Does the idea of collecting your flow in a cup gross you out? Then likely collecting it in a cotton vagina plug or slab of adult diaper does, too.
Menstrual cups, yes! This little silicone funnel looking thing that you probably saw at some point scrolling down your Facebook feed. You may have raised an eyebrow wondering what the hell it is or have you already have been cupverted?
I have already explained the health reasons, why they are eco-friendly and affordable. But menstrual cups still have many perks I felt deserve its own post. So there it is, 20 reasons to ditch your disposable tampons or pads and get yourself a menstrual cup.Â
1. Easy and comfortable
The concept is simple, insert the cup in your vagina, remove it, wash it and reuse. Easy peasy once you get the hang of inserting it correctly. See my step by step guide on how to use a Menstrual Cup. You won’t even notice it’s in there. After use just rinse with neutral intimate soap and warm water and then boil at the end of your period. You can also use sterilising tablets and tupperware.
2. Waste free period
A menstrual cup will last you up to 10 years+. Compare that to all the sanitary pads and tampons you’d use during that time. They sum up to about a 325 pieces thrown out per woman per year in the world…Pretty gross, right? All that could be easily avoided if every woman used a menstrual cup. Who wants to see bloody pads on the beach? I know I don’t. Read some numbers about waste produced by disposables.
3. They hold more blood
A regular tampon holds between 9 and 12 grams of liquid. Menstrual cups hold almost five times that amount, capable of up to 40ml+. You can compare capacity of Cup VS tampon here. This makes life a lot more easier. For ladies with a heavier flow, you’ll want to check out cups with bigger capacity on this comparison cup table.
4. Your cycle will seem shorter
When I was using tampons I was changing it about every 4h for safety reasons and also because it would saturate on heavier days and cause leaks. With the cup I empty it in my morning shower and I do the same in the evening. I can just forget about it all day. Empty your cup every 8-12 hours, instead of 4-6 hours like you would/should with a pad or tampon. That’s double the time so 4-5 days of periods suddenly feels a lot shorter.
5. Bye bye leaks
The problem with a tampon or a pad is that when it reaches full saturation it doesn’t absorb anymore and you will leak. When a menstrual cup is fitted properly into the vagina, there should not be any leaks from it. A cup will take much longer to fill since it’s got a much bigger capacity. Have a look at this table Tampons VS Cups. If you are experiencing leaks with a with a cup, then it’s most likely not inserted properly, the sizing or the shape of the cup is not right for you.
6. No bad smell
You all know what I am talking about, that distinct nasty odor associated with having your period. When you use pads or tampons, they are exposed to air which causes the natural oxidation. But with menstrual cups, the seal prevents blood from being exposed to air, it all happens inside. You will feel a lot cleaner and not have the usual dampness feeling that comes with pads or the tampon’s string sticking out..
8. Buy it once & forget about it.
You’ll never have to walk around with some toilet paper in your panties because you ran out of tampons nor having to beg random women in public toilet asking if they have a spare a tampon. The few times a woman asks me I just apologize that I cannot hand them my cup and I hand them my business card instead :) Click here to get yours.
9. You can sleep naked
Yup, no more stained bed sheets. When you got the right cup there’s no leaks. You can sleep in all kind of positions without feeling like an incontinent grandma. It was a great plus for me when I first discovered the cup cause I love sleeping naked. It is unsafe to keep a tampon all night and I don’t know what it is with me and pads but blood always runs on the side when I am laying down. It’s bloody uncomfortable (and unsexy). With a cup you can sleep safely all night without worrying about TSS.
10. No strings attached…
Tampon strings have the pesky, gross habit of getting soaked in pee. If you’re in a public sauna, or showering at the swimming pool or fooling around with your partner. No worries! Menstrual cups fit entirely inside your body with nothing hanging out.
11. Great for doing sports
Yoga, fitness, horse riding, swimming and more. You can feel clean and secure with a cup even upside down. The seal keeps your cup in place and you don’t have to worry about looking like you are wearing a diaper or having a string sticking out while doing your working out routing whatever it is.
12. Ideal for traveling.
You don’t have to rely on what protection is available or most likely not available when you are in the middle of nowhere. Get your little menstrual cup from your handbag and you’re ready to go anywhere no matter what without leaving anything behind you. You can clean it even if you are camping, trekking or being in very remote area never left stranded without protection.
13. No more dry vagina!
Tampons absorb the blood from your period but they also absorb everything else disturbing your Ph balance leaving you more prone to vaginal thrush etc. With the cup your vagina wall will be left as usual with no soreness or fiber residues left behind. The insertion and removal or tampon cause micro laceration in the vagina wall leaving you more prone to infections and disease. Synthetic fragrances uses in pads are a great cause of rashes and allergies too.
14. Feel more juicy…
Tampons absorb extra juices released in your tiny ducts in your vaginal walls when you’re sexually aroused. So when you had a few days of that and you’re ready to get it on…it could make for a rougher trip…and I don’t mean that in a good way. The cup will leave your vagina as it was, no more no less. (and nooo the cup won’t stretch out your vagina…)
15. Perfect for spotting.
Hate wearing a tampon pre or post period for when you have a very small amount of flow? Menstrual cups are perfect for this because they won’t dry out your vagina. Some women with heavy discharges also use the cup, I wouldn’t recommend wearing it on a daily basis but on some occasion if you want to be sure to keep your undies dry it can help.
16. Plan ahead.
Know when your period is coming? Put in your menstrual cup when you think they’re coming, can be a day or two before, or before bed so you won’t be caught unexpected. If they don’t come, no problem just remove it. Even if there’s no blood you should not keep it longer than 8-12h.
17. Get to know your body.
Menstruation is a natural process and you’ll become far more familiar with it using menstrual cups than you ever will with pads or tampons. And what I like about the cup is that you get an idea of what your flow really is, seeing it in its liquid form is actually a lot less than what you imagine, color and texture also gives useful indication about your health. Read this article if you want to know more
18. Support smaller business
Most menstrual cups are made by smaller female owned companies and mot are headquartered and manufactured locally. It’s truly a women-positive experience to support these business instead of huge companies who pollutes the planet shamelessly and who don’t have our best health interest at heart.
Some have great projects going like Rubycup with their Buy1Give1 program. For every Ruby Cup you buy, we donate another one to someone without access to safe menstrual care products.