I’m really tired of how it’s still so taboo to talk about periods.
They’re a natural process.
We can’t do much about that.
I remember hiding pads or even bringing my purse to the bathroom to smuggle in tampons because if someone found out, fingers would be pointed and whispers of “omg so-and-so has their period! Gross!”
So around the time I got my first period (12), I was always hiding it as that’s what I was led to believe. Not by my sister or mother, but media. The countless tv commercials of high school girls finding clever ways of passing along a tampon hoping no one would notice (I see you Tampax circa 2003), or even Tampax trying to make light of periods by some really horrible corny humor (like when they introduced an Aunt Flow).
But why do we have to have to watch a commercial based on making light of an ‘embarrassing’ situation like your period? Maybe accidental leakage is what they’re aiming to highlight, as they’re promoting their leakage protection products?
Hmm. So your potential humiliation makes them money. Got it.
In high-school I didn’t care at all. I would make it a point to call out boys that would start making fun of a girl having her period, or joking about her being in a bad mood MUST be PMS. I would always say “It’s just a period. It’s normal. Get over yourself”. Did they drop it after that? Of course. Because what are they going to rebuttal with?
As I got older and going into a medical profession, that really opened my mind on self-awareness. People should honestly look at their poo, skin or hair to see if something is off with their body, and the same should be with the blood from periods. Depending on the colour, volume, and viscosity it can really tell you if you’re having a relatively well functioning cycle. This is also your opportunity to see if you get clots as well (this is something normal for women with PCOS). You may not get as much info when using pads or tampons, but do you know what other hygiene product would?
Menstrual cups.
I started my menstrual cup journey 3 years ago because I was getting really tired of experimenting with different tampon brands, to see what worked and none of them did. I have a short vaginal canal so tampons never fit properly, they were painful to use, and don’t get me started on COST. Sure I could use pads, but quite frankly I don’t want to feel like I’m wearing a diaper, they’re still expensive, and I wear thongs anyways.
So I followed through the thought of switching to menstrual cups, did my research on YouTube as there were many amazing women demonstrating the effectiveness, size comparisons to other companies, the flexibility comparisons, and costs of course. What really sold me was I can spend $40 on one cup and if taken care of properly, it can last YEARS compared to let’s say $20ish per month on disposable products. There are individuals who are wholeheartedly zero waste and have washable pads and tampons and that’s still a route you can go through too, but my preference is definitely the cup.
I started with the Diva Cup as that was the most familiar brand I’ve heard of and being new to menstrual cups absolutely takes a few cycles to get used to honestly, but once you’ve got it, you’ll never look back. My downfalls with the Diva Cup were that the silicone was fairly rigid, so it was difficult for the cup to fully open, as well it was painful and it was too long for me. I spoke with a rep from Diva Cup about this issue and she recommended to flip the cup inside out to shorten it but I did get annoyed that I would have to modify something so personal to my body. In addition to that, I found the silicone to hold smell so I knew it was time to find another company.
So again I did my research, and there are many websites that ask detailed personal questions to offer a selection of brands that may be suitable based off of your answers (I’ll attach one link in the source below). Once going through each brands own website, you can do another questionnaire to narrow down the type of cup as there are different sizes for different life stages ie: pre and post pregnancy.
I found a menstrual cup called the Fun Cup, and I automatically thought who thinks that’s a great name for something for periods? I’ve never heard of a ‘fun’ period however it could be a message that you can go out and have fun while using it? Who knows but let me tell you I bought it for 2 big reasons.
1 – It’s made of medical grade silicone which is hypoallergenic that can be cleaned easily and won’t trap bacteria. The Fun Cup is an extension off Fun Factory which is a sex-toy company, but considering they use the same silicone, you have the assurance that the cup won’t smell eventually. Hey, if sex toys smelled over time, that’s a big problem with material used. I’ve been using the Fun Cup for 4 cycles and it’s like I first bought it.
2 – The shape of it makes sense! Vaginal canals aren’t just perfect cylindrical tubes (hence why the Diva Cup didn’t work out for me), so when I tried the Fun Cup, I felt immediate comfort for the first time as it felt natural.
You can visit https://putacupinit.com/chart/ for a huge cup comparison chart for further exploration, as well as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esYCWb1UUf4 . These links and the one in the source below are all sources I used for my research.
With the Fun Cup I purchased the Explore Kit which contains both sizes because I didn’t want to risk buying one size that may not work for me, but you can use the Size A for lighter days and Size B for heavier. Score!
This cup is made in Germany, so it’s produced under the highest hygienic, safety and quality standards.
Switching to menstrual cups is extremely eco-friendly as between pads, tampons and applicators, one person can create 250-300 pounds of waste over their lifetime.
When using a menstrual cup, all you have to do is empty it and either rinse it clean or wipe with tissue if you don’t have access to a sink within reach and then pop it back in. To sterilize between cycles, just boil it for 3 minutes. When purchasing a Fun Cup, they give you an antimicrobial bag for storage and travel, and can be washed with soap and water.
Many of you do know the risks of TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) when using tampons, but that risk decreases significantly when using menstrual cups as they’re not harboring bacteria over time. Just empty and wash it at least once every 12 hours and you’re good.
There are quite a few of you that think dealing with periods, period blood and touching your vagina are gross or are squeamish, so using cups may not be for you. Using a menstrual cup isn’t any more gross than using pads and tampons.
But, accidentally peeing on your tampon string and walking around with a pee or blood covered piece of cotton in your underwear is gross, so I’d much rather have a cleaner routine of dealing with my period that’s better for the environment, my body, and educating myself on my health will always be top priority.
If you’re someone that doesn’t have a menstrual cycle and still think periods are gross, careful getting your head out of your ass, that would cause bleeding.
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