Sanitary pads are passe. What can replace them?

If we're lucky, we can afford the hygiene products we need during our periods. Yes, period poverty is a fact, and in Poland it affects every fifth woman. 20% of us cannot afford sanitary pads or tampons, so we use paper, pieces of cloth or foil. Those who can afford to ensure a minimum of comfort during menstruation use approximately 11,000 intimate hygiene products throughout their lives . I used the "Menstrual Cost Calculator" developed by Omnicalculator and checked: in my case it costs over PLN 9,000. zloty! Assuming that I will menstruate for as long as the average woman - 40 years, using at least 20 sanitary pads during a 28-day cycle. During this time, I will use 10,436 of them. What if we thought about an alternative?

What are sanitary pads made of?

Money, although important - it is a large expense - is not the only argument . It's also about the fact that even if the packaging of sanitary pads and tampons is decorated with the inscriptions "eco" or "bio", these products are usually made from a mixture of paper pulp, rayon and bleached cotton. Usually bleached with chlorine . To obtain the proper, porous structure, the mixture is treated with various acids.

Cotton itself - unless it comes from organic farming and is marked with an appropriate certificate (as we mentioned here ) - is grown using pesticides and herbicides . Therefore, it is not the healthiest mixture - also for intimate areas. Disposable sanitary pads and tampons also contribute to the destruction of the environment - they contain plastic elements that take several hundred years to decompose after being thrown away. And at the same time, they release into the environment all the chemicals with which they were produced.

And although disposable, but ecological sanitary pads and tampons are a healthier option for our body, they still increase the huge amount of waste that modern humans leave behind. For our health, our wallet and the well-being of the planet, it's really worth considering alternatives . For example , reusable sanitary pads, menstrual cups, reusable tampons or special panties . All these options allow you to save a lot. And they are more "eco" than store-bought disposable sanitary pads.

Reusable sanitary pads and pads.

They look like regular sanitary pads, but are made of organic and biodegradable materials. They have a pocket in the crotch where a replaceable insert is placed. They are usually fastened with snaps. After use, such a sanitary pad or insert usually needs to be soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours and then washed at 60 degrees. And that's it. The package costs approximately PLN 200 and will last for several years.

Period panties.

Menstrual pads work on a similar principle. Made of absorbent fabric, they easily absorb moisture and can be used completely independently - you don't need any other hygiene products. It's an eco-sanitary pad that looks just like regular panties. You don't have to worry about leaks - the panties are designed so that they do not allow blood to pass through. The piece costs from PLN 100 and up, depending on the brand. Their absorbency decreases after a longer period of use, approximately 2 years. More and more chain lingerie stores are introducing such panties to their offer.

Menstrual cups.

Small containers made of medical grade silicone are placed in the vagina just like a tampon. Menstrual blood collects inside. Once every few hours, the cup needs to be removed, emptied, washed, and then reinserted. It is safe and hygienic, although you need to get used to it and choose the right cup size. One cup can be used for many years and its cost ranges from approximately PLN 50 to PLN 150.

Reusable tampons.

They are made of natural sponge from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, cotton or bamboo. The latter, like reusable sanitary pads, are soaked in water and washed after use. Sponge tampons are moistened with water before being inserted to make them soft. When they are full, you squeeze the sponge, e.g. into the sink or toilet, rinse it under running water and put it back. Cotton tampons are nothing more than a strip of material several centimeters wide, which is rolled before being inserted inside. When the tampon is full, the "roll" is removed and washed. The cost of such tampons starts from PLN 80 for a few taps. The set lasts for about half a year.

Bibliography:

1. “Menstrual poverty: what is it and how to fight it? International report”, Kulczyk Foundation, accessed May 14, 2022.
2. “Menstrual Cost Calculator”, Miszewska D., Żuławińska J., omnicalculator.com, April 2022.