Tampon alternatives
An exclusive excerpt from ShopSmart
When it comes to tampons, you probably have your favorite brand and stick with it. The last thing you’d want to do is experiment in that department. But perhaps you’re curious about what else is out there. Maybe you have concerns about safety or the environment. It’s true that tampons generate a whole lot of waste. The typical woman uses thousands during her lifetime. So it’s no wonder that during an international coastal cleanup in 2006, volunteers collected nearly 20,000 tampons in one day.
On the health front, there was the dioxin scare back in the 1990s. Since then, manufacturers have changed the way they process materials in tampons to avoid creating dioxin, which in large doses is linked to cancer and other health problems. In theory, some tampons may still contain dioxin, but manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration say levels are undetectable. Even if small amounts were present, experts say that your diet (especially meat and dairy products) exposes you to thousands of times more dioxin than tampons.
A bigger concern is Toxic Shock Syndrome, which is strongly linked to overly absorbent tampons. (To cut your risk, use the least-absorbent tampons possible and change regularly, especially before bedtime.) Some health activists argue that more studies on tampon risks are needed. Rep. Carolyn B.Maloney, D-N.Y., is working to reintroduce a bill to establish federal research programs on, among other things, the health risks of dioxin and additives in tampons.
If you’re thinking about trying alternatives to traditional tampons, the good news is you’ve got a few choices worth checking out, such as menstrual cups, which seem to be as environmentally friendly as it gets in feminine protection. The cup also saves you money and can be superconvenient. No more tampons rolling around in your purse!
TAMPON OPTIONS
Like all feminine hygiene products, the choices below are FDA-regulated and have no reported problems. (We have not tested them in our labs). They’re also free of odor absorbing ingredients and fragrances, which are added to many conventional tampons and can irritate skin and increase your yeast infection risk. Menstrual cups can be awkward at first like tampons. The women who tried the cup for us said removing it could be uncomfortable, though they quickly got used to inserting it. But fans say once you get the hang of it, the cup is super easy to use. It stays in place securely and comfortably and saves money and waste. Konia Trouton, M.D., medical director of the Vancouver Island Women’s Clinic in British Columbia, is doing a study on the cup and says, “I’ve been receiving e-mails from women all over North America who say they’re using the cup and they love it.”
Organic cotton tampons – The manufacturers say that the cotton in their tampons is organic, which means it was grown without toxic pesticides, removing the risk of direct contact with chemical residues. Also, these tampons are made without processed fibers like rayon. Both Seventh Generation and Natracare offer applicator-free products.
Price comparison: Cost around the same or slightly more than higher-priced conventional tampons.
Where to get them: Both brands are sold at www.drugstore.com and www.herbtrader.com and in natural food stores, such as Whole Foods Market.
Reusable menstrual caps – These soft cups fold for insertion and fit snugly against the vaginal wall. Empty at least every 8 to 12 hours. Cups have not been linked to TSS, though anything used vaginally could pose risks. Unlike The Keeper, which is latex and can cause an allergic reaction if you are sensitive, Moon and Diva cups are made of medical-grade silicone.
Price comparison: Use The Keeper for the maximum 10 years and you’ll pay 29 cents per cycle versus $3-$7 for tampons.
Where to get them: www.keeper.com, www.divacup.com, www.gladrags.com, www.mothernature.com (Diva cup only), and some natural food stores.
Disposable menstrual caps – They’re similar to reusable cups, but they have no stem. (If you get the reusable kind, you can trim the stem to make it more comfortable.) Yes, they’re disposable so they create waste, but you need to change a cup only about half as often as tampons so you’ll create less garbage. Two bonuses: No reported cases of TSS or other problems, and you can have sex without the mess during your period. But they come in only one size and don’t fit everyone.
Price comparison: Comparable in price to tampons per cycle.
Where to get them: www.drugstore.com, Target, CVS, Wal-Mart, and Walgreens. Go to www.softcup.com for more info.
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