This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Her Campus.
Throughout centuries and cultures, a woman’s menstrual cycle has been seen as something dirty and shameful. In some places, women on their periods were/are forced to live in seclusion, not cook for anyone, or touch men. In our culture, we are told not to talk about “our time of the month” and to be very discreet. Well, times are starting to change, and there are companies coming out with more natural and healthier alternatives for “feminine products.”
First, let’s talk about cloth pads. I feel like these are very much a “love them or hate them” product. Most often cloth pads are made from thick flannel or flannel-like material and have inserts of the same fabric so that you can match your needs flow wise. Most have wings that snap around the crotch of your underwear. Personally, I like them for panty liners more than as pads. I find that when I have anything more than spotting and wear them, I bleed through, but with a menstrual cup or tampon, they are fantastic. Also, the panty liners are thinner and get less bunched up. The best part is that though you will spend more money up front, in the long run, they are much cheaper and are far better for the earth than their bleached and sticky cousins. The only downside (especially at college) is having to wash them.
And then my favorite product for a healthier period: Menstrual cups. Now, I know that these may seem gross or scary at first, but they are quite easy to use and sanitary. Menstrual cups are exactly what they sound like; they are medical grade silicone cups that collect blood from within you. So, in that way they are much like tampons, but instead of pulling blood from your cervix, they just let the blood drip in. To use them you cannot be scared to get a little messy the first few times, and you also can’t be scared to get a little closer with your vagina. But in the end, it is worth it. Cups are so much more comfortable and better for you and the environment. Oh, and there is no risk of TSS! The main downside I have encountered is that they can make cramps worse the first day because they press against the muscles causing them to clamp down harder, but after that, they are never painful; once you start using them, you never again will have to go through the discomfort of pulling out dry cotton.
Overall looking to the future, it seems that the stigmas and secrecy around periods may be going away! Maybe some day no woman will ever have to hide a tampon up her sleeve or dart questions about she is taking her purse with her. Maybe we can just bleed in peace, and not destroy the planet, our bank accounts, and possibly health again! Maybe “period” will no longer be a whispered word.