By: Michelle Richards

Aunt Flow. Your monthly visitor. Shark week. Your period. However you refer to “that time of the month,” our periods are often a subject that we avoid having conversations about. However, in this day and age, we have more options available to us - and our bodies - than ever before; a conversation worth having. Although not all of these options are new, I have only become aware of them pretty recently… and I figured that I couldn’t be the only one. Here are some of the lesser-known (but more health and environmentally conscious) period options: menstrual underwear, menstrual cups, and menstrual discs.

Tampons and pads have long been the go-to for ‘that time of the month,’ as these were the products advertised to us and readily available on drugstore shelves. Options such as menstrual cups have been around since the 1930s, but were not manufactured in the US until 1987 (WebMD, 2021). Disposable menstrual discs hit the market around1994, were rebranded several times, and eventually became the company we know as Softdisc. Other reusable options became available after 2012. (Softdisc)

With today’s demand for environmentally-conscious products, period options such as menstrual discs, cups, and period-specific underwear have gained popularity. So, what makes these three options more environmentally-friendly? Menstrual underwear - washable and reusable underwear with layers of absorbent fabric to absorb menstrual blood - can be used in lieu of pads, greatly diminishing packaging and product waste that ends up in landfills. Discs and cups can be reused for several years, virtually eliminating the waste that is otherwise generated from using tampons. Even disposable discs, (which are changed every twelve hours, as opposed to the four-eight hours needed for tampons) halves the amount of packaging and product waste left behind.

Now that we have explored the available options, how do you decide which is right for you?

Menstrual Cups:

Made from silicone or latex rubber. Instead of absorbing your flow, like a tampon or pad, cups catch and collect it by using suction to sit in the vaginal canal.
Inserted like a tampon without an applicator... If used correctly, you should not feel it.
A cup springs open (you may need to rotate it first) and rests against the walls of your vagina forming a seal to prevent leaks. The blood then simply drips into the cup.
To remove a cup, you pull the stem sticking out the bottom and pinch the base to release the seal. Then you just empty, wash with soap and water, and replace. At the end of your cycle, you can sterilize your cup in boiling water.
Cups are eco- and wallet-friendly, costing **$30 to $40, and lasting for up to 10 years.
There are a lot of different options available.
You can wear a cup for up to 12 hours, making it a good option for overnight protection. (WebMD)

Menstrual discs:

Menstrual discs are available in disposable and reusable options, both available in drugstores.
Discs use gravity to sit at the base of the cervix and are tucked behind the pelvic bone.
Like cups, discs can be worn for up to 12 hours before they need to be changed.
They can be removed by hooking a finger around the rim of the disc, and then carefully removing.
Unlike almost all other period options, discs can be worn during sex.
There are several companies with different size options in a reusable disc available to choose from.
Discs are a good option for women with IUDs, as the suction used by cups can interfere with their placement. (USA Today)

Menstrual cups and discs are available from several brands and both come in a variety of different sizes. You can find a wealth of information on these websites: Put A Cup In it, and Period Nirvana. Here you can find frequently asked questions, shops, and even quizzes to find out which product is the best match for your body. It is important to note that there is a learning curve to using both cups and discs; it may take several cycles to get the hang of using them! □