With so many brands of menstrual cups out in the market today, you may be lost in the sea of choices and wonder which one you should purchase as your first menstrual cup. Before you rush out, there are some factors you should take into consideration, to make sure your first cup is suitable for your body go read: Tips to choose the right menstrual cup

If you do it correctly and carefully, it shouldn’t. Virgins may have some discomfort at first, but unless there is a medical condition, the discomfort should go away. The vagina is a flexible muscle; it can expand during sexual activity, or to fit a baby’s head. Then it shrinks back down again. An average woman or girl’s body should be able to accommodate a cup just fine, with some practice.

Physically, the cup is suitable for women of all ages as the vagina is made up of very flexible tissue and muscles. Women’s bodies are designed this way to be able to deliver a baby. After being expanded, after intercourse or childbirth, the tissue returns back to its normal size. Pilates and Yoga is great for training this specific area.

No. You are sort of like a pocket up inside, with walls all around and a closed-off end. There is nowhere for a cup, or anything else to go. You can reach the cup only half a finger away. The menstrual cup is designed to catch your menstrual flow rather than absorb it. Its bell shape allows the cup to fit snugly and comfortably up against your vaginal walls, below but not touching your cervix. The rim is designed to help create a suction that keeps the cup in place and collects your menstrual flow inside of it. The small holes around the rim are to help release the suction when you remove the cup.

The cup is held firmly in place by the muscular walls and closed-end of the vagina. It also stays in via a light suction that is formed up inside. Those little holes around the rim of your cup are there to help break the seal.

Can I use the cup to collect other types of bodily fluids?
Menstrual cups have been approved for the collection of menstrual fluid only, and are not recommend for collecting any other fluids, or for any other use.

You should use a water-based vaginal lube. The bottle should tell you wether or not its water-based. Usually, if it is “safe to use with a condom”, that is a good indicator. Never use oil-based lubes, as oil is not very biocompatible with the sensitive tissue environment of the vagina. Do not use silicone-based lubes. These can bind with the material of the cup, and ruin its quality.

You can, but you may need to be more careful than other women, during insertion and removal. The material is thick enough to where your nails will not damage it, but long nails may hurt the delicate skin in that area, if special care is not taken.

Some cultures or religions have certain beliefs about internal menstrual products, or the hymen. A menstrual cup can alter the hymen. But if this is not an issue for you, your family and/or your culture– then yes, physically, there is no reason why a virgin cannot use a cup.

There are menstrual cups specifically designed for teenagers (Lily cup One). Period panties are a great alternative if you don’t want to use anything internally.

Definitely yes, no more damp string sticking out making you feel unsexy. The cup will act as a barrier letting you reassured that there will be no leaking or evidence that you have your period.

Not penetrative vaginal sex. The cup would get in the way, or be squeezed/crushed, so the seal would be broken. You should always remove your cup before any penetrative vaginal sex. If you want to have sex while having your period without having to buy a new set of bed sheets, some people use baby sea sponges or menstrual discs.

If you want to have sex when menstruating without having to buy a new set of bed sheets, there is fairly new invention called menstrual discs. Instead of sitting where a traditional tampon or menstrual cup would, the menstrual disc rests just below the cervix and away from the vaginal canal leaving room in the vaginal canal for whatever your feel like.

Read my article Menstrual Cups VS Menstrual Discs

No it cannot. Furthermore, the menstrual cup is not a contraceptive device and does not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases (STD).

Contraceptive Diaphragms are a good natural solution and work in quite similar ways a menstrual cup does. You have to use a contraceptive gel with it to be efficient.

You should always remove the cup before having penetrative vaginal sex. But with some products like Nuvaring, the pill, the patch, or an IUD– they should not harm your cup. It is usually not recommended to use things like contraceptive gel or foam with a cup though, because not much is known about the effects of those products on the cup’s material. As always, consult with your doctor before combining these products.

Many women who use a menstrual cup also have an IUD. Some menstrual cup manufacturers support the combination use of a menstrual cup and an IUD, while others do not. It is important that you read all the information in your product instructions. As with all medical concerns, you should also ask your doctor for additional advice. But if you compare a cup with a tampon, the tampon sits much closer to the cervix than a cup does since it’s almost only half way in the vagina while the tip of the tampon almost touch the cervix. I have personally used cups which I had a IUD without any issue. Same thing goes for Nuvaring.

