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What’s the Best Period Protecta hreion Option for You? Find out Here
If you’re looking for the best type of period protection, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve combined our knowledge of women’s health, with our wisdom gained from reviewing all the menstrual cups, Soft Cups, reusable cloth pads, disposable pads, tampons and period panties and put it to work for you in this simple quiz.
Our goal is to help you find the best type of sanitary product possible. There are seven questions which will only take a couple minutes of your time. At the end, you’ll get the results and find out which feminine hygiene option will work the best for you.
Are you ready? Check out the quiz:
What’s the Best Period Protection for You?
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Do you need more information about each of these period protection products? We’ll give you some more details about the pros and cons of each one, as well as some advice about which brands to consider, and where to buy them.
Period Protection Option #1: Menstrual Cups
Menstrual cups are an eco-friendly, economical feminine hygiene option that are becoming increasingly popular these days. Just have a look at “menstrual cups” on Amazon and you’ll see pages of search results.
They’re becoming more popular for a whole lot of reasons, but here are some of the best ones.
Menstrual Cup Benefits
There are a few reasons why you might consider switching to a menstrual cup over the disposable options including pads and tampons.
- Better for the environment. Menstrual cups can last for up to 10 years, if you care for them properly. Compare this to the thousands of pads or tampons you’d use during that same time. It really does make a difference for our Earth!
- Save money. Although menstrual cups are expensive in the very short-term, you’ll save a ton of money over the medium to long-term. In general, you can get a top-quality period cup for between $15-30. Some of our favourite brands include the Anigan EvaCup, Lunette Cup, and MoonCup.
- Better for your health. The top-quality cups are made from medical grade silicone, Thermoplastic Elastomer, or Latex. They won’t leach harmful chemicals into your bloodstream, unlike tampons and pads that contain trace amounts of these compounds.
Are there any Negatives to Menstrual Cups?
Menstrual cups sound pretty amazing, right? But, are there any negatives that you need to aware of, you might be thinking.
Just about the only negative is that there is a bit of a learning curve when you’re getting started with menstrual cups. It takes most people 3-4 cycles to really get the hang of inserting and removing it, and also for it to not leak.
Part of the challenge is to find the right menstrual cup for your body type. Getting the right cup can go a long way towards lessening the learning curve that most people go through. Low cervix, long vaginal canal, vaginal birth, no children, heavy flow, light flow, etc. The options are numerous and there are so many factors to consider when choosing a period cup such as diameter, length, firmness, capacity, materials, and price.
Keep on reading for help in choosing the best menstrual cup for your body type.
What about Menstrual Cups and TSS?
We all know that tampons can potentially cause Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Although it’s rare, it is quite a serious thing so it’s best to take whatever steps you can to avoid this.
You can be wondering how menstrual cups and TSS are related? To date, there’s only been one confirmed case of toxic shock syndrome being caused by menstrual cup usage. It was caused by the person cutting themselves when inserting the cup at the beginning of their period, not the actual cup usage itself.
Compare this to the thousands of cases caused by tampons each year. It’s clear that when considering Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), menstrual cups are a far safer alternative to tampons.
Which Menstrual Cup is Right for Me?
There are a lot of menstrual cups, which can make it hard to choose the best one for your body type. In order to help you out with this, we’ve put together a menstrual cup quiz.
We’ve combined our detailed menstrual cup comparison chart, along with our extensive knowledge gained from reviewing all the cups and put it to work for you! The result is a simple, 5-question quiz that will only take a minute of your time. In the end, you’ll get a result for the best menstrual cup.
Check it out here: Menstrual Cup Quiz.
Or, check out some of our top picks in the comparison chart below:
Best Overall | Best New Cup | Best for Low Cervix | Best Soft Cup | Best for Period Sex |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lena Cup | Saalt Cup | FemmyCycle | Sckooncup | Ziggy Cup |
Check price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
More Details: Menstrual Cup Pros and Cons
Period Protection Option #2: Cloth Menstrual Pads
The next period protection option to consider is cloth menstrual pads. Like menstrual cups, they’re an eco-friendly, economical alternative to the disposable options. They are quite similar to disposable pads, except that they’re made with cloth and other natural products like bamboo and can be reused for up to 10 years, with proper care.
