Are Period Products Harmful? An OB-GYN Dispels This Common Myth

The rise of social media has been positive in so many ways (and if nothing else, pretty entertaining). But it’s also allowed a lot of misinformation to spread on just about every topic. (Fake news, anyone?) This includes period products and their safety — even though menstruating folks have been using reputable period products without issue for decades.

While it’s perfectly normal to question the ingredients that make up products going near or inside your body, it’s also important to dispel harmful myths so you can shop for, use, and access the products you need. Educating yourself on period products and the companies behind them also allows you to find brands that put consumers’ safety first, so you can shop from a company you trust.

To dispel some harmful myths surrounding period products, we spoke with Dr. Melisa Holmes, OB-GYN and founder of Girlology, an on-demand puberty education program.

Here are four harmful myths about period products, debunked.

Myth #1: Period Products Aren’t Safe

As a gynecologist, Holmes admits she’s heard just about every myth about the safety of period products — including the blanket statement that they just aren’t safe, period. She attributes this concern to emotional and alarming stories posted on social media. These stories, whether true or not, can spread at record speed. To counter this belief, Holmes reassures that there are tons of safety measures in place to ensure safe and reliable period products do exist.

“The FDA classifies tampons as Class II medical devices, which means they go through a detailed safety evaluation before they can be legally sold in the United States,” Holmes tells Elite Daily. “Manufacturers have to submit data that allows the FDA to evaluate the safety of the product ingredients, the absorbency, strength, and whether the product can grow or change normal bacteria levels in the vagina.”

That means if a product has made it to the shelf, you can trust that it’s passed an extensively thorough evaluation.

Myth #2: Period Products Contain Harmful Chemicals

Modern period products are designed to optimize size, absorbency, strength, feel, and comfort to give menstruating people the best protection possible. All of that is thanks to various types of fibers, materials, and yes, chemicals. But all of the ingredients used in the processing, production, and manufacturing of period products are thoroughly tested and some even undergo third-party safety and efficacy assessments prior to entering the market. For example, Tampax is certified in accordance with the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX, an independent certification body for textile products that ensures extensive testing for any traces of harmful substances. And Always is Dermatologically Approved by the Skin Health Alliance, an independent organization of dermatologists and scientists that have verified it’s skin-compatible and safe.

“Everything in our lives consists of chemicals — even the water we drink, the air that we breathe, and yes, the period products we use,” Holmes notes. “But what’s important to know is that the ingredients in your period products are safe to use [based on their quantities], and millions of people have been using them safely for decades.”

Myth #3: Bleaching Cotton In Period Products Produces Dioxins

Dioxins are environmental pollutants, and once upon a time a big rumor started about dioxins in period products. While dioxin can be a byproduct of converting wood pulp into rayon, the method that leads to this is not used in tampon manufacturing processes.

Brands like Always and Tampax purify their cotton and rayon absorbent fibers using processes that do not produce dioxins (or bleach, or chlorine). The cotton goes through a chlorine-free bleaching process, while rayon (made from cellulose from wood pulp) goes through an elemental chlorine-free purification process. In fact, the processes used to produce the cotton for tampons can’t even create dioxins, so any levels of dioxins identified in products are about the same as the levels found in air and soil.

Myth #4: There Is One “Best” Period Product

While there’s no such thing as the best period product out there, certain products may fit your unique needs and preferences better than others. Deciding what to use is a personal choice and different for everyone. Holmes recommends Tampax tampons and Always pads to her patients based on their period product needs and preferences, not only because of their effectiveness, but because of the extensive research and knowledge that goes into their creation.

“I trust Tampax and Always, especially because I’ve met some of their scientists,” Holmes says. “They have over 200 in-house experts involved in the research process, and I know how serious they take their roles in assuring human safety, environmental safety, and regulatory compliance for all of their products and ingredients.”

If you’re still concerned about certain period products, Holmes encourages asking questions, reading labels, and yes, being picky. In addition to doing your own research, don’t hesitate to ask your health care providers for direct advice.

“We all have a right to know the products we use externally and internally are safe for our bodies,” Holmes concludes. “Everyone should choose the products that make them feel the most comfortable and confident.”