Pad, tampon, disc, cup, or period underwear? Let’s find the best products for your period!
Period Products
Written by Jen Bell
| Reviewed by Staci Tanouye, M.D.
The best products are whichever ones you feel comfortable using. It’s common to start off with underwear liners or pads. Later you might want to try tampons or a menstrual cup. There are other products like washable and reusable fabric pads and period underwear. Some companies make special sizes of period underwear for preteens and teens. To see the range of amazing products on the market to help you handle your period, read on below and check out the period products in the BLOOM Store.
There are also many different ways to deal with period blood, and you may need to experiment a bit to find which works best for you. Some of us use only one type of product and others use a few different ones. Let’s take a look at the most popular options.
Inserting period products can feel intimidating, scary, or awkward at first, but with an open heart, mind, and some good ole’ fashioned practice, your period product fears will be a thing of the past. There are several new period products on the market today that have revolutionized period care and changed the landscape for all menstruators. Let’s walk you through how to use and choose the best period products for your lifestyle and comfort. Specific step-by-step instructions on how to use or insert each product are in each product section below.
Pads & Period Underwear
Many of us use pads when we first get our period. Pads are made of cotton and other absorbent materials like cellulose and rayon and come in lots of different sizes and shapes. They have sticky strips that attach to our underwear, to keep them in place. Some also have “wings” to protect the edges of the underwear from leaks. Some people like to use washable cloth pads, which are a more environmentally-friendly option than disposable pads. Some companies sell organic compostable pads, like those sold in the menstruation section of the BLOOM Store, so be sure to check the back of the package before purchasing, if this is important to you.
Another option is absorbent period underwear, which comes in different styles for light, medium, or heavy flows. It can simply be worn and washed like regular underwear! Period underwear can also be used as a backup if your preteen or teen is worried about their tampon or menstrual cup leaking.
Tampons
A tampon is a cotton plug that absorbs the period blood inside the vagina. Tampons are great for playing sports or swimming, and many people find them more convenient than pads. Most tampons come with an applicator that makes insertion easier. Don’t leave a tampon in for more than 8 hours because this can increase the risk of a serious infection called toxic shock syndrome.
Menstrual Cups & Discs
Menstrual cups are flexible cups made of silicone that are inserted into the vagina and hold the blood inside, similar to a tampon, but they’re also washable and reusable. Not only is that good for the environment, it can work out cheaper than buying pads or tampons. If well cared for, menstrual cups can last for up to ten years!
Menstrual discs, much like menstrual cups, are insertable disc-shaped period products that collect menstrual fluid and are sold in both disposable and reusable varieties. Menstrual discs have a flexible outer ring and a soft, collapsible center that stays in place by hooking behind the pubic bone, into your vaginal fornix, which is where your vaginal canal meets your cervix. Though menstrual discs can be worn during intercourse, they do not protect against pregnancy or sexually-transmitted infections.
If you’re afraid of leaks or stains on your clothing, there are a few different things you can do.
First, know that your fears and concerns are valid but temporary. You will soon be an expert on your body and what is needed to successfully tackle your period each month. You’ll get used to how often you need to change your pad or tampon. If you’re not sure, you can always go to the bathroom to check.
If your pad or panty/underwear liner feels heavy, wet, or damp, it’s probably time to change it. You can check if it’s time to change your tampon by gently pulling on the string. If it starts to come out easily, that means it’s time for a new one.
When you’re using a tampon or menstrual cup, you can add a panty/underwear liner, pad, or period underwear as a backup to catch any leaks. You can wear dark clothing on your bottom half or tie a top or jacket around your waist. If you’re really nervous about staining your clothes by accident, keep an extra change of clothes in your backpack or locker.
And if you do stain your pants one day, just know that this has probably happened to everyone who has a period. You have half the world in your corner!
If you’re out and you stain your underwear but not the rest of your clothing, you can simply change your pad or tampon and then wash your underwear when you get home. If you are caught in a situation where you don’t have any products on you, wrap some toilet paper around your underwear until you are able to get a product. When you get home, wash your underwear in the bathroom sink with some cold water and soap — this usually gets most of the blood out. If you have hydrogen peroxide, this works great at removing blood from clothing. Then you can throw them in the washing machine. It’s a good idea to ask a trusted adult for help the first time this happens. The person who does the laundry in your household probably has a few tips!
Unpeel the paper off the sticky strip and place the sticky side of the pad face down in your underwear. Make sure you have the pad centered on your underwear. At night, you may choose to place the pad higher up along the back end of your underwear to catch any leaks as you are laying down. Another option for nighttime is to use an overnight or extra long pad that is longer in length.
If your pad has wings, wait to peel the paper off of the wings until you have already placed the body of the pad on your underwear. Once the pad is placed and centered, peel the paper off of the wings and wrap the wings around each side of your underwear, so that the sides of your underwear are now protected.
Change your pad every few hours (even sooner on your heavier flow days) or when it’s soaked with period blood.
To discard, unstick the wings first, fold them into the middle of the pad and roll up your pad as you peel it off your underwear. Wrap the used pad in your new pad wrapper or in toilet paper and throw it in the trash. Never flush your pad!
Wash your hands and get into a comfortable position by sitting on the toilet, standing in a squatting position with your knees apart, or placing 1 foot up on the toilet.
