Menstrual cups (also referred to as menstrual discs) are reusable alternatives to pads and tampons. Most cups are constructed from medical-grade silicone or rubber materials for maximum hygiene and convenience.
Menstrual cups provide a seal to prevent leaks. Women often don’t notice them once in place. For first-time users however, using one may prove more challenging.
1. Ease of use
Menstrual cups are much simpler and easier to use than tampons or pads, causing less irritation and leading to fewer leaks.
Most brands of menstrual cups are constructed from latex-free silicone and come in various shapes and sizes for your convenience. Reusable and long-term storage solutions mean you’ll save both time and money, thus reducing visits to stores.
After each use, it is crucial that your menstrual cup be sterilized. Boiling it for five to ten minutes or according to its manufacturer’s instructions should do the trick. When your menstrual cup is clean and sterile, store it in an open container like a mason jar without its lid, glass mug or metal mug (ideally without its lid) or boil it just like you would coffee mug and steep for 5 to ten minutes in hot water – much like when using an ordinary coffee cup would.
2. Reduced leakage
Menstrual cups are reusable, saving both money and time when purchasing and disposing of feminine hygiene products. Furthermore, their environmental-friendliness reduces landfill waste from pads and tampons.
Leakage from menstrual cups can occur if they’re not installed properly or opened all the way inside your vagina. To prevent leakage from menstrual cups, be sure to follow proper insertion techniques and find your ideal fold method – for help reading our Menstrual Cup Folds Guide, click here.
Before inserting your cup for the first time, it is wise to “grease” it with water or gentle personal lubricant to reduce friction and help the cup fit smoothly into its slot. Furthermore, you should sterilize your menstrual cup by submerging it in boiling water for 10 minutes prior to reuse.
3. Reusable
Menstrual cups are reusable products, providing an alternative to pads or tampons intended to be used once before being discarded (single-use products). When properly fitted and worn during each cycle, a menstrual cup can last five to 10 years with regular usage.
Cups do not disturb vaginal pH levels or the beneficial bacteria found in your genital area like other menstrual products can, which could help decrease irritation, itching and infections.
Most period products are composed of medical-grade rubber or latex and come in two sizes for girls, young women, those with light menstrual flows and those over 30 (and particularly after giving birth): small/regular size for those under 30, regular size for those aged 30-30 and large/plus size (for those over 30). Most health food stores and online retailers sell them.
4. Environmentally friendly
Menstrual cups create significantly less waste than disposable pads do, generating approximately 14.1 kilograms of non-biodegradable waste in her lifetime using commercially available disposable sanitary pads, which have also been known to pollute rivers and oceans when flushed down the toilet.
Menstrual cups are reusable products made of medical-grade silicone or rubber and can be inserted like tampons. Their reuse eliminates wasteful disposal practices and facilitates living a zero-waste lifestyle, contributing to environmental reduction efforts and supporting Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, most disposable tampons contain plastic while menstrual cups are completely organic and biodegradable, making them the ideal option for women looking to limit plastic pollution.
5. Comfortable
Menstrual cups can feel uncomfortable for various reasons. Choosing an incorrect size and difficulty inserting it may result in discomfort; other people experience irritation; this can be alleviated with regular lubrication and hygiene practices between uses.
Finding a cup that works with your pelvic anatomy and cervix height may take some time, but once found you will likely experience less leakage-related leakage and discomfort than with pads or tampons.
One of the top menstrual cups available today is Diva Cup, with its medium stiffness silicone that easily pops open after insertion and forms a seal you can trust. Furthermore, each purchase supports girls and women in need with one donated cup purchased.
