When Facing A Thousand Products

Have you ever walked down the "Feminine Hygiene" section of the grocery store? There are loads of different products to choose from - pads, pantiliners, tampons, moon cups, soft cups, Diva cups, (all of those are separate things) even disposable underwear. On top of that, there are thirty different variations of each one. How the heck can you choose?

I can't speak for all products. I've only ever tried pads and soft cups. However, I'll do my best to give some general help for choosing. We'll probably go into specifics with  each product in the future.

Here are some general tips:

1. Consider what is most comfortable for you. Does the idea of sticking something inside you freak you out? Don't try tampons or any cups.  Does the idea of sitting in your own blood sound disgusting? Maybe you'd be better off with a moon cup instead of pads or disposable underwear.

2. Consider your daily life. Do you spend a lot of time swimming or exercising? Try a tampon. Is your home life more relaxed? Perhaps you want to try pads.

3. Consider budget. Moon cups can be extremely expensive, especially compared to soft cups and pads.

 

That's my three general tips for the day - on to some specifics. Here's some things to think about when you're standing in front of a shelf of menstrual products.

 

How heavy is my flow? Most products will say right on the front what kind of flow they are for. If you have a heavy flow, look for pads that say "Extra Absorbent" or "Extra Heavy." I've tried one of these before - they get so big that it literally feels like you stuffed a pillow in your panties. Tampons will often say "Ultra Absorbency" or some variation of that. Menstrual cups of all kind are good for heavy flows.

But what if you have a super light flow? They make products for that, too. "Ultra Thin" pads are designed for people with lighter flows. If your flow is particularly light, however, please avoid tampons. They are meant to absorb and dry out the inside of your vagina, which can cause some nasty problems down there. They do make tampons for super light flows, so if you must use one, look for that's made specifically for light flows. Menstrual cups, again, of all kinds, do not absorb, so they'll be fine.

What is my size? Size plays a huge role in choosing products. Tampons come in many different sizes; a larger one may work well for one person, but it could be too big for another. If you're smaller, try "Junior Slim" or "Slim." If you're larger, try "Extra Absorbency" or something similar.

What quality to I prefer? Nearly all products will work, but some are nicer than others. If you don't really care then cheapest will be fine. If you prefer nicer you'll have to pay a little bit more. (Kotex makes really nice pads for teens. I adore them.) If you're looking for something reusable, you'll probably want some quality in there, as they'll be used over and over again.

 

Next, I have the DOs and DON'Ts of product choosing.

 

DO….

 

….buy tampons with applicators. I've honestly never used a tampon, so I don't have any authority to say this, but it seems like it'd be a little more "ew" without the applicator.

….try to buy more natural products, such as menstrual sponges or pads made from cotton. They're all around better for you. (A friend recommends Seventh Generation pantiliners.)

….try out different products. Maybe you'll like Diva cups better than tampons.

….try out different types of products. You might find that you prefer a slimmer tampon over the one you have.

….try out different brands of products. Some brands are just better than others.

….be picky. If you don't like a product, don't use it.

 

DON'T….

 

….buy scented pads. They have chemicals that can irritate your vagina.

….buy something just because it has a pretty box. (It's surprising how tempting this can be.)

….buy a pad just because it says "unnoticeable" or "invisible" unless you have a light flow. This means it's thinner, which means its less absorbent.

….confuse pantiliners for pads.

….buy super absorbent tampons if you have a light flow. I mentioned this above but it's rather important: lighter flow needs a lighter tampon, because tampons will dry out your vaginal tissues.

….buy wingless pads. They have a tendency to slide and make you leak.

 

That's all the advice on products I have for you today. Hopefully, this makes choosing from a thousand different menstrual products a little bit easier. What are some of your favorite products or brands? Think I'm missing something in this post? Tell us in the comments!

Special thanks to Azy Vurrkyn (a.k.a. LA-LA) for adding to the DOs and DON'Ts list.