Place your thumb and middle finger on the base of the tampon and your index finger on the very end of the applicator.
Place the tip of the tampon at the opening of the vagina.
Slowly push the applicator into your vagina until the fingers that are holding the applicator are just outside your vaginal opening
Push the plunger to release the tampon inside the vagina
Remove the applicator from the vagina keeping only the cotton tampon inside and the string remaining outside the body for easy removal
You should not feel the tampon inside your vagina if it is positioned high enough. If it is not high enough you can gently push it up higher by using your clean finger.
Throw the wrapper and applicator in the trash — don’t flush them.
It’s best to change your tampon every 4-8 hours or sooner on your heavier flow days. If you pull on the string and the tampon is slipping out, it’s time to change it!
To remove your tampon, gently pull on the string and let it slide out, wrap it in toilet paper and toss it in the trash.
Pro-Tip: Tampons can’t get lost in your body because the vagina ends at the cervix!
You can insert your cup sitting, squatting, or standing with one leg raised.
The punch down is one of the easiest folds to start with as it creates the smallest point when inserting the cup. Collapse in one side of the cup and then pinch to hold it in place.
Place the rim of the cup at your vaginal opening and insert it into the vagina.
Slide it in and up towards your tailbone and not straight up.
Once the cup is all the way up, let the cup pop open to create a seal between the cup and the vaginal walls.
Move the cup up higher or lower (with the stem all the way inside or partially inside you) to where it feels best.
Run your finger around the cup to make sure it does not have any folds. Then rotate it slightly and give a little tug to check the seal.
Now you are good to go for up to 12 hours!
There are so many fold options. Practice and find what works for you!
Tip #1 • They won’t fall out or get lost inside your body Tampons and menstrual cups can’t get lost because the cervix (the opening at the top of the vagina) is too small for them to get through. They also can’t fall out, because they’re held in place by the muscles around the entrance to the vagina. If you feel like your tampon or cup is falling out, that means you need to insert it a little further into the vagina.
Tip #2 • You can pee with them in With a menstrual cup, this is pretty straightforward. If you’re wearing a tampon, just pull the string to the side so it doesn’t get wet.
Tip #3 • It might take some practice Sometimes you insert your tampon or cup and you can’t seem to get it in the correct place, or it just doesn’t feel right. It may take some practice to place it comfortably. If attempting to place a tampon is ever painful, there are a couple of simple techniques that you can try. Try to relax, and if the tampon or cup is dry, some KY Jelly or other lubricant can also make insertion easier. The same goes for removal. If attempting to insert is very painful or seems impossible, a gynecologist can help identify what may be causing this. This might be vaginismus, an involuntary tightening or spasm that happens when something is being inserted into the vagina, such as a tampon or menstrual cup. Or sometimes, there can be changes in the hymen that can make insertion of a tampon difficult.
Tip #4 • No string? No worries! If you go to remove your tampon but suddenly can’t find the string, don’t panic. It’s probably just tucked under one of your labia or just inside your vagina. Wash your hands and feel around inside your vagina until you find it, then pull the tampon out as you normally would. If you’re having trouble, try squatting and pushing as if you’re pooping. This will bring the tampon closer to the vaginal entrance, making it easier to find the string. The same trick works if you’re having trouble removing your menstrual cup. If you are still having difficulties, don’t panic, make an appointment with your general practitioner, gynecologist, or local Planned Parenthood to help.
Organic period products
Organic tampons and pads are made with cotton grown without pesticides or insecticides and usually free of fragrances and other potential irritants. The applicators for organic tampons are made from BPA free plastics, bioplastics, or cardboard. Some may not come with an applicator at all. Compared to other disposable pads and tampons, organic products may be less irritating to people with sensitive skin.
How often to change your Period Products
Generally, you will need to change your tampon or pad every 3-4 hours but this depends on your flow: if it’s light to moderate, you may be able to leave it a bit longer, but don’t leave a tampon in overnight or for more than 8 hours because this can increase your risk of a serious infection called toxic shock syndrome.
Most menstrual cups can stay in for up to 12 hours before being emptied and rinsed. This means you can wear one all day long, or overnight. Period underwear can be changed every 12-24 hours depending on your flow. Again, it’s not good to sit with old menstrual blood for too long, so keep this in mind. If your flow is heavy or you have a lighter absorbency tampon, pad, or lighter absorbent period underwear, you may need to change any of these products sooner.
And remember, to reduce your risk of toxic shock syndrome, be sure to change your tampon within 8 hours or menstrual cup within 12 hours.
What is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
Toxic Shock or TSS is a severe but rare condition that can occur from a bacterial infection. It occurs in about 1 in 100,000 tampon users. TSS can be caused by leaving a tampon in for a long time. This is why it’s very important that you change your tampon every few hours and not leave it in all day or overnight. TSS has also been associated with menstrual cup use, although very rarely. The numbers are small so it is hard to estimate the actual risk but it is thought to be just as low or even lower than tampon use.
Symptoms of TSS
High fever and chills
Vomiting
Headache
Severe muscle aches
Diarrhea
Feeling extremely weak or dizzy
A sunburn-like rash that can get progressively worse as time passes
If you’re using a tampon and experience any of these symptoms, remove the tampon, tell an adult, and call your doctor.
