Is it that time of the month again? Tired of hearing this? You all know the all too familiar crankiness, the ‘hangry’ tantrums and the general tiredness that Aunty Flo brings with her every time she visits. First of all you PMS for 2-3 days and then the actual cycle starts and that is a quarter of your month spent in mood swings!

Today being World Menstrual Hygiene Day, we began thinking about what is better for overall hygiene… tampons, sanitary napkins or menstrual cups? Menstrual cups are relatively new, and offer many advantages to you and are generally considered better for the skin and environment. If you have always wanted to know about what these are, and how they benefit you, read on!

 

What is a menstrual cup, anyway?

What is a menstrual cup, anyway?

It is just what the name says it is! It is a cup-like product, very flexible and made to sit inside your vagina and collect your menstrual blood! They are usually made of silicone or rubber and can be used for up to 12 hours depending on the flow. Sanitary napkins and tampons work by absorbing, while menstrual cups work by collecting all the blood.

 

How are menstrual cups used?

How are menstrual cups used?

They are inserted, quite like a tampon to sit a few inches below the cervix. Once it is full, you need to remove it, empty it and sterilise it before the next use.

 

How are they better than sanitary napkins and tampons?

How are they better than sanitary napkins and tampons?

  • No odour – fluid collected in tampons and napkins, when exposed to air, emits an unpleasant odour. This is avoided in period cups as the liquid is never exposed to air and remains in the cup.
  • Better vaginal health – Tampons and napkins absorb all the vaginal fluid along with the blood, thus upsetting the natural pH and the balance between the good and bad bacteria. This is not the case with tampons.
  • Better for the environment – Since period cups are reusable, you will reduce the amount of waste you will be producing.
  • Easier on the pocket – you can use period cups for up to a year, meaning fewer trips you need to run to the pharmacy to stock up on supplies!
  • Easy to use – if you have used tampons, using a period cup should be easy enough. Fold it to look like a tampon, insert it into your vagina and it should draw itself up and fit snugly. Once you get the hang of it – you won’t even feel it is there!