Ditch the Tampons and Pads: 5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to a Menstrual Cup

Ever since news broke out that tampons and pads contain toxic metals (which lead to an insurmountable list of negative health effects), I had no idea what to do. Not only have pads and tampons been the only form of menstrual products that were accessible to me since I first got my period, but the knowledge that such products have been affecting me (and millions of other women) for so many years was a hard pill to swallow. 

After learning the truth about tampons and pads, I decided to take a leap of faith and try a menstrual cup for the first time. Despite them terrifying me at the time, switching to a menstrual cup was one of the best decisions I made for my health. Not only has it made my periods infinitely easier to handle, but they offer a long list of other benefits that will make you second guess why you didn’t switch to a menstrual cup sooner. So, let’s get into it!

1. Longer Wear Time

One of the most obvious benefits of using a menstrual cup is that they are more durable and offer a longer period of wear-time than both pads and tampons. Because these other menstrual products absorb period blood, they can only hold a certain amount (which is not a lot) of blood, meaning you have to change your products more frequently. However, a menstrual cup only holds the blood instead of absorbing it, allowing for them to be used up to 12 hours before needing to be emptied. Not only does this save you from buying multiple menstrual products, but it allows you to worry less about leakage, toxic shock syndrome, and keeping track of when you have your products in. 

2. Reusable 

Not only are menstrual cups able to be worn longer than both tampons and pads, but they are also reusable! One of the biggest inconveniences with other menstrual products is that you have to be conscious of the amount of products you have to avoid not having any in a time when you need it, but you don’t have to worry about that with a menstrual cup. Because menstrual cups are mostly made out of medical-grade silicone and thermoplastic elastomer, you simply need to empty the cup and wash the cup before reusing it. Not only is this quite cost-efficient, but it also goes into my next point – sustainability.

3. Good for the Environment

Because menstrual cups are reusable and offer longer wear time, they’re quite sustainable. By using cups more and buying tampons and pads less, you conserve your water consumption since tampons, as a cotton product, uses a lot of water for their production. Not only that, but both tampons and pads are environmentally harmful – they hold toxics and environmental pollutants which are released into the earth after they’ve been used and thrown in a landfill. Overall, switching to a menstrual cup is not only good for your body, but they’re also good for the environment!

4.  Healthier and Safer 

Going back to the reason why I first began using menstrual cups, menstrual cups are great for your body because they do not have any toxins in them. Because the research on toxic metals in pads and tampons is less than a year old, there is little to no research on how inserting such toxic metals in your body can negatively affect you. However, considering the frequency and years of use, you can imagine the effect other menstrual products can have on the body. In comparison, there’s no contest that menstrual cups are safer and better for your body.

5. Empowering 

Last but not least, switching to a menstrual cup can be incredibly empowering for people who have periods. Using a cup can be a different experience than using other menstrual products because you need to be more familiar with your anatomy to comfortably use them. Through this, you can get more comfortable with your body and appreciate your anatomy more. Furthermore, since using a menstrual cup is easier than other products, you can feel comfortable and confident that you don’t need to worry more about your period than you probably already do. 

Overall, using a menstrual cup compared to other menstrual products, such as tampons and pads, has a host of amazing advantages. Not only are menstrual cups reusable and offer a longer wear time, but they’re also better for your body, the environment, and can be incredibly empowering. If you haven’t switched to using menstrual cups yet, I hope these reasons have convinced you to make the change! You’ll be grateful that you did. 

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