Sustainable development blog : ecology and humanitarian aid

Ever wondered what tampons are made from and, more important, if they are that safe?

Tampons aren't made entirely from cotton. They are made of dyes, fragrances and chemicals like: asbestos, dioxin, chlorine and rayon. Do these ingredients pose health risks?

Chlorine from bleach turns to dioxin, the latter may cause endometriosis and cancer. Maybe tampon companies underestimate the effects of dioxin when they say that tampons are safe and the levels of dioxin are very low and almost undetectable. What they should know is that once dioxin is accumulated in our bodies over the time, we can never get rid of it.

Rayon it's made from wood pulp and during the process of converting it to rayon, many chemicals that are used are imbedded in tampons. Rayon can cause toxic shock syndrome (TSS), vaginal dryness and ulcerations. 

High absorbency tampons may be associated with an increased risk of TSS. 

Vaginal dryness and ulcerations can occur when women use a tampon that is too absorbent for their menstrual flow.

Choosing the proper tampon absorbency may help reduce the risk of TSS, and vaginal discomforts. 

How can you make your period green and save money? You should consider using alternative methods of sanitary protection during menstruation. Alternatives methods such as reusable menstrual cups or reusable, washable sanitary pads.