Bye-bye tampons, hello menstrual cup- a review
Let’s be real, periods can be annoying: messy, painful, and stigmatised. The prize for the most popular period hygiene products is still shared between bulky Mrs Pad and lanky Mr Tampon. Thankfully, science has come a long way and menstruating people are offered a variety of hygiene products they can choose between to fit their specific needs.
I’ve always been fairly environmentally conscious- thoughts about the toxicity of my plastic coffee cup lingering in the back of my mind, as I’d queue for my latte. I’ve seen videos about reusable pads and despite feeling slightly overwhelmed with the idea of loading my washing machine with crusty slabs of cotton, I was also intrigued.
A 2024 study (Shearston et al., 2024), analysed 14 different brands of tampons and found toxic metals, including lead and zinc, in the products. This discovery led to many people online voicing their worries about the potential health implications of using tampons.
So naturally, on the first day of my uterus-cleansing process, my poor boyfriend was dragged through the big aisle of period hygiene products in the supermarket as I looked for my saving grace. But then my eye caught something I hadn’t seen in a while- a menstrual cup. A few years ago these were quite popular on the environmentally-friendly internet spaces. I bought one, but couldn’t even manage to insert it, which ended in frustration and an inevitable switch to pads during the day and tampons during practice (so long, my swimming days).
The not-too-bad price tag of £18, a heart-warming idea of doing something good for the planet (as well as my now lead-phobic vagina) and a hungry boyfriend, tugging my sleeve to go to the in-store cafe, convinced me to make the unexpected purchase.
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Not to brag, but aside from a “hell & horror” emotional freakshow of a week prior to the first day of my period, where I act like a hungry grizzly bear and my breast size magically doubles, I got lucky with the actual menstruation days. A three-day medium bleed, light cramping on the first day and light spotting on day four. My flow isn’t particularly heavy, therefore my review of the menstrual cup will be in the context of my biology.
Upon arriving home I unpackaged my new purchase. Inside the box: the menstrual cup, a double-sided instruction leaflet (very concise and useful info) and a cotton drawstring bag. The cup itself, bright pink and cute, was boiled for a few minutes for disinfection. The menstrual cups of this particular brand were available in 3 sizes: size One- for those under 18 who don’t have regular penetrative sex; size Two- for under-30’s who haven’t given birth vaginally and size Three- for those over 30 or who have given birth vaginally. I opted for size Two, as it seemed to be the most accurate one for me.
Whilst researching this particular brand, I found that the menstrual cup is made out of TPE- a thermoplastic elastomer, which has a higher melting point than silicone, yet is rubber-like and durable. TPE is deemed as a safe material for the body, yet the idea of potential microplastics in my vagina is somehow just as bad as tampon lead.
The brands’ website claims it may take up to three menstrual cycles to get used to a cup, so it’s okay to be slightly confused at first. I tried a few folding methods, as you have to fold the cup and let it open up once it’s inside the vagina. It works through suction and is held by the walls of your vagina. It’s a different mechanism to using a tampon, however you will feel if something doesn’t sit right and requires readjustment. After a few minutes of trying different insertion methods, it was in and felt perfectly fine. I was able to go about my day and walk around town with zero issues. I did end up having minor leaking, but nothing crime scene-esque.
It was time to take it out before my night shower and curiosity got the best of me. I made sure to take it out carefully to see how much blood I typically lose on a heavy day. The convenient volume markers on the inside of the cup allowed me to note down the loss- 5 millilitres. A very random but cool fact to know about yourself, am I right?
I’d use the cup during the day for no longer than 9 hours (the packaging says it’s safe for up to 12, but I’m too paranoid about toxic shock syndrome), rinse it under warm water, put it into the drawstring bag and switch to a pad for the night. I was able to walk, workout at the gym, go to the toilet, play video games and get flirty with my partner with no issues. Once my period finished, I boiled it once again and placed it back into the drawstring bag. I think it’s also worth mentioning, that unlike tampons, which often have an unpleasant scent when taken out, the cup had no odour- just dump the blood and flush.
Overall, aside from a few small leaks on my underwear and getting used to inserting the cup, I enjoyed using it. I’m excited to use it next time and hopefully reduce the waste I send to landfill, as well as save some cash from buying tampons. I’m not too keen on using the cup overnight, however that is all down to personal preference. I also haven’t changed it in public, but as long as there’s a toilet to dispose of the blood and a place to wash my hands, I’d be totally fine with changing my cup if I had to. It’s great to learn something new about your body and cleaning your menstrual cup with your boyfriend is weirdly a great bonding experience.
I can see how this isn’t for everyone, but it’s worth a try. I loved the menstrual cup and will continue discovering other reusable options. Periods are not gross, it’s time we own them.
