Go to your bathroom and take a look at your period products. If you’re like me and most of the other vagina-owners I know, your go-to products are by Kotex, Always, Tampax, Playtex or some of the other few that flood the shelves at the store. I know I personally LOVED Tampax tampons for years because 1. Cute packaging 2. GREAT absorbency.
However, I never once thought about what went into such products to create that level of absorbency and durability.
That is, until about six months ago, when I saw an ad for a period product brand that took a lot of pride in its “natural ingredients” and “organic cotton”. The use of “ingredients” in the ad alone really stuck out to me and I literally had a huge realization that I had never once even THOUGHT about looking into what dyes, chemicals and materials go into my beloved Tampax/Kotex period duo.Via Wirecutter
According to multiple sources like Time, there are small amounts of chemicals known as dioxin present in tampons. These particular chemicals are known to be involved in the bleaching process of pads and tampons (they’ve got to get their clean white look from somewhere).
Sure, some of the processes have changed, but small traces of dioxin can still be found in pads and tampons because they are byproducts of the raw materials used to make such menstrual products. Although the amounts of exposure are very small with each tampon application, repeated use can cause damage and effect the body in negative ways.
Another source notes tampons especially to be composed of a questionable blend of synthetic rayon. Most brands will use this blend because of its high absorbency compared to regular, organic cotton. However, the blend is also not the best, due to its association with Toxic Shock Syndrome. Some sources show that the use of rayon in tampons actually increases one’s risk of getting TSS because of its ability to hold in blood and bacteria.
Other reports detail conventional tampons and pads as being contaminated with pesticides and GMO’s. Contamination occurs when cotton crops are sprayed with pesticides and when the menstrual hygiene products are doused in odor-controlling chemicals. Some of these factors can result in multiple health complications.
These are just a number of the most discussed ingredients in our everyday menstrual hygiene products. Also, this isn’t meant to scare anyone off from using these products because frankly, we will still use them as the traces of harmful chemicals and materials are very small. It’s just healthy to keep these things in mind and maybe consider some clean, organic alternatives.