10 Facts About Menstrual Cups.

Menstruation in India has evolved a lot through the years, from girls using reusable cloths, having to wash it ‘n’ number of times a day to things like tampons that sit inside a woman’s body and soak the blood without the hassle of washing fabric.

 

After the invention of sanitary napkins however, life became a lot easier for young girls and women as they helped in maintaining hygiene and are disposable, so no fuss about washing.

 

But, since the packaging and the sanitary napkin itself consists of non-degradable plastic, every napkin you’ve used, still exists on this plant.

 

Now, on an average, a woman menstruates for about 7 years during their lifetime. Imagine how many mountains of used sanitary napkins would be lying around on this earth. It’s disgusting and alarming even to think about.

But, there is a solution to make our periods less messy and help save the environment; Menstrual cups.

 

 

 

Although menstrual cups have been available in the world since 1937s when Leona Chalmers patented the first usable commercial cup, but it wasn’t until a few years’ back that they were introduced in the Indian market, and since then many Indian companies have come up with their own version of the same.

 

 

1. The Menstrual cups don’t come in a universal size. There different sizes for different needs, age groups and types of period flows.

 

2. These cups are made with medical grade silicone or latex and one cup can be reused for up to 3 years.

 

3. These cups sit inside the body as opposed to aiding from outside like a sanitary napkin. To insert it, one must pinch the cup according to given instruction and simple insert it. It creates a suction and gets secured. At the time of removal, one must pinch the end of the cup to release the suction and gently slide the cup out.

 

4. Using menstrual cups needs acceptance and practice. Staying relaxed helps in speeding up the process.

 

5. They can be a bit messy while removing as you get blood on your hands. But one can just wash them off and it won’t be that much of an issue.

 

6. Before reusing the cup, make sure to wash it properly and sanitize it in boiling water for 2 minutes. If you are out and you have to empty the cup, just carry some clean water and wash the cup with it before inserting it again.

 

7. A menstrual cup can cost from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 in India. It’s really a matter of preference.

 

8. Once inserted, you can leave it in for 12 hours before cleaning it. If you experience a heavier cycle, you can buy a larger sized cup and you won’t have to worry about leaking.

 

9. Once inserted properly, the cups are very comfortable and you can perform physical activities like riding, dancing without the worry of any stains or leakage.

 

10. Most of the cups in the Indian market are currently available only on online stores like Amazon, or their personal website. 

 

Menstrual cups can take some time to get used to as it is nothing like we’ve seen before, but the switch is worth it. You save heaps of money that you would otherwise spend on a pad, you create less waste in the environment plus you get the freedom of movement without having to check for stains and leaks 10 times a day!