7 Things You Should Know About Menstrual Cups

Hygienic, comfortable and economical in the long term. Menstrual cups have become the perfect solution for many women during menstruation.

Although menstrual cups were first marketed in 1930, they have undergone many changes. Today, the best materials are used in their manufacture, always seeking the maximum comfort and safety of those who use them.

The menstrual period accompanies every month to the woman from the time of adolescence until the menopause. This can mean a significant expense on pads or tampons. For this reason, many women have opted for an alternative: menstrual cups.

Menstrual cups not only help to avoid the use of disposable products that generate waste and promote pollution of the planet, but they also allow you to save on compresses and other related products. You want to know more? Keep reading.

1. What is a menstrual cup?

The menstrual cup is an item that can be used in place of the usual tampons or sanitary napkins. They are small containers that accumulate menstrual fluid and can remain inside the body for up to twelve hours.

The latest menstrual cups are made from medical grade silicone or latex. Women who have a latex allergy should opt for those made with silicone to avoid problems and reactions.

2. How are menstrual cups used?

To introduce them for the first time, it is important that you take your time and patiently identify which method works best.

Keep in mind that it will take a couple of tries to discover your technique so that it is well placed and does not cause you any discomfort. This is normal and you should not worry. With practice, you will learn how to properly adjust the cup.

Steps you will have to follow

• Unlike tampons or sanitary napkins that absorb menstrual flow, menstrual cups collect it and prevent it from leaving the body.

• For this, you only need to insert the cup into the vagina and leave it for between 8 and 12 hours, depending on its capacity.
• After this time, just remove and empty the glass. To maintain hygiene, it is advisable to wash it with plenty of clean water before inserting it again.
• In case you cannot carry out this step, nothing happens. Just remember to wash it next time.

3. Reasons to choose menstrual cups

• You can use them for up to 10 years. While sanitary napkins and tampons force you to buy new products every month, menstrual cups can be reused for 10 years. This means that you will save a lot of money on feminine hygiene products, you will help the environment and you will be very comfortable.

• They have a great capacity. Are you worried about leaks? Do you usually have heavy flow? In that case, you should know that menstrual cups have a greater capacity than a tampon or feminine pad. A tampon absorbs about five milliliters and a sanitary napkin 10 ml, while the cup has a capacity of thirty milliliters.

Very low risks

• Leaks are highly unlikely. Because menstrual cups are made of silicone or latex and have the ability to conform to the body very smoothly. Therefore, you can perform any physical or sports activity without any problem.
• The probability of presenting an adverse reaction is minimal. Infections are a very common fear when using pads or tampons, something that doesn’t happen with menstrual cups.
• The only thing you have to make sure of is not to use materials to which you are allergic. A small percentage of women are allergic to latex, if this is your case, try to use a silicone menstrual cup.

4. Menstrual cups are inexpensive

You can buy a menstrual cup for a price that ranges between twenty and sixty euros, depending on the place. They usually come with a cloth bag in which you should keep it when you are not using it.

If you consider that medium quality glasses can last up to five years and good quality glasses up to ten years, for this price, it is well worth it.

5. Maintaining menstrual cups is very easy

The materials with which menstrual cups are made are easy to wash and maintain:

• At the beginning of the menstrual period. When you are going to use the menstrual cup and it is new or you are going to start your menstruation, you should remove it from the bag and leave it in boiling water for three to five minutes. This procedure will eliminate any residue or contaminating element. Then you can use it without problems.

• During your period it is important that you rinse your menstrual cup every time you empty it. You can only use tap water.
• When your period is over, wash the menstrual cup again. If you wish, you can use neutral soap and running water. You must make sure that it is very clean. Then you store it in the cloth bag that came in the package and leave it in a ventilated, cool and dry place.

6. There are menstrual cups of various sizes

Every woman is different and when it comes to feminine hygiene, it is important to choose the right product. In the case of menstrual cups, you will find that there are several sizes. The smaller ones are appropriate for women who have not had children while the larger ones are for women with children.

This is because after childbirth, the vagina changes a little in size. Before buying your menstrual cup, investigate the different sizes and characteristics of each one.

Benefits of menstrual cups

More and more women are choosing to use menstrual cups for all the advantages that we have been naming.

In addition, they are safer, because they collect instead of absorbing blood, they store it. Therefore, there is no risk of contracting toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare bacterial infection associated with the misuse of tampons.

However, if you are not sure if you can use them with confidence, consult your gynecologist. He will clear all the doubts that may arise.