Tampon Basics
Tips on inserting and removing tampons
3 answers to common questions about tampons
Advantages
Disadvantages
In America, most tampons come in tubes (called an applicator) that work
like plungers. In other places the O.B. type of tampon without an applicator
are more common. The way you use a tampon with an applicator is to put
the tube in your vagina at a slight angle, aiming it toward the small of
your back. Hold the middle of the tampon firmly just outside your body,
and push the bottom part of it up, which pushes the tampon out of the applicator.
Then you pull out the applicator, and flush it or throw it in the garbage.
The tampon stays in there and absorbs the flow of blood. Tampons without
plungers are just pushed in on the end of your finger. Push it up and back
as deep as your finger will go. You should not feel a tampon in your vagina.
If you do, it is not in far enough, and you should try to push it in a
little deeper. Once in, it stays there and absorbs the blood until you
pull it out by its string, which hangs outside your body.
You will learn with experience when its time to change a tampon. Try to use the tampon size right for your flow. Using one that is more absorbant than you need can cause irritation or dryness in your vagina, which can lead to painful removal or even to Toxic Shock Sydrome.
Tampons come in different sizes or absorbancies. "Junior" or "Slender" being the smallest, and "Super" and "Super Plus" being the biggest. The tampon makers have standardized these sizes, so that the absorbancy for each size is about the same from brand to brand. You will find a chart explaining this on the back of every tampon box.
As with pads, its not smart to buy deodorant tampons. First of all,
the scent stays inside you anyway so deodorant is useless in a tampon,
but the chemicals which are used to make the deodorant scent can cause
allergic reactions.
First, it might be easiest when you first start using tampons to use junior or slender tampons with the rounded rather than the flat ends. The plastic applicator kind of tampons (as much as I dislike the plastic waste) go in smoothest.
The best positions for inserting a tampon are squating a bit , or with one foot up on the toilet. Always aim the tampon toward the small of your back. Remember, your vagina slants backward.It is important to stay relaxed while you put in a tampon. If you are nervous, your muscles tense up and can make it it almost impossible to get the darn thing in. If you have trouble, think about the muscles that you can use to stop peeing. Imagine yourself peeing, stopping the urine flow, and then peeing some more. Feel those muscles? Relax them, and try to keep them relaxed while inserting the tampon. If that doesn't work, try a smaller tampon, put a little vasaline on the top part of the tampon, wait until your flow is heavy or just try again later.
If it comes time to remove the tampon, and you can't find the string,
don't panic. First make sure the string isn't just stuck to you somewhere,
because it is easy to miss. If it can't be found, you might want to squat,
so your vagina is pressed down. Then put a finger up inside your vagina
(vasaline or spit might help) and feel for the tampon or the string.. Take
deep breaths and try to keep your muscles relaxed. The vagina is pretty
small, really, so you if you take your time, you should be able to find
the tampon and pull it out.
No, you don't have to take it out to go to the bathroom.
Yes, you can use tampons if you are a virgin.
No, tampons cannot get lost inside your body, or go up into your uterus.
Your cervix keeps it in your vagina.
Tampons are popular because they are worn on the inside. With a tampon in, it is easy to forget you are having your period: you don't have to feel anything between your legs Women who are worried about a pad showing under tight clothing also choose tampons. They are also good for swimming and running and other athletic activities where you do not want to worry about a pad slipping around.
The used tampon can be flushed down the toilet, but it would be best if you didn't flush the cardboard tube. The plastic kind of tubes should never be flushed.
Tampons are easier on the environment than disposable pads because they
create less plastic waste, and less waste in general.
Toxic Shock Syndrome:
This is a big disadvantage. TSS is a rare but very serious disease you can get from wearing tampons. It is especially dangerous for young women.
Click here to find out more about TSS and how to use tampons wisely
Chlorine Bleaching:
Like pads, tampons from the well-known makers (Tampax, Playtex, O.B.) are bleached white with chlorine gas. There is a debate going on right now as to whether the chemical dioxin which is created by bleaching and which is present in the tampons, is harmful to women. Because tampons are worn inside of you , and you might use tampons for many years, it is something to think about. Chlorine bleaching is definitely harmful to the environment. All of this trouble could be eliminated completely if tampon manufacturers would switch to a different bleaching system or make unbleached tampons. After all, why do they have to be sparkling white?
You can buy safely bleached tampons from smaller companies that sell tampons through health food stores. Brands like NatraCare, Eco Fem and Seventh Generation make tampons that are bleached using green methods, and are also %100 cotton. All-cotton tampons help prevent Toxic Shock Syndrome. Tampax has a new line of tampons called "Naturals" that are supposedly made of %100 cotton, but seem to be chlorine bleached. Natracare is filing a lawsuit against Tampax because Natracare claims that "Naturals" are not really made with %100 cotton. I will keep this page updated as I find out more.
You can also write (see below for addresses) the big tampon manufacturers and ask them to please change the way they make tampons. Ask them to offer %100 cotton tampons that are not bleached with chlorine. In 1989 British women started a letter writing campaign, and 50,000 letters later they have safer oxygen bleached tampons and pads.
For more information on this topic, check out a great site called S.P.O.T.
The Playtex type of plastic tubes get flushed down the toilet, even though the instructions say not to, and millions of these little pink tubes end up out in the oceans, choking fish and washing up on the beaches. Unlike the cardboard tubes, the plastic ones do not decompose. If you must use the plastic kind of tampon, please throw the applicators in the trash!
(Write them!!! Call them!! It matters! It helps!)
Edward Fogarty, President
Tambrands, Inc.
777 Westchester Ave.
White Plains, NY 10604
(914) 696-6000
Cal Gauss, President
Playtex Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 7016
Dover, Del. 19903
(302) 674-6000
Colleen Goggins, President
Personal Products Co. (they make O.B. tampons)
Van Liew Ave.
Milltown, N.J. 08850
(908) 524-0500