Troubling truth about tampons
With fears over the materials they’re made from, here’s what you need to know . . .
When the tampon was first launched in the UK the clergy complained to the house of Lords that they were ‘sinful products’, and manufacturers were forced to carry the warning that they were ‘not for unmarried women’.
But today, this humble sanitary product makes the monthly period almost ‘forgettable’ for more than 100 million women worldwide.
Discreet and convenient, 63 per cent of British women use a tampon at least once during their monthly menstruation, with the average woman using around 16,800 in their lifetime.
Yet, shockingly, despite the fact that women insert tampons in a part of their body where skin is highly permeable and can absorb potential toxins quickly, consumers are often in the dark when it comes to what they actually contain.
Warnings about toxic shock syndrome (TSS) — a rare but potentially lethal blood infection which can occur as a result of using tampons — might have been on the instruction labels for decades. But manufacturers are under no obligation to disclose what tampons are made from. neither are they independently tested.
now experts and campaigners are calling for a radical overhaul in the way tampons are produced, packaged and marketed. Most conventional tampons are made of non-organic cotton, rayon (which is made from wood pulp) or a combination of both.
The cotton found in non-organic tampons could well be genetically modified and will most likely contain residue from pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Tampons may contain synthetic ingredients, too, such as plastics.
not only that, but the cotton or rayon is bleached using chlorine dioxide. By-products of this process are dioxins, highly toxic compounds recognised by the World health Organisation (WhO) as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and carcinogenic to humans.
There remains speculation about what, if anything, exposure to all these chemicals could do to our long-term health. But in the short term, many believe we should not be exposing our most intimate parts to them.
NiTUBajeKaL, a consultant gynaecologist, says: ‘While there is no hard scientific evidence to prove organic is better, common sense dictates that the more chemicals we use on our skin, the more likely we are to develop skin sensitivity.’
Simon Butler-Manuel, a consultant gynaecologist at Guildford nuffield hospital, agrees that fragrance, bleaches, adhesives and other chemicals may have a negative effect.
‘Genital skin is particularly sensitive,’ he says. ‘i have clinics full of women with itchiness, soreness and dryness. This can lead to painful cracked skin and leave you open to infections.’
he adds that many women suffer in silence or self-treat with anti-fungal creams or synthetic lubricants. it’s a big problem around the menopause, as loss of oestrogen means less moisture, so discomfort is increased.
‘along with advice like not using detergent-based toiletries and wearing underwear and hosiery made from natural fibres, it makes sense for women with sensitive skin to choose a natural sanitary product,’ he says.
helen Lynn, researcher and spokesperson for the Women’s environmental network (Wen), believes it is exposure to dioxins — which have been linked to hormonal disruption, infertility, immunity problems and abnormal tissue growth — which present long-term danger.
‘Dioxins are bioaccumulative, meaning they build up in our bodies over time,’ she says. ‘So even if we’re only exposed to tiny amounts, they collect in our fatty tissues for years.’
an alternative is to choose organic tampons, bleached using the naturally occurring disinfectant hydrogen peroxide, which does not release dioxins.
Some believe that it’s the other ingredients which present a danger.
‘There’s never been a proven case of toxic shock syndrome in 100 per cent cotton tampons like those we produce,’ says Susie hewson, founder of natracare, an organic tampon manufacturer. ‘all reported cases have been with tampons containing rayon, which is far more absorbent than cotton.’
a tampon alone is not enough to cause TSS — a person must have the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in her body.
Manufacturers insist that their products are safe. ‘all tampons of any kind carry a similar risk of TSS,’ says Tracy Stewart, director genera l of the absorbent hygiene Product Manufacturers association (ahPMa), the trade association representing all manufacturers.
She also says the worries about dioxins are unfounded: ‘Dioxins are ubiquitous in the environment and found at minute trace levels in soil, water, air and everyday items, such as food, clothing, and consumer products.
‘it’s dangerous and misleading to imply or claim that one product is safer than others. all tampons sold in the UK are regulated by the General Product Safety Directive.’
But Susie hewson argues that tampons should not be classed as a ‘ general product’. ‘ They should be medical devices,’ she says. ‘You put them inside your body, next to highly absorbent mucus membranes. if they were medical devices, any reaction to them or complaint about them would have to be reported.’
So what are our options? any woman concerned she may have contact dermatitis or another reaction to tampons and pads — or is worried about dioxin exposure — should consider switching to 100 per cent organic cotton brands, such as Organyc (from £2.59, organyc.uk).
Susie hewson believes all women, especially young girls, should rely more on pads. ‘Tampons don’t just absorb blood they absorb all the natural moisture,’ she says.
‘Bear in mind that pads, especially the new “ultra” types, are 90 per cent plastic. They contain adhesives, acrylic binders, fragrance and the same sort of foam that’s used in trainer insoles. The only way to be sure is to choose organic cotton pads.’ another option, and one which is gaining populari t y, is the Mooncup — a silicone cup which, when inserted, collects menstrual blood and is simply emptied, rinsed and reused. Founded in 2002 and sold in Boots since 2005, it is now sold in 55 countries worldwide. Costing £19.99 — the amount the average woman spends on sanitary protection in three months — it lasts for years. ‘ as it collects rather than absorbs blood, it doesn’t unbalance vaginal moisture as tampons do,’ says Mooncup’s Kath Clements.
environmental groups and campaigners are now lobbying for ingredients to be shown on tampon packets. ‘Women have a right to know what’s in the products they use so intimately, ’ says Wen’s helen Lynn.
Costly cycle A woman earning the minimum wage must work 38 days
to pay for her lifetime’s supply of
tampons