How To Use Period Underwear: Safe Option Replacing Pads And Tampons During Menstruation

Feminine hygiene products are always at the centre of discussions, whether it be the period tax or the negative impact it can have on the environment; pads, tampons and menstrual cups are something that allows you to go on with your life – without being completely worried about the ‘possible’ bloodstains.

We women have a lot of choices when it comes to menstrual hygiene. Tampons and sanitary pads are popular options; however, recently, there has been a lot of discussion over the pollution of feminine products such as these causes [1].

Every year, close to 20 billion menstrual products such as sanitary napkins and tampons are dumped into landfills in a single country – imagine the global situation! Because of our culture and social setting, women naturally opt for pads or tampons as that is what we see around us. Television commercials or print ads, whatever it may be, are centralised on acknowledging sanitary napkins as the best means during one’s menstrual cycle [2].

With many interventions in the feminine hygiene product arena, it is time to steer away from your usual choices and try out the new options, and one such option is period underwear.

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So, what are period underwear? It is a sustainable alternative that promotes free-bleeding and can be reused. These are an eco-friendly period product that is both reusable and absorbable.

Period Underwear: How Does It Work?

Period underwear has the same ‘mechanism’ of a pad, with underwear being the comfortable option, say users. Period underwear looks no different from your usual underwear but what makes it different is the fabric used. Let’s take a look at how period underwear works [3][4]:

• It uses extra layers of microfiber polyester that absorbs the blood.
• The layers prevent the moisture from making contact with your skin and vagina or leaking onto your clothes.
• The primary focus of period underwear is on absorbing fluids, preventing leaks, and moving moisture away from the skin.
• The fabric technology (the way it works) can differ according to brands. Still, the whole idea is to have a comfortable period.

Typically, period underwear absorbs light to moderate flow (or as much as 1-2 tampons).

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How To Use Period Underwear?

You can use it the same way you would wear your normal underwear. It would help if you changed or wash underwear at least every 12 hours to avoid odours [5].

• After use, drop your underwear in cold water to soak or rinse them.
• If you are using a washing machine, place them in a washable mesh bag and wash on the delicate or gentle cycle.
• Dry the underwear naturally, under the sun.
• Do NOT put it in the dryer.

Benefits Of Using Period Underwear

When compared to other menstrual hygiene products, period underwear stands out because of the following reasons [6]:

• It is eco-friendly
• Reduces the amount of single-use plastics
• Useful in absorbing both light and heavy blood flow
• Great during physical activity such as hiking or bike racing
• No risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome
• Easy to clean and no leakage or shifting

Who Can Use Period Underwear?

Period underwear can be worn by anyone who wants to try it, and it can be especially beneficial for people with:

• Heavy bleeding
• Irregular bleeding
• Incontinence
• Dysphoria with typical menstrual products

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What Are The Cons Of Period Underwear?

While there are no side effects to using period underwear, some can find the odour disturbing because as your period is going to flow outside of your body, there’s a chance that you will smell it. Another cons is that it has only limited styles and is a bit pricey than tampons and pads.

On A Final Note…

Health experts point out that you can combine period underwear with other menstrual products to make it more comfortable while making the transition to underwear from tampons and pads. From the health benefits perspective, there is no specific reason to choose period underwear – it is all about your comfort and ease of use- also the added benefit of reducing your waste.

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