We all know that when it comes to our body care, we want the best of the best, or at least the best of what we can afford. We put our trust in brands. And we expect them to deliver.

But is this the wisest thing to do when choosing our feminine hygiene products ?

More and more women are suffering each year from allergies and infections caused by intimate care products, which can easily be misdiagnosed .

So where do we go wrong?

Well, first of all, buying things we don’t need, like feminine hygiene deodorants/sprays, scented intimate soaps, perfumed tampons, described by GPs and gynaecologists as not only unnecessary and ineffective but also harmful as they can cause tissue irritation and inflammation (perfumed tampons are especially pointless as menstrual blood doesn’t have an odour until it’s exposed to air).

The best way to fight bad odours is by washing, changing underwear, changing sanitary towels and tampons on time, etc. All we have to do is keep the outside clean as the inside does a great job at cleaning itself (that’s why douching is not recommended -unless advised by a doctor- as it can wash out all those beneficial bacteria that are crucial for our intimate health).

Secondly, not knowing important facts about the things we buy. There are concerns regarding the substances and fabrics used in the making of tampons, sanitary towels and panty liners as well as the process of manufacturing itself.

Although cotton is the best option, health wise, most manufacturers use a combination of cotton and synthetic fibres or rayon, a regenerated cellulosic fibre (neither natural nor synthetic), which has a higher absorbent capacity. But to become fully absorbent, it has to be chlorine bleached, process which has an unwanted result: a byproduct called dioxin.

Dioxins are a group of chemicals formed during industrial heating processes. They are known to be teratogens (cause birth defects), mutagens (cause mutations) and carcinogens (cause cancer). Once dioxins get into our bodies they settle in the fat cells, where they will stay for the rest of our lives, building up over time, so increased exposure means increased risk.

They also pose a serious threat to the environment.

Most of the sanitary towels existent on today’s market have a plastic cover sheet with the purpose of making the wearer feel dry, fresh and comfortable. The downside? It has been linked to allergic reactions, with symptoms like redness, itchiness and/or sore skin.

When it comes to tampons, we are subjecting ourselves to even greater risks. The mucous lining of the vagina is one of the most sensitive parts of a woman’s body and it can easily be irritated by the synthetic fibres/blends or the chemicals used by manufacturers to increase absorbency (like surfactants).

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is, by far, the greatest tampon related risk: a rare but potentially fatal disease caused by a bacterial toxin called Staphylococcus aureus . “Symptoms of TSS can occur suddenly, usually during or just after a menstrual period: high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, low blood pressure, muscular aches and pains, headaches, sore throat (cold or flu-like symptoms). Prompt medical attention is required as it is a potentially life-threatening infection. Three percent of women who get TSS die from it. Individuals who are hospitalised and who receive immediate treatment usually recover within 2-3 weeks”.

The reason why tampons facilitate it is because their use can cause tissue lacerations or ulcerations, allowing harmless bacteria to enter the vaginal lining. High absorbency ones are especially dangerous because, in some cases, they expand so much that they can actually adhere to the vaginal wall, increasing the risk of peeling, scraping and/or scratching the tissue when the tampon is removed.

Although some studies suggested that the chance of developing TSS while using all-cotton tampons is smaller when compared to rayon or synthetic blends, it is also known that regardless of the chemical composition, the higher the absorbency, the higher the risk.

Therefore, the risk can be considerably lowered by avoiding super absorbent tampons, by using 100% cotton ones, by changing them frequently, alternating the use of tampons with pads during the period, and by avoiding night time usage.

Conclusions?

Look after yourself, pay more attention to your hygiene products and habits.

Avoid perfumed toilet paper, perfumed tampons, sanitary towels and panty liners altogether.

Avoid high absorbency tampons (use a regular one and change it more often).

Avoid bubble baths as foam can attack the vaginal flora.

Use all natural cotton tampons, sanitary towels and panty liners.

Use cotton underwear (or at least with a crutch cotton lining).

Wipe correctly (front to bottom).

Stay healthy!