is linked with tampon use (and more rarely, surgical incisions, wounds, and insertable contraceptive devices such as the diaphragm.) The exact connection between TSS and tampons is unclear, but it's believed to be caused by the warm, moist bacterial growth environment the inserted tampon provides. Symptoms of TSS include sudden high fever, feeling faint, diarrhea, headache, and muscle aches. Get treatment as soon as possible after experiencing symptoms, because TSS can be easily treated if the symptoms are caught early. To prevent TSS, change your tampons frequently (every few hours), alternate with pads, or simply use another method of catching your flow. Also, be sure to wash your hands before inserting or removing tampons, and keep tampons in a cool, dry place (source).

Some common U.S. brands of tampons include:

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Other health concerns

There are a lot of other health concerns related to your average disposable tampon. Here's a list of a few issues:

  • Tampons are bleached with chlorine. This produces deadly chemicals called dioxins, which wind up in the environment and remain in extremely tiny trace amounts in your tampons. The FDA says that this amount won't hurt you, but many women feel that it's not worth being repeatedly exposed to even a tiny amount of dioxins when other options are available.
  • Tampons are not sterile. Just because they are white, doesn't mean they are clean!
  • Tampons absorb your vagina's natural lubrication, drying you out and altering your vagina's natural environment.

For more information on the health risks associated with tampons, see the following links:

You should also know that some tampons are made with organic cotton and are therefore safer than most disposable tampons. Check out your local health food store or co-op to find those, or visit natracare.com.

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Sea Sponges

Sea sponges can be used as tampons, with less of the environmental concerns and health risks associated with regular tampons. Sea sponges are easy to use. You simply squish them up, insert them into your vagina where they will unsquish, and let them absorb your flow. You remove them with your fingers, rinse them out, and put them back in. At the end of your period or once a day (whatever you're comfortable with), you soak them in a solution of vinegar and water or peroxide and water, to clean them. Then they can be left to dry and reused on your next period.

The advantages of sea sponges are their relative ease of use, reusability, and relative safety. There are disadvantages, however. Some women find sea sponges leak more than regular tampons do. Others don't like the fact that sponges don't come with strings for easy removal, the way tampons do. Also, some vegans prefer not to use sea sponges, as they are technically an animal.

For more information on sea sponges, check out the following:


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Reusable Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups are probably the most revolutionary idea for many women in terms of alternative menstrual products. They can look a little scary and may seem a little weird at first, but for many women, they are a great option. Menstrual cups are what they sound like - cups you wear in your vagina that catch your menstrual flow. They're soft and flexible, so you can fold them up to insert them. Once inside, the cup pops open, creating a vaccuum seal that keeps your flow going into the cup. When you want to remove the cup, you slip a finger in beside it, break the seal by bending the edge of the cup inwards, and pull it out. This is obviously tricky at first, but with practice it can become as easy as inserting and removing a tampon!

One of the biggest advantages of the cup is the fact that no matter what kind you get, they last for up to 10 years. 10 years! That's a whole lot of waste you're not making and money you're not spending on disposable products. Cups are also pretty low maintainence - they can be left in for 12 hours at a time, because they aren't absorbant like tampons. Once you take them out, you empty them in the toilet, rinse or wash them out, and reinsert. Many women find the cup more comfortable than tampons, because it doesn't dry out the vagina. Cups have also never been associated with TSS, though users should still take care to rinse it regularly and to wash their hands before insertion or removal.

There are some disadvantages, as with everything we've covered so far (isn't that always the way?) Cups are a fairly expensive initial investment of approximately $30, but that is a once-every-several-years sort of expense. They are hard to find in stores and usually have to be bought online. They also have a learning curve - you've got to allow some time to figure out how the cup works with your body, and how best to get it in and out. It takes practice! But the silver lining to both the cost and the learning curve issue is this: cups are returnable, for a full refund. At least one company, Diva Cup, offers that guarantee for a full year after purchase! That's plenty of time to try it out, experiment with it, and see if you like it. What have you got to lose?

There are different companies that sell slightly differing reusable cups. Diva Cup is one U.S. based business that sells clear cups with lines on them to indicate how full they are. Many women prefer this cup because of those features, and because it is safe for people with latex allergies and comparitively inexpensive. Diva Cup also offers a 1 year money-back guarantee, making it a very safe bet. Mooncup is a UK-based business selling soft silicone-rubber cups similar to the Diva. The Keeper is sold by a U.S. based company. It is brown and made from rubber, which is not latex but may be an issue for people with latex allergies.

What do the cups look like? Some great pictures comparing size, shape, color, and so on are available here, at the Menstrual Cups LiveJournal community.

Links for reusable menstrual cups:

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Disposable Menstrual Cups (Insteads)

Insteads are menstrual cups, but they are drastically different from reusable cups in several ways. First, they are - obviously - disposable! You use them once and then throw them away. This can be convenient, but it is also wasteful compared to reusable products. They are also shaped very differently from reusbale cups - Insteads are more like diaphragms, and they sit differently in the vagina. So, success with one type of cup does not indicate success with the other, and vice versa.

Advantages of Insteads include disposability, low risk of TSS, and non-absorbancy. Disadvantages vary, but some women find Insteads more likely than reusable cups to move around, come out, or leak. There's also the waste factor.

For more information on Insteads, check out:

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Deciding What's Right For You

Obviously, there are many, many choices available to you when it comes to menstrual products. The best way to decide what's right for you? Examine your own feelings and thoughts about each type. Experiment a bit, and see what you like and what you don't. Be open to trying new things! You can always use a combination of products if that is what works best for you. Happy menstruating!

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More Information

Other links and information that you may find interesting:

  • AEHA Guide to Less Toxic Products by Susan Bone, New World Publishing
  • Dying to Look Good: The Disturbing Truth About What's Really in Your Cosmetics, Toiletries and Personal Care Products by Christine Hoza Farlow, Kiss for Health Publishing


NOTES AND DISCLAIMERS: This FAQ (and VP) is no substitute for medical advice or care. Much of the information above has been adapted from the indicated sources. Click on the links to see their original text or to get more information. Any non-quoted items come from the VP Team's personal experience, which, again, is no substitute for medical expertise. As always, there is a limit to the information internet resources can provide; if you require additional assistance, it's best to contact an appropriate professional.

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