Periods are something that virtually every woman of child-bearing age has to deal with. Every month, more or less, Aunty Flow comes to stay for a few days. It’s inconvenient at best and downright painful at worst. Every woman has her own way of coping, but tampons and sanitary pads tend to be the go-to way of mopping up the blood. Unfortunately, tampons and pads are expensive and not exactly great for the environment. So, in this article, we’re going to discuss five reasons why you really ought to invest in a menstrual cup this year.
Menstrual cups are better for the environment
The main reason why you should make the switch is one we’ve already touched on – the environment.
Sanitary pads and tampons are made from all kinds of nasty materials, most commonly plastic. On average, women discard around 400 pounds of packaging, in addition to the products themselves. Most of this waste ends up in landfill sites and our oceans, where it poisons marine life.
Single-use plastic is a scourge on the environment. There are more than eight tons of stuff floating around in oceans around the world. Toxins leach out into the water and marine life sees it as food and eats it, leading to a slow, painful death from starvation.
Yet despite the fact plastic is so bad for the environment, we don’t think twice about buying tampons with plastic applicators. Sanitary pads also contain plastic – around 36 grams in every pack of pads, which in case you are wondering is the equivalent of five plastic carrier bags.
By switching to a reusable product like a menstrual cup, we can all do our bit for the environment. Because menstrual cups can be reused, there is no waste generated.
Isn’t that a nice and easy way to go green and help the environment?
Less mess and leaks
Leaks are a major hassle, yet they happen all too often when we use tampons or pads. The great thing about menstrual cups is that they are held in place by suction. As long as the cup is in the right position, the edge of the cup forms a tight seal.
You will need to select a cup that suits your anatomy. Younger women and women who haven’t had a baby will need a smaller cup. The height of your cervix also plays a part – you can check this by using this guide.
Things like the firmness, size, shape, and material need to be considered when choosing a menstrual cup. You can use websites like menstrualcupreviews.net to do the proper research before choosing the right cup. This website offers a lot of useful information on menstrual cups, so we suggest reading through it. Pay attention to the different sizes of cups available, how long they are, their shape, and capacity. All of these details matter when selecting a cup that fits your anatomy.
Menstrual cups are cheaper
Women spend around $140 a year on menstrual products, which can really eat into your budget when you are on a low income. In some countries, period poverty is a very real dilemma. Girls sometimes have to miss school because they can’t afford to buy menstrual products.
Switching to a menstrual cup can save you money, and not just on the cost of menstrual products. Because menstrual cups are less likely to leak than a tampon or pad, women can also save money in other areas, such as having to replace undergarments and bedding less often.
Think about what else you could spend your hard-earned money on if you didn’t have to buy tampons and pads every month. A nice bar of chocolate and a glass of wine will probably go down a treat!
You can play sports more easily
Taking part in sports isn’t easy when you are on your period. When our flow is heavy, it is tempting to give running, swimming, cycling, and other cardio activities a miss, for fear of embarrassing leaks and a lack of opportunities to change tampons and pads. If you switch to a menstrual cup, you have no excuses.
Menstrual cups are easy to use and when fitted correctly, they don’t leak. No more worrying while working out at the gym or running in the park. Instead, you can throw yourself into a workout 100%.
In addition, you can wear a menstrual cup for up to eight hours at a time, so going on a long bike ride or heading into the Great Outdoors for a hike isn’t an issue. If you do need to empty your cup while you are outdoors, you can do this without visiting a bathroom. Simply remove the cup, empty the contents, rinse with some water, and reinsert. There is no drama and life can continue as normal. Menstrual blood is eco-friendly; it can even act as a fertilizer! Just avoid emptying your cup in piranha-infested waters or bear country. Trust us when we say that won’t end well…
Less hassle
Periods are a real pain, in every sense of the word. When you use tampons and pads, you need to change them every 3-4 hours or run the risk of leaks. This necessitates visiting a bathroom, which might not be easy if you’re stuck in the meeting from hell at work.
Because menstrual cups can stay in place for up to eight hours, you can get on with your life and forget about being on your period. You can even wear your cup all night long, so goodbye early morning bathroom visits and hello lie-ins.
Better for Your Vagina
Yes, vaginal health is a thing. Our vaginal skin is very thin and can easily absorb nasty chemicals from tampons. Wearing a tampon for too long is also known to cause Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Menstrual cups cause no such issues, thankfully, so your vagina can relax.
Switching to a menstrual cup really is a no-brainer. Most women, once they have made the change, wonder why they didn’t do it a lot sooner. What are you waiting for?
