Why You Should Consider Changing to a Menstrual Cup

What is a menstrual cup?

A menstrual cup is a flexible cup, usually made out of medical grade silicone or natural latex which is inserted into the vagina and used as an alternative to tampons and sanitary pads.

Menstrual cup VS Tampons

Why consider a menstrual cup? Well, there are lots of good reasons.

It’s Cheaper

The price of a menstrual cup ranges from $10-50 online and will last from 1-10 years. Think about how much money you spend on sanitary products each month, then compare that to the initial expense of a menstrual cup. It’s pretty obvious, if you take care of your cup, investing in a menstrual cup will save you money in the long run. Just be sure to check your menstrual cup regularly for signs of deterioration like discoloration or sticky or powdery film and replace if necessary.

It’s Better for the Environment

Now think about how much packaging your feminine hygiene products come with - boxes, wrapping, applicators and then, of course, the tampon or pad itself. And much of this packaging isn’t biodegradable so it can’t get broken down. According to the book “Flow: The Cultural History of Menstruation,” a woman throws away 150 kilos of feminine hygiene products in her lifetime! Using a menstrual cup cuts down on packaging massively so if you’re trying to reduce your waste this is an easy way to do so.

Easier Periods

Menstrual cups can be worn for up to 10 or 12 consecutive hours so you only need to clean and reinsert a couple of times during the day. With tampons, to ensure maximum safety you should be changing every 6 to 8 hours or more frequently. So while you shouldn’t wear a tampon overnight, you can wear a menstrual cup. They also won’t get that stagnant smell tampons do. And, there’s lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest using a menstrual cup can reduce period pain and cramps. Oh, and fewer trips to the shop because you already have your reusable menstrual cup at home. Convenient, no?

Are tampons bad for you?

While tampons have the all-clear from regulatory bodies like the FDA, they could contain toxic chemicals like pesticides, dyes, and dioxins which can mess with your hormones, cause reproductive and developmental issues, damage the immune system, and even cause cancer! However, since tampons and sanitary pads are regulated as “medical devices”, companies aren’t required to disclose their ingredients making it hard to know exactly what is used to make them. Here’s the thing though, most tampons and sanitary pads contain chemically bleached cotton or rayon and dioxin is a by-product of chlorine bleaching. One study by Environmental Health Perspectives tested 4 brands of tampons and found low levels of dioxins in all of them which is concerning.

Still not sure? Try them out and if you do not like them, you can always go back to tampons. No harm done.