Female to Female

(Boys. Sensitive, uptight individuals. You have been warned.)

I heard about something relatively crunchy and hippie a year or more ago. I think I discovered it on the Interwebs right around the time I discovered reusable toilet paper and cloth sanitary napkins. (Oh the rabbit trails I go down when on the internets. Lol) Or I saw an ad for it in a magazine? Yes, I think I was reading a magazine (like Women's Health or Seventeen) and saw an ad that intrigued me.

It's called a menstrual cup and there are many different brands and models available: the diva cup, lady cup, lunette, mooncup,and others. Plain and graphic description: it is a small, bell-shaped cup made out of hypoallergenic, medical-grade silicone. It is placed in the vagina (like a tampon) during menstruation, it "catches" or even blocks the flow of menses.

Like I said, super crunchy. And really appeals to me.

The initial investment is $25-$50 but if you think about it, it will last between one and ten years depending on the brand of cup. For me, I estimate spending about $45 a year on pads. So, I could save* a truck load a money. Plus, no smelly waste in the bathroom trash can. Everything flushes down the toilet.

It is safe, menstrual cups have been around since the '30's and there is no known risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Unlike tampons, which are loaded with chemicals, bleaches, and synthetics and absorb not only your flow but everything else, menstrual cups just sit inside you. I find it like having metal rods in your back. They are just there, they don't add any chemicals nor interrupt any natural processes. An example closer to home would be an internal form of contraception, the nuvaring emits small amounts of various hormones and remains in the vaginal for three weeks at a time. Recommended amount of time a menstrual cup should remain inserted is no more than twelve hours.

The monthly flow can be anywhere between 1-6 tablespoons worth, normal being 2.5. Menstrual cups vary in size, holding when full between 1-2 tablespoons. Now, the average pad can hold a max of 1 tablespoon, the average tampon holds a third of that. It doesn't sound like leakage is a real severe issue. Also, worrying about the flow flowing back up has been researched a found unlikely.

Insertion would definitely be a new experience. I have never used a tampon in my life. (Side note: Cups can be used if you are a virgin.) Insertion would take some getting used to. I would definitely wear a back-up pad with the cup for the first period or more, until I discovered the hang of things.

Sanitation worries me. Disposable cups (called the softcup) are available if a germ worry is too much. I don't know, it just seems messy. I worry about a raised risk of infection, I have already put myself on a cranberry juice regimen for UTIs.

Also. Public bathrooms. Just public bathrooms. Eek. Changing out a full cup seems bad enough when you are in the privacy of your own home and there is a sink right there.

The best part, though. Listen, ladies, this is good. Women using menstrual cups report shorter periods with fewer cramps. I would be thrilled.

Maybe some day I will try it. Someday.

*Depending on which brand I hypothetically purchase, I could save anywhere between $20-$425. Different brands cost different amounts and last for different amounts of time.