Recently I received an email from some friends warned that tampons contain asbestos, dioxin, and other synthetic fibers that can cause cancer in women. Although I don't use tampon, it come to my concern as a doctor-to -be, it's my job to tell the public if the things may harm our health. But after searching thru internet, fortunately, I found out this is just a rumour. This allegations about tampons have being spread over the Internet since summer 1998(Imagine how powerful internet is).
The Rumors About Tampons
1)Claims that asbestos containing tampons cause excessive bleeding, and increase the manufacturer's profit.
2)Worry about the rayon used in tampons.
3)Fear that cancer-causing dioxin is an ingredient in tampons that may also cause endometriosis.
4)Skepticism about the bleaching process that whitens the raw ingredients used to make tampons.
5)Assertions that rayon fibers cause toxic shock syndrome(TSS), and vaginal dryness or ulcerations.
True Facts..
1) Tampons do not even contain asbestos. The FDA maintains that there is no asbestos in tampons or as part of the manufacturing process. They are manufactured from combination of cotton and rayon where the rayon adds super absorbency to the tampon. Rayon is made from cellulose fibers derived from wood pulp.
2) Tampons made with rayon do not appear to have a higher risk of TSS than cotton tampons of similar absorbency." Choosing to use organic 100% cotton tampons instead of normal tampons may be a healthier choice for some. But it may not necessarily reduce your risk of TSS.
3&4) Dioxin, the chemical compound also mentioned in the email is no longer a result of the tampon manufacturing process. According to FDA, bleaching methods of rayon used in the past produced trace amounts of dioxin, however, these bleaching methods are no longer used. Any dioxins found in tampons are more likely due to the dioxins present in our air, water and ground due to past pollutants. It is important to remember that these dioxin levels are negligible and that dioxins turn up in a lot of goods we consume regularly e.g. milk cartons, fish, meat and diary products.
5) There are several ways to reduce the risk of TSS:
- Avoid super absorbent tampons - choose the lowest absorbency rate to cope with your flow.
- Alternate the use of tampons with sanitary napkins or mini-pads during your period.
- Never leave a tampon inserted overnight.
- Change tampons frequently, at least every 4-6 hours.
- When inserting a tampon, be extremely careful not to scratch the vaginal lining.
- Do not use a tampon between periods because it may dry out the vagina.
But, the only way to avoid vaginal TSS completely is to avoid tampons completely. There are many different menstrual products on the market including:
- disposable pads and tampons,
- disposable organic pads and tampons,
- reusable washable cloth pads and
- reusable menstrual cups.
Well, menstrual cup is a type of cup or barrier worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid(see picture below). Unlike tampons and pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it. There are two types of menstrual cup currently available. The first is a soft, flexible, disposable cup which is made of polyethylene and resembles the contraceptive diaphragm. The second type is a bell-shaped cup made of rubber(latex) or silicone. Most menstrual cups are now manufactured from silicone because of its hypoallergenic properties. It is reusable and designed to last for up to 10-15 years.
So, what do you all prefer to use now after reading? Well, I still prefer pads. Besides, I never hear of menstrual cup at all in Malaysia, can't try it either although it's recommended by alot of people.Source: 1) Tampons and Asbestos, Dioxin, and Toxic Shock Syndrome; FDA, CDRH; http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/tamponsabs.html,
2) Menstrual cup; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cup.
