Menstrual cup, tampon or pad? What is the best?

Roughly speaking, the methods used to collect menstruation can be grouped into two large blocks:

Those who collect menstruation inside the body (tampon, cup…) Those who collect menstruation out of body (compresses, menstrual panties…)

Cup, tampon or pad, which is healthier?

Collect menstruation outside the body, without a doubt.

Menstruation is the result of desquamation of the uterus. It had been prepared to harbor life. If there is no pregnancy, everything that tissue is no longer useful and the body expels it, that is menstruation.

That is the most physiological what the body does and wants to do. Is it the most comfortable for us? Not necessarily, but the most physiological.

External collection methods

Compress; there are good options

Of a lifetime, it is the evolution of the “cloths” of our grandmothers. The pads are a classic. They have evolved light years from their origins, in size, in effectiveness, in practicality… Their big problem is that make it difficult for the vulva to breathe And they can be irritating.

The “classic” pads, due to their composition and function, have absorbent and waterproof layers. That encourages humidity and high temperature. if a woman is prone to fungus, infections or irritations of the genital area, the classic compress would be inadvisable.

There is currently a large and promising market with healthy external alternatives:

Cotton pads, washable, pTherefore, they are compresses that allow perspiration and are economically and environmentally sustainableMenstrual panties. They are a more than interesting option. It is underwear that, although it obviously contains a waterproof layer, breathes and gathers a very correct shape. There are different models, with different absorption capacity, depending on the menstrual day.

Internal collection methods

There are two great worlds: the tampon and the menstrual cup.

buffer: not so good

It was born being the liberation of women and is currently considered an “enemy” of the pelvic floor. An intermediate position would seem fair.

The tampon was, without a doubt, the revolution. The compresses kept us conditioned, limited our activities, sports, always careful not to stain, not to trespass…

The tampon arrived to release, to allow us to lead a “normal” life during menstruation. But the years have shown that not everything is so bright.

The tampon is not a gift to vaginal tissues. Its absorption capacity tends to dry out the mucous membranes and the chemical components used to whiten the product are often too aggressive for the delicate vaginal tissue.

Are they a problem? For some women yes, for others no.

The menstrual cup, advantages and disadvantages

This method deserves a special look, especially since there is a whole current of women who consider it the method of methods, the most ecological, the most comfortable, the cheapest, the most empowering for us, the healthiest… and no, It is not as healthy as they insist on saying.

Let’s know the lights and shadows of menstrual cups:

Pros:

comfortableeconomicsustainableethically and environmentallyconnects us with our menstruation in a conscious way

Cons:

They can generate prolapses, especially of the uterus They can weaken the vaginal tissues Maintaining menstruation inside the body is not physiological

Let’s discuss the cons. The most important risk of some drinks is the prolapse generation, of “fall” of organs, basically from the uterus.

The cup is inserted folded and opens inside the vagina, fitting perfectly into the vaginal walls. It fits completely and perfectly. That means that if I pull the cup down, I will generate a cupping effect (suction) on the pelvic organs. That is the great risk and the great problem of many drinks.

Do all drinks have that risk? No, not all. There is diaphragm type model, very flattened, which does not generate the cupping effect and which can be worn during sexual intercourse. But the spirit of this article is not to talk about trademarks, but to explain concepts so that we can all choose from knowledge.

What does it depend on that a drink can be counterproductive? From the design of the cup and the state of the pelvic floor of the woman. I am aware that this information does not provide great insights, but on a practical level this translates into a gold standard:

When you take the cup off, it has to be in the same place where you left it. If you find it below, it is an alarm signal. The cup has slipped down the vagina, exerting suction (cupping) on ​​the pelvic organs above

A glass can slip for three reasons:

The model does not fit well with the anatomy of that woman The pelvic floor is weak and cannot hold the cup Too much menstruation accumulates in the cup, therefore too much weight

Conclusion: the debate is not cup yes, cup no. The concept is: do you like the drink? Use it, but make sure it’s a good option for you.

menstrual sponges

It is the last method that has appeared. There are still few years of experience, but it is a method that promises. Are natural sponges, which absorb like a tampon, but without its chemical drawbacks. They are cut and adapted to different sizes, they are washable and recyclable.

As you can see there is no good method. Every menstrual day is different, every woman is different and every pelvic floor is different. Alternate different methods, your pelvic floor will thank you.