Menstrual madness - are tampons toxic?

If you follow menstrual cycle-related content on social media, you may have seen the alarming news about tampons containing heavy metals. Even if you don't actively search for such content, the uproar has reached major news outlets like CNN. At Flo Collection, we investigated the facts behind the fear and linked our sources.

The Disturbing Reality of Tampons

Toxins have been found in tampons before. A study conducted between 2000-2004 raised alarms about "forever chemicals" in tampons. These chemicals can negatively impact your mood, fertility, sleep, and menstrual cycle as they are endocrine disruptors. Endocrine disruptors are harmful as they can mimic, block, or interfere with our hormones.

Tampons were designed to help us manage our periods, but ironically expose us to hormone disrupters that wreak havoc with our sleep, mood, fertility, and nervous system.

Understanding the Findings

We acknowledge that the sample size in the recent study is small, and more research is needed. It's absurd that it took until 2024 for such a study to emerge. This delay shows how underfunded the research is on issues affecting women and menstruators. For context, the first commercially available tampons were sold in 1934.

The results of the 2024 study were alarming enough for us at Flo Collection to say NO to tampons forever. Here’s the breakdown of the study:

Testing and Results

The pilot study tested 30 tampons from 14 brands (both organic and non-organic) purchased in the US, UK, and EU. They aimed to find 16 different metals, including toxic ones like lead and arsenic.

Why Testing was Necessary

Earlier tests uncovered endocrine-disrupting forever chemicals, but no large-scale studies had assessed heavy metals. Chemicals introduced through vaginal contact enter our system directly. The impact of these chemicals is significant. What interacts with the vagina is absorbed up to 80 times more effectively than ingested substances. Ensuring that we avoid toxins should be a basic requirement for tampons.

Alarming Discoveries

The researchers found detectable levels of all 16 metals they assessed, including lead. Importantly, there is no "safe" level of lead exposure. The WHO warns that lead poses long-term risks for adults, including increased blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and kidney damage. Alarmingly, lead was found in every single tampon tested.

There is no "safe" exposure level for lead. The 2024 study confirmed lead in 100% of the tampons examined.

What You Should Do Next

The current recommendations from governments and tampon manufacturers suggest not using tampons for extended periods. Given the fear of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), many already avoid this.

Understanding Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)

Toxic Shock Syndrome is related to bacteria in our bodies, rather than the toxins in tampons. However, there is a clear correlation%20resulted%20in%20death.) between tampon use and TSS occurrences. Tampons can increase the risk due to two reasons: they may foster bacteria growth if left in for extended periods, and tampons can stick to vaginal walls, causing small tears upon removal.

Broader Implications

The use of tampons affects not just personal health but also the environment. A lifetime of using only tampons could result in around 11,000 tampons ending up in landfills. Biodegradable tampons may take about six months to decompose, while non-biodegradable ones can linger for up to 500 years.

It’s astonishing that many of us have been led to believe that using and tossing single-use, toxin-laden tampons is more hygienic than opting for reusable alternatives.

Moving Forward

If you choose to continue using tampons, be vigilant about not keeping them in for too long. Also, watch for any signs of TSS. If you're ready to ditch tampons, there are many viable alternatives available. A menstrual cup or a pair of period underwear can last 4-5 years, replacing about 900 tampons over that duration, without the harmful additives.

We understand that switching to reusable options requires more planning and might feel strange at first. There's no intention to shame anyone into using reusables; managing periods can be challenging enough. We aim to keep the conversation alive and normalize discussions around menstrual health.

Share this blog post and help us foster dialogue. We need more research focused on issues that affect the health of women and menstruators.

P.S.: If you haven't discovered the period underwear of your dreams yet, give ours a try!

Flo Collection makes periods easier to manage, less painful, and more empowering through innovative design. Our underwear offers hands-free heat and folds neatly into a compact bundle. They feel great, look amazing, and are proudly made in Australia.

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