Pregnant women should not use internal vaginal products, for any reason, unless directed to by their doctor. When you are pregnant, your vaginal ph levels are far more sensitive than usual, making you prone to infection, even when you are not doing anything differently. For this reason, unless you are engaging in sexual intercourse, it is recommended that the vagina remain clear of foreign objects as much as possible during this time, again, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

The menstrual cup should not be used for post-natal bleeding. Because there are open wounds healing up inside, there is a greater risk of infection with any kind of foreign objects, no matter how clean. Please wait until your doctor says you can use internal menstrual products again, before using a menstrual cup (same goes for tampons).

For your comfort and safety you use a period panty.

Absolutely! Vaginal dryness is normal at this stage of a woman’s life and you may even find that the cup will make it more comfortable since it won’t absorb anything. If you happen not too bleed the cup won’t affect you in any way. You can use Water based lubricant to make the insertion more comfortable.

A tampon can hold from 6ml for the light flow one to 18ml for the super +. The smallest cup can hold from around 15ml up to 42ml for the biggest one (Me Luna XL). So even the smallest cups are the equivalent of a super + tampon. There is no absorption happening, it is all collected in liquid form. So even if you keep your cup all day long, it is very unlikely that it will get full. See the comparison table Tampons Vs Menstrual cups.

Yes you can, the cup would be emptied more often than every 8 hours. A bit of trial and error may be in order, but one quickly learns how often to empty the cup to meet their specific needs.

Menstrual cups aren’t for everyone. Be sure to discuss your options with your doctor, especially if you’ve had uterine prolapse, which is a condition in which your uterus slips into the vagina because supporting ligaments and muscles have become weakened or stretched. This condition is most common in postmenopausal women who’ve given birth vaginally.

Many women with these conditions still successfully use a menstrual cup. Since it is worn lower in the vaginal canal it does not interfere with the position of the uterus. But of course, it is always best to consult with your doctor on this, as he/she can give you more details on the shape of your anatomy.

You may want to read my article about Cervix and Menstrual Cups

Menstrual cups are not associated with an increased risk of UTI. You may need to trim the stem a bit so that it is not protruding near to the urethra. Also, it is important to wash and rinse the cup and the stem thoroughly using a mild perfume free soap, so that residue is not left on the cup as they may cause irritations. As for all gynecological concerns, we suggest you consult your doctor. You can also Sanitize your cup with Milton tablets to be sure to kill all bacterias.

Check that the air holes at the top of your cup are open. Wash your hands and clean the cup by washing with water and a mild perfume free soap. Then boil it in a large amount of water for a few minutes before first use. Make sure that there is enough water so that the cup does not burn on the bottom.

Yes, only the brown Keeper cup is made from latex. The other menstrual cups are made of medical grade silicone or TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) and can still be used even by people with latex sensitivities.

• you’ve ever had TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome)
• you’ve recently had gynecological surgery, given birth, or had a miscarriage
• you have a vaginal infection
• you’ve never had sexual intercourse and you’re concerned about maintaining your hymen

Let’s get one fact straight, when you are thinking silicone you are thinking of silicone toxic leaking on breast implants right? Menstrual cup are made from medical grade silicone, this is a solid stable piece of silicone (with the feel of soft rubber) that cannot leak or release molecules into the body. The same silicone used to make cups is also widely used in the medical industry for internal valves as well as baby bottle teats and breast pumps.

Absolutely not! they are 100% medical silicone grade or in the case of Me Luna TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) which is also free of those chemicals.

Be aware of where you get your cup from, many websites sells some very cheap cup from china that are not from certified silicone. It has to be a hight quality medical grade to be safe to use internally.Please do not compronise your health to save a few bucks. All brands listed on this site are safe.

Menstrual cups cheap and reusable as they are have been under scrutnity from the moment they became popular. Their direct competitors such Tampax, Always, Kotex to name a few had much to loose if women suddently stopped needing their products.

Menstrual cup brands were usually ran by individual motivated entrepreneur with visions and couldn’t afford costly research.

The good news is that in 2019 a serious study has been done and guess what it says? Cups are safer and less prone to leaks than any other disposable protection. Read the study on thelancet.com