Napkins, tampons and sanitary underwear: how to choose the right products
Don’t be overwhelmed by products from different eras. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s going on to help you decide which product is best for you.
In the Facebook group, which has more than 85,000 members, women are sharing how their menstrual symptoms have improved after ditching tampons and using menstrual disks.
“We have a 25,000-member Facebook group, and we hear over and over again that their symptoms have been reduced,” says Cherie Hoeger, CEO and founder of reusable menstrual care brand Saalt. “The group is autonomous and everyone just answers each other’s questions.”
A small but promising new study backed up their anecdotes, finding that 78% of participants reported improved symptoms after using a reusable menstrual cup or menstrual disc over a tampon. The study, published in May by People Science, involved 256 participants who were asked to record daily symptoms such as cramps, headaches, fatigue, bloating, and food cravings over three menstrual cycles.
The private Facebook group “Put A Cup In It Community” has over 85,000 members and was founded 10 years ago. The subreddit r/menstrualcups has 31,000 visitors each week. Members can ask questions about periods and reusable period care products such as menstrual cups, menstrual discs, cloth pads, and period underwear. Enthusiastic users tout environmental benefits such as reduced waste, lower costs, and potential for symptom management. But despite this long-standing community and a growing body of research supporting the use of menstrual cups and discs, most women don’t use them.
According to the Apple Women’s Health Study, the most common menstrual products are pads and tampons, but only one in five women have ever used a cup or period underwear.
But Hoger believes the tide is changing in menstrual care as the public becomes more aware of reusable products. For example, ads for Knicks leak-proof underwear were spotted on New York City subway cars this spring and frequently appeared on Hulu. Last year, Kristen Bell appeared in the brand’s anti-taboo campaign, telling Women’s Wear Daily, “I love period underwear.”
“It was freeing, easier and more sustainable,” she said.
So what are menstrual cups and menstrual discs? Why do people switch to menstrual cups and menstrual discs?
What is a reusable vintage item?
The National Organization for Women estimates that the average woman spends about $20 on sanitary products each menstrual cycle, or about $18,000 over her lifetime. In contrast, the average menstrual cup costs between $20 and $40 and can last up to 10 years, depending on the specific product, reducing costs and environmental waste.
A menstrual cup is inserted into the vagina during menstruation and placed under the cervix to collect menstrual blood. According to the Mayo Clinic, many people report that cups are more comfortable, less irritating, and can be worn for longer periods of time than pads or tampons.
Hoeger recommends that women with intrauterine devices (IUDS) use discs instead of cups. This is because the cup uses suction to stay in place, potentially causing the IUD to become dislodged. On the other hand, it requires the use of flat discs that are more flexible and expand as menstrual blood collects.
Period underwear can be worn like regular underwear and can be washed and reused in the washing machine between menstrual days and cycles. A layer of fabric is added to absorb menstrual blood and prevent leakage.
Typical tampons contain the following ingredients: chemicals and heavy metal Contaminants, menstrual cups and menstrual discs are usually made of medical grade silicone. Some brands may use latex or thermoplastic elastomers. Period underwear is made from cotton as well as other materials such as nylon and spandex, and they come in various absorbency levels.
However, some women find these products cumbersome because they require maintenance and cleaning between cycles, unlike disposable pads and tampons, which can be discarded immediately after use.
How menstrual cups reduce symptoms
People’s perceptions of menstruation influence the pain they experience, said Marybeck Griffin, a researcher in the People Science study and director of the Master of Public Health program at New York University.
“If you’ve been told your whole life that periods are awful, dirty, and painful, you’re going to experience them with those thoughts and expectations,” she says.
But she hypothesized that the products you use may actually be contributing to your symptoms.
“When you insert a tampon, it’s fibrous and dry,” she says. Menstrual cups and menstrual discs are designed to be soft, flexible, and form-fitting. Tampons absorb your body’s natural moisture, which can cause micro-tears and chafing.
According to Healthline, tampons can cause pelvic pain, which can cause pain similar to cramps. However, because menstrual pain occurs in the uterus and tampons are located in the vaginal canal, scientific evidence does not support a link between tampons and menstrual pain.
The study found a correlation between menstrual cups and discs and symptom relief, but more research is needed to prove causation. Griffin hopes this study will spur further research into menstrual pain relief, especially at a time when funding for women’s health research has dried up.
For Gen Z, cost is a ‘big’ factor in transition
For Hogger, reusables are the “gold standard” for period care. But she understands that people are “very skeptical” about these products.
“It took me a while to make the switch,” she says. “[People]see them as a fringe alternative.”
Often, people choose to manage their periods with something “that older woman gave them when they got their period for the first time in their life,” Griffin said. So if your mother used tampons, you’re more likely to use tampons too.
In Hoeger’s experience, customers switch to reusable products for a variety of reasons.
“It’s usually a life change,” she explains. “They just had a baby, their anatomy is changing, or they just started college and all of a sudden cost becomes a big factor. Depending on their age, the cost is huge for Gen Z.”
