With increasing environmental harm of sanitary pads menstrual cups are gaining more importance. They are also very cost-efficient, leakage-free, and easy to use alternative than menstruation pads and tampons. You can spot many ads on social media, websites, and TV about menstrual hygiene and menstrual cups. So, what is a Menstrual Cup all about? Let’s tell you in detail.
Menstrual Cup is a flexible health-grade silicone rubber cup inserted inside vagina to collect blood. These are the best alternative to sanitary pads and tampons that women have been using till now. Medical-grade silicone, latex and elastomer are used in making menstrual cup. However, the best one is silicone menstrual cup.
How to use Menstrual Cup for the First Time?
- When you purchase the silicone Menstrual Cup for the first time, you should boil it in water for a few minutes.
- Push one side of Menstrual Cup inside, making an inverted shape or fold the cup into 2 3 folds.
- Insert the folded cup into vagina
- Place it inside and leave. The cup will open up inside the vagina automatically as it is flexible rubber.
Note: You can watch YouTube Videos to see the practical guide about ‘menstrual cups use’.
Will Your Vagina Stretch Out if You Use Menstrual Cup?
Beauty is always concern of ladies. This might be a big worry for you before trying out menstrual cups. Relax! Menstrual cups are rubber device that is flexible according to vagina. Your vagina doesn’t have to fit to cup but the cup has to fit to vagina. So, it will not stretch out even if you use a cup regularly.
Disposing the Collected Content in Menstrual Cup
Menstrual cups are reusable. So, you need to empty the fluid collected, wash it and place it back into vagina. But, if you are using a disposable menstrual cup, discard it after use.
How Many Times You Should Empty the Menstrual Cup?
If you buy the menstrual cups you will get the pictorial instructions. A Menstrual Cup generally needs to be emptied every 12 hours. Generally, a Menstrual Cup is designed to contain 20 ml of fluid in 12 hours. However, you can empty it earlier too if you feel necessary. A cup holds longer than a sanitary pad or tampon.
How often you need to empty or replace the Menstrual Cup depends on the size of the cup and your menstrual flow. Generally, a Menstrual Cup can hold more menstrual flow than a tampon and can be emptied less frequently than you would need to change a tampon or pad.
Warning: Consult your doctor if you are on IUD or birth control.
Pros
- It’s eco- and wallet-friendly
- You can leave it in for 12 hours
- It holds more
- Dome-shaped tampons can have mess-free sex
- There’s less odor
Cons
- It can be tough to find the right fit
- Removal can get messy — or embarrassing
- It could interfere with an IUD
Materials used in making Menstrual Cups
Menstrual Cups are made up of high quality medical-grade silicone. This is long lasting (generally lasts for 1-5 years) and comfortable. There are other options also like latex, thermoplastics, and elastomers used to make menstrual cups. However, they are not healthy and can be generally used as disposable menstrual cups.
Sizing and selection
There are only two types of menstrual cups that suit to women:
- Small
- Large
A small size is mostly recommended for women who are under the age of 30 or have not given birth to a child. But, large size is for women who are sexually active and have given birth to a child. Women with larger physical fitness can also use large menstrual cups but, women who don’t have sexual experience can find it difficult to insert.
Color of Menstrual Cups
Most silicone menstrual cups are produced with natural translucent cups are colorless. Some menstrual cups are also colored like pink, magenta, violet, and sky blue. However, colorless ones lose their appearance faster than colored ones. Colored cups use additives but are safe and approved by healthcare authorities.
Cost of a Menstrual Cup
A general Menstrual Cup in India costs somewhere between 250-1000 rupees. It depends on brand, size, and quality. Menstrual cups costing a little higher are more comfortable and easy to use. However, you can try the cheaper alternative in starting if you have never used a menstrual cup.
Take menstruation easier by option Eco-friendly menstrual cups!
