To be honest, I wasn’t very keen on the idea of reusable menstrual products. In the past, I thought that they were unsanitary and that they could cause health risks. Present-day, I have become more aware of global issues and the need to live more sustainably. In my quest to learn about unnecessary waste, I discovered that the average woman uses about 240 each year and 9,600 over a woman’s lifetime. This information was pretty eye-opening for me, so I went ahead and researched reusable menstruation products. Not only did I find out that many of the things I thought I knew about reusable menstrual products were misconceptions, but there are also many advantages from using them. Here are some of the benefits of using reusable menstrual products:

1. Save the Environment: As we discussed, disposable feminine hygiene products make up quite a hefty percentage in landfills. On top of that, tampons and pads are wrapped in plastic, which adds to plastic pollution. Also, non-organic pads and tampons can contain toxin dioxins, which may end up in soils and water supplies and hurts the ecosystem. Making the switch to reusable menstrual products would definitely make a big contribution to save our environment. Just one cloth pad can equal 100 disposable pads.

2. Various Options: Regular tampons and pads don't suit everyone. Reusable menstrual products range from reusable cloth pads, period panties, menstrual cups, interlabial pads and sea sponge tampons. You have the freedom to experiment and find a menstrual product that’s most comfortable and sensible for you and your lifestyle.

3. Money Talks: Another big selling point on reusable menstrual products is that it saves you a lot of money. The initial cost for a reusable menstrual product is larger, but they last longer than the disposable products. If properly taken care of, cloth pads can last for up to five years. While there are disposable, single-use menstrual cups, the reusable ones can last for up to 10 years. Menstrual sponges can last up to six months. Disposable feminine hygiene products can add up. According to Treehugger, if a woman buys an $8 pack of disposables every other month, it eventually adds up to $1,920 over a lifetime, assuming someone menstruates for 40 years. Imagine how much it will add up if someone needs to buy disposable more often. So, it is safe to say that you get more bang for your buck when you switch to reusable menstrual products.

4. Better for Your Health: If the money isn’t enough to sway you, maybe health reasons will. Disposables are made with irritating materials like wood pulp, a combination of plastics, cotton and synthetic fibers. These materials are doused with chlorine dioxide which is harmful to the environment as well as your health. Many side effects can be derived from these chemicals and can lead to endometriosis and other reproductive and gynecological disorders in the vein. Since reusable menstrual products lack these irritating materials, your chances of getting rashes and infections reduce because they are more breathable.

5. Say Goodbye to Menstrual Cramps: Reusable menstrual products can reduce menstrual cramps! I mean, is that a benefit or what? Disposable tampons and pads can absorb more than just blood. It can also absorb all the moisture from your vagina., which increases your chances of getting cramps. More organic products like cloth pads, period panties, menstrual sponges and menstrual cups do not have the synthetic fibers that result in over absorption.

Reusable menstrual products have many benefits and can be a positive change to your lifestyle. It’s definitely worth a try if it is overall better for your health.

Source:

· Online.Sfsu. (2016). It’s Personal and It’s Business. http://online.sfsu.edu/sketch/523/2016/poster/01_08_lingling_ma_30x40_poster_women_hygiene.pdf

· Mommy Knows What’s Best. (2019). 7 Awesome Benefits of Cloth Menstrual Pads | Pink Lemonade Shop Review.

https://mommyknowswhatsbest.com/awesome-benefits-cloth-menstrual-pads/

· Cloth Pads. Reusable Menstrual Products.

https://clothpads.wordpress.com/

· Treehugger. (2019). 7 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Switch to Reusable Menstrual Products.

https://www.treehugger.com/reasons-why-you-should-switch-to-reusable-menstrual-products-4858721

· Menstrual Cup Reviews. (2020). Reusable Cloth Pads – FAQ’s.

https://menstrualcupreviews.net/reusable-cloth-pads-faqs/#:~:text=How%20long%20can%20I%20expect,rotation%20of%20about%2010%20pads.

· The Lancet Public Health. (2019). Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30111-2/fulltext#:~:text=Menstrual%20cups%20are%20made%20of,use%20menstrual%20cups%20also%20exist.