Menstrual Cups vs Tampons: A Comprehensive Comparison

Menstrual cups or tampons; which one is worth investing in, health-wise and pocket wise? Although developed along the same time during the 1930s, the commercial popularity of the menstrual cup is pretty recent. For decades, women had been under the notion that sanitary napkins and tampons were their only options when it came to menstrual hygiene products. It was the growing concern and debates over the environmental impact of tampons that brought female sanitary cups under the spotlight. 

Know Your Shecup

Shecups or menstrual cups are bell-shaped devices usually made of health-grade silicone or hypo-allergenic rubber. It is inserted into the vaginal canal to collect the menstrual discharge. It can be cleaned and re-used, unlike tampons and sanitary napkins, which are disposable. One shecup can last you for 8 to 10 years, provided it is of premium quality. Judging by the menstrual cup price, it is more affordable than tampons in the long run. 

Menstrual Cups vs Tampons

Even with its newfound commercial popularity, many remain in dilemma over choosing a menstrual cup or shecup. So, we are here with a comparative analysis of tampons and shecups, to give the readers some much-needed closure.

Affordability

The pocket pinch is the first concern of most buyers when determining the choice between two products. On average, a woman spends around 250 to 500 INR a month on tampons. 

Shecups, on the other hand, has a higher initial investment. A premium quality menstrual cup price is around 1300 to 1500 INR. But you get to save a lot in the long run. Let’s try and understand the math here. 

One menstrual cup lasts up to 10 years, without replacing. Tampons for that same period will cost you somewhere around 30,000 to 60,000 INR. Therefore, in terms of affordability shecup trumps over tampons in the long run. 

Convenience

Both tampons and menstrual cups need to be inserted into the vaginal canal to hold the flow. While a tampon needs changing after every 4 – 6 hours, shecups can be worn for up to 10 – 12 hours, and that’s on the heavy flow days. 

On the lighter flow days, a shecup can be worn for a longer period. It saves one from frequent rounds to the toilet for changing and carrying tampons at all times. 

The plus point of wearing a shecup is that you can carry on with all your activities without having to worry about staining or leakage. Since it is long-lasting, you can wear it through the night stress-free. No matter how much you twist and turn in your sleep, it won’t stain the sheets. You can even swim while menstruating when wearing a cup. It can’t get any more convenient than that!

Hygiene

Women have often complained about rashes, feeling itchy and discomfort during periods while wearing tampons, not to mention the revolting odour of the same. 

Menstrual cups fit in easily, without causing you any discomfort, itchiness, or rashes. It locks the odour as well, and once you have cleaned and re-inserted the cup, it makes you feel a lot fresher.  

Health

All tampon manufacturing companies claim that they use organic chemical-free cotton to maintain the highest standards of health and hygiene. However, over the years, there have been concerning reports alleging the use of rayon, viscose fibres, bleached cotton, and dioxin to manufacture tampons. Prolonged exposure to these materials can lead to diseases and infections. Besides, there have been cases of TSS or toxic shock syndrome among tampon users, which is a form of life-threatening bacterial infection. 

Female sanitary cups are made from non-toxic, non-allergic, health-grade silicone, safer for internal use. No fibres or chemicals come in contact with the vaginal canal, thus preventing vaginitis, TSS, and other infections. Shecup manufacturers claim that the device is engineered to create a suction seal, eliminating the risk of vaginal infections and rashes. 

Eco-friendly

Tampons like diapers are non-biodegradable. They end up in the landfills, leading to environmental pollution by raising the toxicity levels of water, soil, and air. On average, more than 1.9 billion women menstruate for around 65 days a year. With a significant percentage of women using tampons, that surely raises a red flag. 

Menstrual cups, on the other hand, are reusable and hence the eco-friendly alternative to tampons. 

Now, that we have bared all details from both perspectives in front of you, hopefully, the choice will be easier. Overall it won’t be an exaggeration to say that shecup does seem to be the safer, cheaper, healthier, and greener option.  

About This Author

Sophia Loren Joined: January 21st, 2021