Find out if it’s Menstrual Cups Or Tampons – While the function of a menstrual cup is to collect menstrual flow, tampons are meant to absorb the blood
With changing times, more women are showing changes in the choice of the menstrual products. In our country, still a large percentage of women depend on clothes and old rags, however many others have been able to afford sanitary napkins, if not commercial then local. In urban spaces, women are showing enthusiasm in rising beyond sanitary napkins and choosing other alternatives like menstrual cups and tampons.
For many women who have been open to experimentation with their menstrual products, a silent mental battle has existed between menstrual cup and tampon. While tampons have been commercially more popular in the west, menstrual cups are gaining new grounds because of their reusability and their eco-friendly usage. With many fertility myths floating in the country, the choice between the two products has not been an easy one. Hence, it might be a good idea to review the pros and cons of each.
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Menstrual cups as an eco-friendly product
Menstrual cups are reusable cup-shaped or bell-shaped menstrual products that are mostly used to collect the menstrual flow. They are designed to sit against the cervix. Menstrual cups unlike sanitary napkins are very durable and can last up to 10 years. For women using the cup for the first time, the common most hindrance could be the size which might make it a good or bad experience for them. Hence, it is important for a woman to choose the size of the cup appropriately to avoid leakage. Depending on the heaviness of the flow, the cup has to be emptied in every 4 to 12 hours. Also, no documented increase has been found in the infection rates among women who use menstrual cups. Also, they are made of soft, easy to sterilize medical products. As per studies, the product is reported to cause no change in the vaginal flora. It was found to cause no tissue damage. However, there are some discomforts associated with them such as
- You might spill the blood while taking out the cup
- Difficult to insert if a woman doesn’t know her genital anatomy well
- If not cleaned at proper time, it can cause irritation
- Still they are not commonly known in rural spaces
- They are slightly heavy on pocket as compared to sanitary napkins.
Can we go for Tampons?
Tampons unlike menstrual cups have to be inserted deep inside a woman’s genital. They differ from menstrual cup in their fundamental function and that is not to collect blood but to absorb it. They could be imagined as very small cotton pads or balls that one can insert in their genitals. They come with a string that hangs on the outside and can be used to pull out the product. They are convenient in the sense that they hardly make their presence noticeable or you can’t just feel them when they are inserted properly and this might backfire if the person forgets to remove them on time. Unlike menstrual cups, tampons can be hard to insert if you are using for the first time, they have to be changed frequently. Also when it comes to fertility myths, there are notions that tampons can rupture or damage hymen which till date is a symbol of virginity. Hence, tampons also suffer societal resistance. There is also a rare and serious condition associated with tampon misuse called the toxic shock syndrome that leads to release of toxins in the blood and can result in organ damage and even death.
