by Cherie Schneider, Rph |
One often-overlooked area in the pursuit of a healthier, eco-friendly lifestyle is in the choice of menstrual hygiene products. Many women are not aware that choices exist beyond the disposable pads and tampons they grew up with. Let’s take a look at our current choices.
Tampons and pads are made from bleached fibers of cotton and/or rayon (manufactured from wood pulp). Prior to 1999 a chlorine gas bleaching process was used which produced dioxins, a family of chemicals, which pollute the environment and are suspected cancer causing agents.
Today, many manufacturers are instead using chlorine dioxide as a bleaching agent, which, although its use is classified as being a dioxin-free process, can theoretically produce small amounts of dioxins.
These same fibers can harbor bacteria, leading to infections. A very real risk associated with bacteria in tampon use is Toxic Shock Syndrome. This is a very serious disease, which in rare cases, can be fatal.
Tampons, due to their absorbent properties, upset the natural moisture content and pH balance of the vagina. This can lead to irritation, abrasions, or infections. Concerns have been raised about the sloughing of and retention of tampon fibers within the vagina after a tampon has been removed.
Environmentally speaking, disposable products produce huge amounts of waste. In North America, more than 12 billion pads and tampons (plus all of their packaging) are disposed into landfills and sewer systems annually. It is estimated that the sanitary products and their accompanying wrappers used by an average woman in her lifetime would fill a dump truck.
Here are some healthy, cheaper and more natural alternatives:
Reusable cloth pads
Cloth pads have a distinct advantage over disposables in that they allow the skin to breathe. This reduces wetness, chafing, irritation, odor, and decreases the likelihood of bacterial or yeast infections.
A wide variety of pads exist on the market, ranging from simple unbleached organic cotton, to wild whimsical prints in cotton, hemp, fleece, or bamboo fabric. Available in a range of sizes and absorbencies, most are designed with “wings” that snap around the underwear.
Maintenance is as simple as hand washing or soaking used pads in cold water until they can be machine-washed. As long as the rinse water is changed daily, laundering can be deferred until the end of your period. (Repurpose an old percolator-style coffee pot from an antique store as a soaking vessel to make changing the rinse water easy.) Pads will typically last for five or more years.
Menstrual cups
The first menstrual cups were actually produced in the 1930s. Today’s versions are basically a flexible, bell-shaped cup that is inserted into the lower portion of the vagina, to collect (rather than absorb), the menstrual flow. They are made of either latex rubber or medical grade solid silicone—the same material used in artificial heart valves. (Please note: This is NOT the silicone GEL associated with leaking breast implants.)
Menstrual cups can be safely worn for up to 12 hours, removed, emptied, rinsed and immediately reinserted. A properly inserted cup should not leak. Because they do not absorb, they will not disrupt the natural moisture balance or pH of the vagina, nor will they cause abrasions. There has to date, never been a single case of Toxic Shock Syndrome associated with menstrual cup use.
A properly maintained cup can last for five to10 years. At a cost of around $35, a cup will produce monetary savings after a few short months.
Numerous women have reported that making the switch to reusable products has resulted in shorter, lighter periods, with less cramping and discomfort than experienced with disposables.
References:
1. www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/PatientAlerts/ucm070003.htm
2. www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090112_theres_no_delicate_way_to_put_this_/
3. www.wemoon.com.au/health_benefits.html
4. www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/articles/7a1feat3.html
5. www.keeper.com/photographs.html
6. www.divacup.com
7. www.gladrags.com
For more info, contact Jennifer Gray, RPh at (775) 232-5766.
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