Cloth Menstrual Pad Benefits
- Save the environment! Cloth pads are usually made from all-natural products, unlike disposable pads which are largely non-biodegradable plastic.
- Save money. Each cloth pads costs around $5, but they last for years which means you’ll save a ton of money over the medium to long-term.
- Better for your health. After washing them, cloth pads are free of harmful chemicals. It’s even better if you start with the organic cloth pads.
If you’re looking for some basic information about reusable cloth pads, then check out:
Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pads FAQs
Are there any Negatives to Cloth Menstrual Pads?
This all sounds great, right? You may be wondering if there any downsides to using cloth menstrual pads over disposable ones.
Not Great for Heavy Exercise
One thing to be aware of is that cloth menstrual pads tend to shift around more than disposable pads. This is usually due to the leakproof backing that many of them contain, which is quite slippery on cotton or silk underwear. However, for everyday use cloth period pads work reasonably well. The only problem is if you’re engaging in some serious exercise in which case you might wish you weren’t wearing them!
We usually recommend making the switch to cloth pads for most occasions, but keep a box of disposables in your cupboard for when you want to run a marathon, ride a bike, or hit that Zumba class. It’s a nice solution for a minor problem.
You Have to Clean Them
One of the things that people find annoying about cloth menstrual pads is that you have to clean them. In general, you can just throw them in with your regular laundry. However, some people pre-soak them, or use stain remover in order to minimize staining.
You don’t have to worry about with the darker pads however, which is why we usually recommend darker patterns as opposed to the lighter ones. However, this is purely a cosmetic issue and it in no way interferes with functionality.
Check out our: Cloth Menstrual Pad Care Guide.
Which Cloth Pads are Right for Me?
If you take a look over on Amazon for, “Cloth Menstrual Pads” you’ll see that there are pages and pages of results. You’ll probably also notice that there are a wide range of options from panty-liners to overnight pads. You can also make your own—have a look in Pinterest for ideas and patterns.
But, if you’re not sure where to start, then we recommend checking out our Top 5 Cloth Menstrual Pads.We’ve done the hard work for you and narrowed down the choices to give you only the best ones.
These are ones that have some of the highest user ratings in the category on Amazon, stay in place well and absorb a good amount of menstrual fluid.
Tips for Getting Started with Cloth Menstrual Pads
Period Protection Option #3: Disposable Pads and Tampons
The next feminine hygiene option to consider are disposable pads and tampons. These are probably what you’re already familiar with, and are even using right now.
Disposable Pad and Tampon Benefits
- Easy to use. There is no learning curve associated with these products. It’s quite difficult to insert a tampon incorrectly, or place a pad in the wrong place!
- Simple to dispose of. When you’re done with them, just throw them in the trash and use a new pad or tampon. You can easily carry a spare pad or tampon in your purse, backpack, or even pants pocket for that purpose.
- Widely available. You can pick up pads or tampons any drugstore, grocery store, or even convenience stores.
Are there any Negatives to Disposable Products
There are however some negatives to be aware of. Disposable pads and tampons are quite expensive, especially if you have a heavy period and use a lot of them. It can even add up to $10 or so each month. It’s kind of a frugal person’s worst nightmare actually—something that you have to pay for again, and again each and every single month.
Disposable pads and tampons also have a negative impact on our environment, especially when considering that a large part of them is plastic. Although it’s not a huge amount of waste per month, it does add up over the course of a lifetime. This is especially true when you consider that there are some excellent environmentally friendly alternatives.
Which Pads and Tampons do you Recommend?
Here are Reusable Menstrual Cups, we recommend organic disposables over the regular ones. This is because the normal ones contain trace amounts of pesticides and other harmful chemicals that don’t belong anywhere near our bodies.
Although a bit more expensive, the organic ones are well worth it in our opinions. Check out your options here:
Organic Tampons are Better for You!
