5 producten voor je menstruatie

Women have been menstruating since, well, forever. Since then, there have been four products on the market to help us during our periods: pads, tampons, menstrual cups, period underwear, and a sea sponge. They all have their benefits, ranging from convenience to eco-consciousness to 12-hour wearability. But of course, there are also drawbacks, because pads are bulky, underwear leaks, many tampons are made of synthetic materials, menstrual cups have an yuck factor, and a sea sponge… well, that’s a sea sponge. We’ll go through them all, with the help of this article from Vice.

1. Menstrual cups . Although things have gotten better lately, the cups are struggling with a PR problem. Women find them ‘dirty’. You are in direct contact with blood and you have to empty it in the toilet. But many women are very happy with them and they are also ecologically responsible, because you produce less waste.
2. Sanitary pads . They may seem old-fashioned, but they are used by a third of all women. More than you might think, right? Sanitary pads work well, but many women find that they feel uncomfortable. Sanitary pads are also often made of synthetic material, which can cause irritation.
3. Tampons . Dr. Philip Tierno has been researching tampons and Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) for decades. He is one of the few who openly states a link between synthetic materials in tampons and TSS. On the other hand, major tampon brands refer to studies that contradict Tierno’s statements. These studies refute the idea that all cotton tampons are safer than tampons with rayon (aka viscose, aka synthetic material). Ironic fact: organic cotton tampons sound like something new, but they are actually a comeback. Because the first commercial tampon was also made of cotton, see this blog post .
4. Menstrual underwear. THINX and Lunapanties make underwear that is ‘period-proof’. The underwear has four built-in layers that wick away moisture, fight bacteria and absorb as much as two tampons. For every pair of underwear sold, THINX sends money to Afripads, a company that provides reusable sanitary pads to girls in Uganda. It is just that for many women it is unfamiliar to use menstrual underwear, you wear it all day and that is a strange thought.
5. Sea sponge. Similar to a tampon, a small sea sponge can be used during your period. It is very cost-efficient and biodegradable (after all, it is a natural product). In addition, the sponges have a greater absorption capacity, they have to be changed every eight hours. The health risks of the sponges are not entirely clear as they can contain sand, gravel and bacteria. The link with TSS has yet to be investigated. Examples are Sea Pearls in the United States and Jam Sponge in the United Kingdom. The above 5 products are now on the market, but what does the future hold? A patent has already been filed for a tampon with sensors that send a signal to your phone when it is about to fill up. But medicinal tampons could also be an option; some help to adjust the pH of the vagina, some are used to detect cervical cancer. And then there is also a plan to turn jellyfish into absorbent tampons. The jellyfish population is booming, but jellyfish tampons? Speaking of the eww factor…Which product did we forget? And which one do you use the most? Let us know in the comment box below.