What’s A Period Cup And Should I Use It?
A period cup, sometimes called a menstrual cup, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a small flexible cup that’s put inside the vagina and catches period blood.
Some cups are made of silicone while others are made of rubber. If you’re allergic or sensitive to latex definitely make sure to steer clear of the rubber ones!
These cups can either be reusable or disposable depending on what brand you buy.
Photo by Rebecca Manning on Unsplash
The cups may come in different sizes. Not sure which size to get? You can always talk to your health care provider. Don’t want to do that? Some websites, like DivaCup, have an online quiz you can take to help you find the best size.
Should you use it is not a question I can answer for you, but let me give you some pros and cons to using them and then you can decide for yourself.
Pros
- They can stay in longer than tampons and catch more blood than a pad.
- For reusable ones, they’ll be cheaper than having to constantly buy pads and tampons, and the cups are FSA/HSA eligible (flexible spending account/health saving account).
Just so you know, tampons and pads are also FSA/HSA eligible.
- The reusable ones are better for the environment because there’s less product to throw out
And now the cons
- You’re going to have to pull a cup with blood out of your vagina and that can be uncomfortable for some people. But then again, there are some people who are uncomfortable dealing with pads and tampons too.
- If you’re having a heavy flow and you need to take it out and clean it, that might be a challenge if you have to do so in a public bathroom.
- When these first started becoming more popular I heard a lot of people say that there was no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) like you hear about with tampons. But that’s not true. Recent research is finding that they may be a small risk of TSS when using a cup.
- There can also be a risk of bacterial infections in your vagina if your hands aren’t clean when you insert the cup.
- You have to be comfortable with your own body to use a cup. You need to get the cup all the way inside the vagina and create a seal. And if you’re not comfortable touching your vagina, then this might just be too much for you.
Bottom line is that menstrual cups may be a great option for some people.
Still not sure if you want to try one? Or maybe you are but you’re overwhelmed by the options? My suggestion is to go online and watch the videos on how to insert one, and read about other people’s experiences. If you feel comfortable doing so, consider talking to your friends and family, and maybe your health care provider.
And you can always reach out to me if you have more questions.
Until next time, be safe and have fun!
Have a question you want answered? Submit it here: https://milsteinhealthconsulting.com/heydrsue
