Well, after 15 years I finally made the switched to menstrual cups. Let me tell you, this was quite the experience. I went in terrified after reading horror stories about girls using menstrual cups, but I really wanted to switch to a healthier alternative- so here we are! We’re going to talk all about my experience switching the first month and the second month. I also want to talk about the menstrual cup benefits of switching for those on the fence.
The brand I am using is Daisy Cup ! I absolutely love the packaging the cups came in. It’s so sweet, it made the experience feel a little less terrifying! I know how attached you can feel to tampons and how easy they are to use, but after doing the research, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using tampons!
The Environment
In North America alone, landfills end up with 20 BILLION menstrual products EVERY YEAR. Tampons and applicators are also found in beaches around the world. We’re talking about DIRTY USED TAMPONS PEOPLE. The thought alone is horrifying. Tampons can’t be recycled because they’re covered in human waste (gross). The applicators are made out of plastic and take hundreds of years to break down. It’s just all around a terrible product. Not to mention, it’s a “luxury” (sarcasm)!
Your Body
If this doesn’t change your mind, I get it. Humans are selfish beings and we tend to care more about ourselves than others/the environment. So let’s talk about how bad tampons are for your body! For one, because tampons are considered a “medical device” they aren’t as regulated as they should be by the FDA. This means that companies don’t have to disclose the ingredients in the tampons to you. That’s shady.
Your vagina is also REALLY absorbent. The vagina is covered by mucous membranes meant to protect is from bacteria, however this also leaves it susceptible to absorbing any chemical that touches it. These membranes are filled with blood vessels. This means that those chemicals go straight into your blood stream. You’re essentially poisoning your body through your vagina.
Silicone
The main ingredient of menstrual cups is medical-grade silicone. This makes menstrual cups extremely long lasting, very durable, and also 100% toxic-free. This means you can use these for years with no issue! When silicone breaks down, it turns into silica, which is non-hazardous and safer than plastic. They don’t lace your body with toxic chemicals and also reduce your exposure to TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome).
Don’t care about the environment or your body? What about your wallet? We spend around $120 a year on tampons and pads (this is not including any additional products we buy like liners, pills for cramping etc). That’s approximately $5600 in a lifetime spend on gross tampons that end up used on a beach somewhere. One menstrual cup is more expensive than a box of tampons (around $35), but they can last for several years- The DaisyCup can last up to 10 years!
Have you made the switch to menstrual cups yet? What was your experience when you did? Let’s discuss in the comments!
