Menstrual Hygiene – Which Sanitary Product Should I Choose?
“When my periods started, my mother gifted me my first pack of sanitary napkins. I have been using them ever since. Now a lot of my friends also use tampons or menstrual cups, but I am little apprehensive of trying anything new,” says Soundarya*. Out of the more than 2000 women who participated in the everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey 2018 from all over India, nearly 52% women said they have not changed their sanitary product in the past two years or more, and a whopping 83% said they have not even searched for new sanitary products in over a year. Where over 95% women agreed that comfort, quality and health mattered the most to them, yet 49% women are not able to focus on work during periods, 46% have had to take a leave from work due to menstruation, and nearly 49% women had vaginal infection and discomfort during periods. 60% of the physically active women said they are not able to pursue outdoor activities such as swimming, yoga, gym, exercise and dancing during periods, while 79% said periods impacted their choice of clothes and the way they dress.
As India’s leading brand of sanitary products, everteen takes this feedback seriously and we are committed to make periods comfortable and safe for women through new and advanced choices of menstrual management methods. With India’s largest range of feminine intimate hygiene products, we receive a lot of queries from women wanting to know how to choose the most suitable sanitary product and what to keep in mind. In this part of our everteen Feminine Intimate Hygiene Secrets, we share pros, cons and tips that will help you make informed choices to buy the sanitary product that specifically meets your needs and preferences.
SANITARY PADS
Sanitary pads continue to be the product of choice for 92% of the women in India, shows everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey 2018, conducted in May this year. Traditionally, women entering puberty in India inherit sanitary napkins as their default context. However, a few progressive women are adopting newer methods.
TAMPONS
Relatively a new concept in India, tampons have actually been in existence since the 1930s across the world. In fact, according to some estimates, nearly 70% of all menstruating females in the U.S. use tampons. There are two major types – applicator tampons come with a guiding applicator barrel that makes it easier to insert. Digital tampons are cheaper and do not offer such guided support.
MENSTRUAL CUPS
Menstrual cups are inserted inside the vagina. They collect menstrual blood and do not absorb it like tampons or sanitary pads. While they are extremely easy to use after some practice, first-time users may need to watch self-help videos on YouTube and similar channels to learn how to insert them properly. After that, it’s just like, “Put it. Shut it. Forget it.”
The best part is that once you buy a menstrual cup, you don’t need to go period-shopping every month!
As Arunima* puts it, “I was quite hesitant initially when my friend first introduced me to cups. But once I got the hang of it, my experience has been nothing short of a revelation. The biggest advantage is that I no longer need to make awkward trips to the office loo, smuggling my pads in my pocket or purse.”
While these are the most popular sanitary products in vogue currently, people do keep on tinkering with new experimental ideas. We take our responsibility seriously and will keep on bringing you awareness on more options once they become mainstream and worth considering.
Now that you know the pros and cons of the top menstrual hygiene products, we hope that you will be able to choose the one suits your specific needs the best. No matter what you prefer for your periods, panty liners may still be your best friend throughout the month, and all the more so if you are new to using tampons or menstrual cups during periods!
(Note: Actual names of women quoted in the article have been changed)
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