“Are tampons safe?”
I am planning to use tampons instead of pads. Are they safe? Do they have any risk of infections?
8 Answers
Generally they are safe if used within the manufacturers guideline.
Tampons are okay as long as you don’t leave them in for long time l tell my patients use pads there is a possibility of blood backing up and may go into tubes and may contribute towards development of endometriosis.
Yes, the use of tampons is safe. The rate of infections is extremely low.
Depends on the situation. Easy when you are swimming. It needs to be changed timely. Don't FORGET and leave it in. I have seen it happen.
There is always a risk of a staph infection with tampons, but can usually be used safely if not left in too long.
Yes tampons are very safe and convenient. Just be sure to change them every 4 to 8 hours to avoid the very rare bacterial condition known as toxic shock syndrome characterized by a rash and fever.
As a general rule tampons are very safe. Just make sure to change on a regular basis as per manufacturer's instructions. Years ago some patients developed an illness know as Toxic Shock Syndrome which could be serious. At the time it was felt to be due to a certain type of tampon that is no longer available. In the last 20 years I have seen no cases of Toxic Shock even in patients that left their tampons in for days if not weeks (not advisable). Patients of all reproductive ages seem to do fine with tampons although there are occasional patients who have trouble placing or removing. If that is the case just check with your gyn health care provider.
Dr. Victoria Mondloch
OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist) | Gynecology
There are many options to help with periods and the many types of menstrual flow that women encounter. Options that are available:
1. Pads – these come in many sizes and shapes promising to help with light days, modium days and for those heavy or overnight flows that can even wrap around your undergarments to prevent soiling your clothing. However, patients will feel the moisture against their skin and it can be uncomfortable and not necessarily the best choice if you lead an active lifestyle, especially for women who use swimming or pools as a part of their exercise regimen. Pads can overflow and cause soiling of clothing, leading to embarrassing situations. And remember, the best way to clean blood from clothing is to use 0.9% salt water which lifts the red blood cells from your clothing vs water which breaks the red blood cells and leaves a ‘ghost’ of the cell or a stain that will not go away. Bleach doesn’t work as well either because the red blood cell breaks open, again leaving a ‘ghost’.
2. Tampons are an internal absorbent option that is also graded for light, regular, super and super-plus flow options. Patients can even walk 2 tampons up together at a time if you experience a super heavy flow if you are involved in a situation or a timing that has you unable to change your tampon supply in a 2hr period. Tampons are usually comfortable to wear as long as there is enough flow to absorb through 50% of the tampon; otherwise, insertion or removal can be ‘catchy’ or a little uncomfortable as it pulls against dry vaginal tissues. Tampons are only meant to be in place for approx. 4hr during the day and many experts will advise against overnight use until you know you are not sensitive to the absorbent materials used in tampons. There is a small subset of patients who have had an allergic reaction to the absorbent materials used in tampons so always use for only a 2-4hr window when you are first trialing tampons to be certain you don’t have a tissue reaction with swelling, redness or warmth to your outer vulvar tissues; if you do, remove the tampon immediately, take some oral Benadryl and see a professional for an exam. There are also patients who may already have a bacterial vaginal infection occurring; that is not the time to put in a tampon which will hold blood product and infection in a tampon in your vaginal vault for at least 4hour vs allowing it to drain, also causing vaginal irritation; you may require an antibiotic if the infection is on-going. However, the vast majority of patients will safely be able to wear internal tampon protection without risking injury or infection.
3. A third option is a vaginal cup which is reusable and is also sized for the amount of flow it can hold; using this type of protection allow for a reusable option and you are not adding to a landfill as you are not using a disposable product.
4. A fourth option is an absorbent wicking undergarment called Thinx; it can absorb the equivalent of a super tampon into the undergarment without the patient feeling moisture against their skin and without staining to the clothing that you are wearing, even if you are wearing white. This is an option for the very active outdoors woman or anyone not wishing to risk the tampon string that may travel outside of their undergarment or secondary overflow pad. This garment is approx. $35 per pair but they can be washed and are reusable so they are environmentally friendly and will not add to the landfill.
1. Pads – these come in many sizes and shapes promising to help with light days, modium days and for those heavy or overnight flows that can even wrap around your undergarments to prevent soiling your clothing. However, patients will feel the moisture against their skin and it can be uncomfortable and not necessarily the best choice if you lead an active lifestyle, especially for women who use swimming or pools as a part of their exercise regimen. Pads can overflow and cause soiling of clothing, leading to embarrassing situations. And remember, the best way to clean blood from clothing is to use 0.9% salt water which lifts the red blood cells from your clothing vs water which breaks the red blood cells and leaves a ‘ghost’ of the cell or a stain that will not go away. Bleach doesn’t work as well either because the red blood cell breaks open, again leaving a ‘ghost’.
2. Tampons are an internal absorbent option that is also graded for light, regular, super and super-plus flow options. Patients can even walk 2 tampons up together at a time if you experience a super heavy flow if you are involved in a situation or a timing that has you unable to change your tampon supply in a 2hr period. Tampons are usually comfortable to wear as long as there is enough flow to absorb through 50% of the tampon; otherwise, insertion or removal can be ‘catchy’ or a little uncomfortable as it pulls against dry vaginal tissues. Tampons are only meant to be in place for approx. 4hr during the day and many experts will advise against overnight use until you know you are not sensitive to the absorbent materials used in tampons. There is a small subset of patients who have had an allergic reaction to the absorbent materials used in tampons so always use for only a 2-4hr window when you are first trialing tampons to be certain you don’t have a tissue reaction with swelling, redness or warmth to your outer vulvar tissues; if you do, remove the tampon immediately, take some oral Benadryl and see a professional for an exam. There are also patients who may already have a bacterial vaginal infection occurring; that is not the time to put in a tampon which will hold blood product and infection in a tampon in your vaginal vault for at least 4hour vs allowing it to drain, also causing vaginal irritation; you may require an antibiotic if the infection is on-going. However, the vast majority of patients will safely be able to wear internal tampon protection without risking injury or infection.
3. A third option is a vaginal cup which is reusable and is also sized for the amount of flow it can hold; using this type of protection allow for a reusable option and you are not adding to a landfill as you are not using a disposable product.
4. A fourth option is an absorbent wicking undergarment called Thinx; it can absorb the equivalent of a super tampon into the undergarment without the patient feeling moisture against their skin and without staining to the clothing that you are wearing, even if you are wearing white. This is an option for the very active outdoors woman or anyone not wishing to risk the tampon string that may travel outside of their undergarment or secondary overflow pad. This garment is approx. $35 per pair but they can be washed and are reusable so they are environmentally friendly and will not add to the landfill.
