What Is A Menstrual Cup And How To Use It

A menstrual cup is a greener and safer alternative to classic feminine hygiene products. It looks like a small bowl (you can easily guess that from the name) with a tail that helps with extraction. The first bowl appeared in 1932, and mass production began in the 1960s. However, the product was not very popular in a conservative society. Its first fans appeared only in the 1980s, but now it is again at the peak of popularity.

Bowls are most often made of rubber (latex), silicone or thermoplastic elastomer and are designed for multiple use. There are also disposable options, but they are not as popular.
What’s wrong with the usual tampons or pads?

There are several factors that indicate that standard hygiene products are hopelessly outdated. The first – economic. The amount of 100 rubles for a package of pads does not seem huge, but calculate how much you spend on them a year and a lifetime – and you realize that your budget each month suffers for the fault of nature.

The second reason to switch to menstrual bowls is environmental. Tampons and pads are made using cotton and wood, which is harvested from the forests. The material is then treated with substances that pollute the environment, and after use, the pads go into the trash, polluting nature even more.

The third factor is convenience and safety. Tampons are one of the main causes of toxic shock syndrome, which can be deadly. And pads do not always provide reliable protection with a large volume of secretions, especially if the girl leads an active lifestyle. When using a bowl does not create an environment for the development of bacteria, the possibility of “leakage” is practically eliminated, and while wearing you can do all the same things you can do without a period, such as bathing.

How to choose your cup

Most manufacturers make such products in two sizes. One, the small one, is designed for women under 30 who have never been pregnant. The second larger one is great for those who have given birth or are over 30.

It is worth paying attention to the length of the bowl. It depends on the location of the cervix (low or high). If you can touch the cervix with your finger then choose a shorter bowl. If you are not ready for such experiments, simply check the position of your cervix at the gynecologist’s office.

How to Use It

Simple! You roll it in one of the ways suggested below and put it in like a tampon. The maximum time you can wear the bowl is 12 hours, but if you choose a small size, or if your period is accompanied by a lot of excretions, this period is reduced. After use, simply empty the bowl and rinse in warm water with nonaggressive soap (you can do without it). And at the end of the cycle, be sure to boil the bowl for 20 minutes.

With proper use, the bowl will last from a year to ten years, and you will stop giving up some fun and favorite things because of “those” days (and maybe even stop using that word combination).