Feminine Protection Alternatives, Reusable Menstrual Products
Page 2 of 2Why Use Reusable Menstrual Products
Now that you know about reusables, why might you choose to use them? Let's take a look at some very good reasons many women have opted to use reusable feminine protection for at least part of their monthly cycles.
The average woman will menstruate monthly for approximately 35 to 40 years. That's a lot of years to need menstrual products!
Environmental
If you use disposable feminine protection exclusively during your menstrual years, you will use approximately 12,500. Where do they ultimately end up? Typically, our sewage systems and landfills where they can take years to bio-degrade, and potentially centuries for the plastics used on applicators and packaging to bio-degrade.
Many women have decided that this landfill mountain should not be part of their legacy to future generations, and hence choose reusables.
Economical
Let's say a box of disposables costs about $5.00 per month (if you use all organic cotton, it's more expensive). That's $60.00 a year, or approximately $2,100.00 during your menstrual years, not taking into account inflation.
A reusable menstrual pad can last several years, and a menstrual cup up to 10 years. Particularly with pads, you will likely want to have several - just as you do with kitchen or bath towels, so that you can rotate and distribute usage.
Menstrual pads are approximately $8 to $12 each. And, menstrual cups are approximately $25 to $35. You can easily save many hundreds of dollars by using reusables for part or all of your monthly cycle.
Health Related
Some women are concerned about using synthetic (rayon, or rayon/cotton blend) disposable tampons and pads, due to the potential health hazards associated with them, particularly Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), and dioxin exposure linked to the bleaching process.
We should note that this is controversial issue, and you should research this topic or speak to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.
Are Reusable Menstrual Products for You?
Clearly, if you don't know about a product, you wouldn't think to buy it! When our recent survey told us that many of you were unaware of reusables, we wanted to follow-up with this article to let you know there were alternative options.
So now that you know about reusable, are they for you? Will you switch? Perhaps the idea completely appeals to you, and you can't wait to buy and try! Or, maybe after using disposable feminine protection for so long, you think that reusables are less convenient, and not a viable option for your lifestyle.
Reusables are actually used by many women.
Let's take a look at our survey results from a different angle. 40% of those polled know about reusables. Of these, 8% either use reusables all the time or for part of their cycle.
This means that 20% of those who know about reusables are using them!
Keep in mind that this is not necessarily an all or nothing proposition. Maybe reusables are right for you for part of your cycle. For example, perhaps disposables for office hours, reusables for nights and weekends. Maybe a menstrual cup for summer/beach/sports activities; Or, reusable washable pads for lighter days, such that disposable pantiliners are a thing of your past! The possibilities, girls, are endless!
Which brings us to our concluding thought: reusables make possible the concept of a menstrual wardrobe, enabling you to mix and match what you use and wear for protection during your monthly cycle. The companies producing the reusable pads provide many excellent colors and designs, and some even have thong-based pads.
Where to buy Menstrual Product Alternatives?
When we started MyMonthlyCycles in 2003, there were less than a handful of companies selling menstrual cups and a bit more than that selling washable pads, all mainly through the company's own website. It was rare to be able to find reusables locally, like at a chain drugstore.
Now, menstrual cups, washable pads, and period discs which is the latest reusable to the menstrual market, are easy to find. You can find reusables in many local drugstore chains and big box stores, and they are widely available via the internet, from the manufacturer's website and drugstore chain's website, to large sellers like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay.
Here are just a few links for shopping reusable period products:
