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In the wake of news that some tampons<\/a> have been found to contain toxic metals such as lead and arsenic, many women who menstruate find themselves asking: Now what?<\/p>\n After all, between 52% and 85% of people with periods in the United States use tampons, according to the July 12 study<\/a>, conducted by the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health and published in the journal Environmental International<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n It found that, in 30 tampons from 14 brands and 18 product lines (all unnamed, unfortunately) there were traces of 16 heavy metals\u2014including some considered toxic\u2014likely due to heavy metal contamination of soil in the agricultural industry. Researchers found that non-organic tampons had the highest concentration of lead, and that organic tampons had the highest amounts of arsenic.<\/p>\n Many experts, including Instagram<\/a> star Dr. Jennifer Lincoln<\/a>, have said there\u2019s no reason for panic\u2014pointing out not only that levels of metals found were extremely small (and that we\u2019re exposed to higher amounts in certain food products and bottled water) but that more research is needed to find out how much of the metal is actually absorbed into your body.<\/p>\n Still, that doesn\u2019t mean some women aren\u2019t feeling worried and looking for alternatives\u2014especially considering that there\u2019s already been indication of PFAS, or \u201cforever chemicals<\/a>,\u201d found in some sanitary pads, tampons, and period underwear, according to studies by Mamavation<\/a> and the American Chemical Society<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Enter: reusable menstrual cups and discs.<\/p>\n Used by only 19% of those who menstruate, and mostly by those in their 20s and 30s, according to 2023 findings<\/a> of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, menstrual cups are reusable tampon alternatives that collect blood rather than absorb it. Most are made from medical-grade silicone<\/a>\u2014a synthetic polymer made of silicon, hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen\u2014that\u2019s been tested and approved by the FDA for being non-toxic and non-reactive with human tissue.<\/p>\n They are inserted by folding and pushing up against the cervix, where it creates a seal. Discs work the same way but are shaped differently, like wider, circular bowls.<\/p>\n Dr. Olivia Manayan, an OB\/GYN based in Hawaii, points to a 2019 meta-analysis<\/a> published in the Lancet<\/em> that notes, \u201cOur review indicates that menstrual cups are a safe option for menstruation management and are being used internationally,\u201d and also highlights the pros and cons. In addition to being reusable and cost-efficient, the study finds there is not more leakage than with tampons and may actually be less\u2014and that there is a lower risk of toxic shock syndrome with cups than with tampons. A con, Manayan points out, is that there is a higher rate of IUD dislodgment (though it\u2019s likely from being placed to high in the vagina) and a risk (though rare) of an allergic reaction to the silicone.<\/p>\n Kim Rosas is a self-taught menstrual cup expert who started using the items over 12 years ago for environmental reasons\u2014the same reason she used cloth diapers for her kids just before that. \u201cI became a convert more because they were comfortable and convenient, and that\u2019s sort of been my advocacy point for helping people switch,\u201d Rosas tells Fortune<\/em>.<\/p>\n In 2020 she founded Period Nirvana<\/a> to help educate the public, including with a quiz<\/a> that helps you choose your best option (also offered by a similar site, Put a Cup In It<\/a>), and to offer a range of different cups and discs for sale. She says she\u2019s seen her online sales double since the tampon study\u2019s release.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s a lot of other reasons to switch besides that,\u201d Rosas stresses. Topping the list for her, in addition to comfort and convenience, is that the reusable products, which cost between $30 and $40 each, will save you money.<\/p>\n \u201cThey last for up to 10 years. And you get your money back within about one to three months,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n The biggest questions Rosas gets, she says, are: \u201cHow\u2019s that gonna fit?\u201d and \u201cWhat do I do in public?\u201d<\/p>\n Regarding public anxiety\u2014it\u2019s true that once the cup is full, you\u2019ll need to remove it, dump the blood into a toilet, and then wash both the cup and your hands. And the thought of a Carrie<\/em>-like scene in a school, work, or public restroom obviously gives many women pause. But Rosas says it doesn\u2019t need to be an issue.<\/p>\n \u201cI like to let people know it depends on your flow,\u201d she says. If you have a heavy period and are concerned about overflow and leakage, then yes, you\u2019ll need to plan ahead for emptying and washing in the middle of the day. But you can empty the cup or disk and reinsert it and wash it later\u2014plus there are \u201creally handy cup wipes,\u201d she says, and at least one brand, Saalt, that makes a travel kit with a tiny squirt bottle for in-stall, over-toilet cleansing.<\/p>\n But if you have more of an average or light flow, she says, \u201cyou can go the entire day without even needing to address it. You have up to 12 hours to wear [a cup] safely. So unless you\u2019re worried about overflowing, you can actually just wait until you get home to empty it and wash it.\u201d<\/p>\n As for how it will fit, she says she just reminds people of the many things that can fit in a vagina, from a penis to a full-term baby. <\/p>\n Carol Queen, staff sexologist for the legendary San Francisco sex-toy shop Good Vibrations, explains that the vagina \u201cnaturally expands during arousal, and, of course, childbirth, for those who have that experience. The vagina is designed to accommodate items as small as a finger or tampon and larger ones like toys or penises, and then return to its \u2018resting size,\u2019 which is comparable to a lightly closed fist.\u201d<\/p>\n Other women may fear \u201closing\u201d the cup or disc inside their bodies. But, reassures Queen, \u201cThey won\u2019t. The vagina is essentially a closed organ, like a cul-de-sac, with the exception of the very small os [opening of the] cervix. For those who are afraid of harm: Wash your hands first, don\u2019t be rough with insertion, use a little bit of lubricant if it helps.\u201d<\/p>\n Still others may be uncomfortable with the idea of having to touch their genitals so much\u2014possibly, Queens says, due to lingering myths and fears we\u2019ve been taught: the notion that menstrual blood is dirty; the idea that touching the vulva\/vagina will cause illness; the belief that the vulva\/vagina are inherently sexual and any contact with them is, too; the idea that inserting anything into the vagina causes or hastens virginity loss; and, finally, the idea that inserting anything into the vagina will be painful.\u00a0<\/p>\n For those who are afraid that they are going to alter themselves sexually somehow, she adds: \u201cInserting a tampon or menstrual cup is not a sexual act. It does not change the vagina sexually.\u201d<\/p>\n The best way to figure out the best brand and size for your body, Rosas advises, is by first checking to see if you have a low or high cervix\u2014inserting your finger into your vagina, maybe while in the shower, until you reach your cervix, which feels like the soft tip of a nose. Make a mental note of where on your finger you stop and then measure that length with a tape measure.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI would encourage trying a few on to see which works best for you,\u201d says Manayan, who adds that, depending on your daily activities, you may require different kinds. \u201cFor instance, if you are doing a lot of physical activity, a more rigid cup may better serve you.\u201d\u00a0And, she says, \u201cFor people who are used to using tampons, note \u2026 that the menstrual cup is meant to sit lower in the vagina than a tampon typically does; this may take a little getting used to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nWhat are menstrual cups and are they safe?<\/h2>\n
What are some concerns about using menstrual cups?<\/h2>\n