Menstrual cup vs tampon vs pads: Which period product offers better protection?

As girls, everyone knows the struggles of menstruation – the cramps, temper swings, meals cravings, and the worry of leakage. It’s essential to keep up hygiene in periods by utilizing sanitary pads, tampons, or menstrual cups. There have been important developments in female hygiene merchandise, providing girls a variety of selections. Whereas sanitary pads stay the popular alternative in India, rising choices like tampons and menstrual cups are gaining recognition. Nevertheless, youthful girls are more and more choosing tampons or menstrual cups. So, the query arises – which one is more practical: menstrual cup vs tampon vs pads? Listed here are the professionals and cons of menstrual cups, tampons, and pads.

Menstrual cup vs tampons vs pads: Execs and cons

Listed here are the professionals and cons of menstrual cups, tampons, and pads as defined by the gynecologist, Dr Anilasre Atluri.

What’s a menstrual cup?

It’s a versatile cone-shaped female hygiene product designed to be used throughout menstruation. In contrast to pads and Tampons, menstrual cups are used to gather the blood as an alternative of absorbing it. It’s inserted into the vagina and will be reused for years.

Execs of menstrual cup

1. Promotes low leakage

Menstrual cups have a low leakage fee when correctly inserted and sealed.

2. Maintains pure pH stability

They don’t take up any micro organism and may’t upset your physique’s pure pH stability.

3. Retains odour at bay

With menstrual cups, you received’t have to fret about any form of odour.

4. Setting-friendly

It’s an eco-friendly product and in addition generates much less waste.

5. Economically possible

You may need to spend somewhat further on a menstrual cup initially, but it surely lasts you a very long time. So that you don’t want to fret about spending cash on menstrual merchandise every so often.

Cons of menstrual cup

1. Elimination is messy

Inserting a menstrual cup could appear simple, however eradicating it may be tough. You could take a while to grasp the way it works correctly.

2. Wants correct upkeep

It’s essential to rinse and clear the cup after elimination earlier than reassembling it. Furthermore, the cup must be sterilised both with sizzling water or a cleanser after each use. The cup might harbour micro organism if it isn’t correctly cleaned, which could doubtlessly trigger an sickness or trigger the silicone materials to interrupt down.

3. Attainable match points

The menstrual cup isn’t a “one measurement suits all” method so that you may must strive a couple of totally different varieties or sizes to see which one works greatest for you. Menstrual cups might trigger issues if in case you have a lowered uterus or a low cervix.

What’s a tampon?

Tampons are disposable interval merchandise sometimes made of soppy, absorbent supplies, akin to cotton, rayon, or a mixture of each, and are cylindrical. Tampons are inserted into the vagina to soak up menstrual fluid immediately from the supply.

Execs of tampon

1. Availability of measurement is straightforward

Most ladies select to put on tampons quite than sanitary pads. Tampons are available in quite a lot of sizes and absorbencies. Thus, you need to use it for as much as 8 hours.

2. No visibility

It could be very awkward if a pad peeks via your underwear. However with tampons, you will be carefree about this drawback.

3. Prevents odour

Tampons have much less scent than pads or different exterior items since they’re inserted internally.

4. Permits swimming and different bodily actions

In distinction to pads, tampons help you swim whereas in your interval. It’s also potential to play sports activities and partake in different strenuous actions as a result of they supply higher consolation than pads.

Cons of tampon

1. Could improve poisonous shock syndrome danger

Tampons can improve the danger of TSS (Poisonous Shock Syndrome), so it’s vital to make use of them in accordance with steered directions to scale back this danger.

2. Will increase danger of infections

The physique might get infected or contaminated with micro organism because of tampon residue or fibres. Tampons additionally is probably not as efficient for folks with particular medical issues, together with vaginal infections or sensitivity, they usually might require using different menstrual merchandise as an alternative.

3. Could also be uncomfortable

When utilizing tampons, some customers might really feel delicate or uncomfortable, particularly if the tampon isn’t put appropriately or of the insufficient absorbency degree.

What’s a sanitary pad?

Sanitary pads are rectangular items of absorbent materials which are caught to the panties to soak up menstrual stream in periods. They arrive in several sizes, have to be modified usually, and are sometimes manufactured from layers of absorbent materials, together with cotton, rayon, and different artificial supplies.

Utilizing expired sanitary pads or tampons will be harmful: Know the negative effects

Execs of sanitary pad

1. No dangers of TSS

In comparison with tampons, sanitary pads don’t have any danger of TSS (Poisonous shock Syndrome) which implies much less to fret about.

2. Simple to make use of

Sanitary pads are comparatively easy to utilise and don’t name for any specific strategies or skills. They keep in place whereas getting used due to their sticky facet, which adheres to undergarments. Most people really feel that utilizing pads throughout their intervals is simpler, and they’re additionally a lot easier to make use of and get rid of.

3. Avoids leakage for an extended period

To forestall discomfort, sanitary pads are made with a excessive degree of absorbency. There are tremendous lengthy pads, lengthy pads, thick pads, and tremendous skinny ones, girls have quite a lot of choices with regards to sporting pads.

4. Simply out there

Ladies can simply get sanitary pads as a result of they’re available in most shops and pharmacy retailers.

Cons of the sanitary pad

1. Could really feel uncomfortable

Prolonged use of a pad might lead to irritation, redness, and rashes. Moreover, it might hinder the motion of air to your vagina, elevating the potential of bacterial infections and pores and skin issues. Periodic sanitary pad use can often trigger discomfort, significantly if the pads will not be modified often.

2. Limitations on motion

Sanitary pads can leak and make strolling uncomfortable, particularly when participating in strenuous exercise or train if they don’t seem to be changed on time.

3. Not eco-friendly 

Sanitary pads produce quite a lot of waste, which results in landfills and takes a very long time to disintegrate as a result of every one can solely be used as soon as earlier than having to be disposed of. Nevertheless, the market is slowly seeing an increase in eco-friendly interval merchandise now.

How to decide on between menstrual cups, tampons, and pads?

Every choice has its benefits and drawbacks, and what works greatest for one individual might not work for one more. Nevertheless, the selection between menstrual cups, tampons, and pads relies on particular person preferences. When you choose a smaller, much less seen technique and are okay with insertion, utilizing a tampon is ok. When you choose the exterior technique that doesn’t require insertion, it’s higher to make use of pads. When you’re in search of an odourless reusable choice, menstrual cups are the appropriate female hygiene product to make use of as per comfort, wants, and way of life.