I stopped using tampons and tried 'Period Underwear' when studies showed toxic ingredients - I never expected this.

August 2024, a study was published in the scientific journal Environment International, a first of it's kind measuring toxic ingredients in tampons. 14 different brands across the U.S, U.K, and Greece tested positive for upwards to 16 different types of toxic chemicals. This blew my mind and felt like an invitation to search for other options since I had been suffering from menstrual issues at that point for almost 2 years.

September of 2022 my routine Pap came back positive with HPV. An abnormal pap was normal for me every 7 years or so. Never given any sort of understanding of why or how this occurs and seemingly clears itself only to show up again in the years to come. This time though, I was noticing symptoms I hadn't before. I was spotting in-between my cycles and to be honest, it was terrifying me. Being told this was "normal" when HPV is present was scaring me even more because i knew it wasn't. I booked every appointment you could imagine. I started with a requested CA-125 blood test which btw - they'll never offer to you. Instead, our medical system goes with the option of a nurse/doctor shoving their fingers in your body to feel what they cant feel. The CA- 125 test is the only way to scan for ovarian cancer. Mine came back negative. I asked for an ultrasound to check for hidden growths - nothing. I did a mail-in vaginal microbiome test - results came back good with no infections.

Is this all starting to sound familiar yet? You go to the doctor for guidance on your health, and you're left with more questions and concerns than when you started. Insert this study on tampons worldwide that drops in August of 2024 and I'm all ears. Could it be? Tampons are causing my issues? You see, I started my period young at 10 years old and while I did start off with the dreaded pads, I couldn't wait to get the use of tampons down. To me (at 10 years old), tampons were for a grown woman - something I always seemed in a rush to be. Once i started, I never looked back. I wore tampons through every cycle, at night, on heavy days, light days, it was the only form of protection from blood-staining nightmares of my youth that I wanted to steer clear from. As I grew older, and started to become more interested in ingredients I began to choose organic brands. I wanted to be sure I was purchasing the best quality possible since I was using them 12 separate times through the year for anywhere from 4 to 6 days at a time.

Surprise, surprise - this study proved that in fact, organic tampons tested higher for ingredients such as arsenic an ingredient found in rat poison. Non-organic tampons tested higher for ingredients such as lead. Pick your poison? (pun intended)

Tampons have been around since 1931, another example of how women are still left out of so much research. Another example of why it's imperative in this day and age to be your own advocate, to ask questions. So what are the options if we're not using tampons? Pads? Sure if you want to go back to sixth grade. Cups? frightening. More power to you if you've figured these out and found them successful. I can't imagine not* feeling this inside my body. Discs? I still want to try these. I bought them but still haven't given them a-go. Love the idea that the discs empty themselves when you sit on the toilet, allowing for full-day use without accidents. Period underwear? This intrigued me ...

I reached out to a couple women I knew that used them routinely and they assured me of their love for this option. I had questions, and some serious concerns! Smell? Accidents? Comfortability? I found a small business on Amazon by the name of Goat Union that used 100% organic cotton and had different options of styles ranging from around $16 to $28. I purchased a few pairs to start off and used them on my next cycle. I was very pleasantly satisfied with the odor-blocking technology. When I tell you I didn't smell like a used pad - I MEAN IT. I was able to wear them on my heaviest of flow days without any leakage at all and to this day, I've never experienced an accident. I was hooked almost immediately and went back to purchase more. I use about 2 pairs a day. When I'm done, I rinse them with hot water and ring clean before washing them in the washing machine with hot water and non-toxic laundry detergent. Are they more work than tampons? Yes. Here's where the headline of '... I never expected this' comes in.

My cycles seemed so heavy to me the first few months. Was it heavy? Was this how my flow always was? I guess I wouldn't know because I had been clogging myself up with tampons for over 20 years. After a few months of using period underwear instead of tampons my bleeding between cycles stopped. The bleeding between periods I had been experiencing for almost 2 full years STOPPED. I could cry, in fact I did cry. I realized that by allowing my body to flow naturally and release what it needed to each cycle, it gave me permission to slow down, to rest. There's something about shoving a tampon in and moving along like your period isn't happening that I believe is doing such a disservice to our mental well-being. It's like we've been taught to take pride in lifting heavy, not resting, moving along at turbo speed and living our lives no differently than the rest of our month. However, this week of our life couldn't be more different, and our bodies deserve to be honored with what they need during this time.

I truly believe that taking tampons out of my monthly rotation helped my body to heal in more ways than one. Reducing the recurrent exposure of chemicals like arsenic and lead and allowing my period to flow has brought forth over time a healthy, monthly cycle I'm grateful for. There's been a couple times in the last 7 months that I've used tampons to 'get shit done' - because every so often, life just works out that way and we don't have as much time to rest. I'll never go back to regular use. Period underwear might not be for you, but if you saw the 2024 tampon study and felt even a glimmer of question about other options - consider this your sign to make a move. You won't regret it!

If you found this article insightful and feel compelled to share it with a cycling-female you know, please do! She'll thank you, and I thank you!