Why You Should Switch to Menstrual Cups

If you’re someone who bleeds out your uterus lining every so often, you’re probably stuck in an endless cycle of using pads and tampons each time it happens. I don’t know a single person who enjoys this. If it’s a pad, you feel like you’re peeing yourself the whole time, and if it’s a tampon, you get to drag either a block of sandpaper or a bloody mess out of your body every few hours.

On top of that, every cycle you have to spend money on more hygiene products, all of which just join the ever-growing landfills when you’re done with them. Even if none of that bothers you do far, none of those products are even safe for your health. Because they aren’t regulated how they should be, you don’t know what you’re putting in or on your body. Spoiler alert, its pretty much just bleached garbage wrapped in a trash bag or attached to a string.

So why are you still buying them?

I’ve been telling myself to get a menstrual cup since about 2016, but I didn’t actually switch until just about 6 months ago. I kept putting it off because I just didn’t know enough about them to warrant dropping $40 on one cup. In addition to that, the only ones I ever say were bright pink and ultra-feminine, so they tended to seem like they’d be more likely to induce dysphoria than what I was already using. I also procrastinate, so it kept turning into “I’ll just buy it next month.” I never bought it next month.

I eventually did get around to buying them. On Amazon, I was able to find a set of 2 for about $10 from Bodybay. They even have different sets, so you can choose your own colors instead of being stuck with pink. I figured I would give it a shot, and if it worked out, I had two, but if I didn’t like it, it was only a couple bucks wasted.

Without a doubt, this was my best purchase of 2018. For those of you trans folks out there, this actually helped me with my dysphoria during that time of the month. Since it’s body safe, you can keep them in there for as long as you need, and even on heavier days, I only need to take it out and clean it once or twice—most days I can easily go 24 hours. Like a tampon, you don’t feel it inside of you, but unlike a tampon, its not difficult or messy when you pull it out. It suctions to your body, so you don’t even need a pad or liner as a safety net.

The only maintenance they require is an occasional boiling after each cycle, and a quick handwashing with some mild soap each time you empty it. You can buy special wipes or cleaners, but you really don’t need them. They last for a couple of years, and if you buy the two pack, you’ve just doubled that.

So, $10 for maybe like 6+ years of clean, waste-free, body friendly menstrual cycles. Do I need to say more?

7/20/20 Update: I am currently trying to increase access to menstrual cups, specifically for the impoverished communities in the Houston area. I am asking for donations of $4.50 for 1 cup, or $9 for 2 cups, but anything helps. Even if you can’t donate, I ask that you please share this information and help spread awareness of safer menstrual hygiene products. Thank you!