What is a Menstrual Cup?
 Women have to deal with their periods for decades, and in doing so go through a plethora of products hoping one day to find one that really works for them. Perhaps you’ve grown tired of tampons and pads, which is why you should take a look at all the menstrual cup has to offer. If you haven’t heard of the menstrual cup it may be exactly what you’ve been hoping to find!A menstrual cup is pretty much exactly what it sounds like – a cup you insert into your vagina to collect blood during your period. It doesn’t absorb menstrual blood like tampons and pads do.
These cups are made of body safe silicone that won’t break down and is also antibacterial. What’s really great about the cup is that during a normal day on your period you only need to change it every 12 hours or so, or if you experience leakage.
Are you having flashes of that elevator blood scene from The Shining when leakage is mentioned? Well, don’t be scared. Menstrual cups come in two different sizes, so you can find one that fits you and keeps the floodgates from coming open. No worries!
Without further ado, here are the top five reasons you should make the menstrual cup switch!
You Will Help Save the Environment
It’s true! When you use a reusable menstrual cup you are producing less landfill waste. Think about how many pads and tampons you use every month during your period. Now, multiply that by 12 and multiply that number by the 30+ years you will menstruate. Now multiply that number by two billion or so, because that’s the amount of women of childbearing age in the world. That’s a lot of pads and tampons in a landfill – imagine what a difference two billion menstrual cups could make.You Will Save Money
Women are nothing if not practical. Just think about how much money you literally throw in the trash each month. Menstrual cups average about $20 a piece, some more and some less – a menstrual cup will pay for itself in just a couple of months. When you factor in the years that just one menstrual cup will last you that’s a lot of dough that could be spent on other things!They’re Better for Your Health
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) can be a devastating thing, and you can get it through wearing tampons. Some people are at a higher risk for contracting TSS and that makes a menstrual cup a perfect fit.Also, have you ever taken a moment to think about what they put in tampons and pads? They bleach the cotton, treat it with chemicals, put deodorizers in it – do you really want that inserted into your body for hours and days at a time? Menstrual cups are made of body safe silicone, so you know what you are and are not inserting into your vagina.
They’re Easy to Use
Tampons and pads have to be changed every few hours, but menstrual cups? Unless your flow is really heavy you can easily and safely go 12 hours between cleanings. When you take it out, simply rinse it with water after you empty the contents and put it back in. It can be a real lifesaver when you’re someplace very inconvenient to change a pad or tampon – like a boat!If you’re worried about ease of insertion you shouldn’t be. It can be tricky at first but you will get the hang of it very quickly. If you can use a tampon you can definitely use a menstrual cup!
They’re Comfortable
 Sure, when you insert a tampon correctly you won’t feel it, but on lighter days using a tampon can make your vagina as dry as the Sahara desert. You know it’s the truth! A menstrual cup can be worn even on the lightest of your lightest days and it won’t be irritating or drying to the walls of your vagina. And you don’t feel a menstrual cup either.Are There Disadvantages?
 In an effort to keep it real here, you should know there are some small disadvantages to the menstrual cup that, in the grand scheme of things, will probably make little difference. They include:- Mess. You’re not going to recreate the aforementioned elevator blood scene from The Shining if you spill it while taking it out, but emptying the cup can be a bit messy until you get the hang of it.
- Maintenance. You will have to sterilize the cup in boiling water every month before you use it for the first time. But it literally takes two minutes.
- Fit. Some people’s anatomy may make it difficult for the cup to sit right. The good news is there are many different brands that you can try, and most will give you a refund if it doesn’t work for you.
In the end, the only way you can know if a menstrual cup is right for you is to try it. With all of the reasons outlined here, you have no excuse to put off trying it any longer. Viva la Menstrual Cup!