Period Protection Option #4: Period Panties
The next option for sanitary products we’re going to talk about is period panties. Although they aren’t that well known, period panties are all kinds of awesome, in their own kind of way.
If you don’t know what they are, they’re basically like regular panties except that they have an absorbent lining in them to collect fluid. You can reuse them, and just have to put them in the laundry with your other clothes.
If you don’t already one a pair, here’s why you might want to.
Period Panty Benefits
- Save money. Period panties are only slightly more expensive than regular panties, but because they replace pads and tampons, you can stop wasting your money on those things.
- Be good to the environment. Reusable products are better for our Earth than disposables.
- Avoid harmful chemicals. Period panties, after washing don’t contain any harmful chemicals or pesticides. This is unlike non-organic disposable pads which have trace amounts of these things.
Are there any Reasons NOT to use Period Panties?
The major downside to using period panties is that they are not super absorbent. Think of them as more like panty-liners, or light pads, depending on which brand you use.
They’re great if you spot before, or after your period. Also consider using them if you have light incontinence issues. Another time to use them is as a backup to a menstrual cup or tampon. In this case, they can give you an added layer of protection in an economical, eco-friendly way.
Which Period Panties are Right for Me?
Have a look over on Amazon for “period panties” and you’ll see that there a million and one options. The good news is that we’re narrowed down the options and found the top period panties for you to choose from.
Check out our: Top 5 Period Panties.
People Try Period Panties for the First Time
Period Protection Option #5: Soft Cups
The last option for period protection that we’re going to talk about are SoftCups. Unlike the other feminine hygiene products we’ve already mentioned that are great for a huge variety of situations, we recommend Soft Cups for a pretty specific situation: period sex.
Soft Cups are flexible, flat discs that are designed to sit right up under your cervix. They are disposable, and the company recommends that you change them every 12 hours, or more frequently depending on how heavy your flow is.
What Kind of Period Sex?
If you want to have anything up to penetrative sex, we actually recommend a traditional menstrual cup like the Lena Cup, or Diva Cup. They’re cheaper, better for the environment and easier to insert and remove than Soft Cups. We prefer them over tampons because there’s no string hanging out, and your partner may not even know you have your period.
However, if you want to have non-messy penetrative sex during your period, your only two options are Soft Cups, and Sea Sponge Tampons. Most people find that neither they nor their partner is able to feel Soft Cups while having sex and that they’re very comfortable.
Instead Soft Cup Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLN5mVhcirw
Are there any Negatives to Soft Cups?
Soft Cups are disposable, which also means that they’re not great for the environment, nor your bank account. That’s why we recommend having a box of them in your cupboard for those “special” times, but using a menstrual cup for everyday use. It’s a nice solution.
The other negative to Soft Cups is that there is a STEEP learning curve to using them. Regular menstrual cups sit lower in your vaginal canal so while it can take a while to learn how to insert them correctly, it really isn’t super difficult.
However, you have to put a Soft Cup waaaaaaay up in there, right below your cervix. If you have a long vaginal canal, this is almost impossible. Same thing if you have short fingers, or any sort of wrist problems.
Removing Soft Cups isn’t easy either. You have to keep the fluid from spilling out all over the place, which actually is quite difficult.
Instead SoftCups Tips and Tricks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVewGYIY-bY
Where to Buy SoftCups?
SoftCups are not readily available in stores, so usually recommend buying them on Amazon. Check them out here:
Alternatives to Pads and Tampons: Why Consider Making the Switch?
You might be wondering why you should consider making the switch to reusable products, and whether or not the alternatives to pads and tampons are worth it. These are great questions!
The main alternative to pads and tampons includes menstrual cups. Some examples are the Diva Cup, Lunette Cup, and Lena Cup. There are many reasons why you might consider changing your period protection up.
However, we personally prefer menstrual cups, as an alternative to pads and tampons because they’re far cheaper, better for the environment, and also our health. In reality, the only negative to menstrual cups is that they have a bit of a learning curve attached to them.
Have your Say: Which Period Protection Product is Right for You?
Leave a comment below and let us know which feminine hygiene option you prefer to use. Did the period protection quiz give you the same results?