Hi, lovelies!
A couple of weeks ago we did something pretty cool – a Live Instagram Menstrual Cup Q & A session! We received quite a few questions and posted the answers on Instagram stories, you can check them out HERE.
BUT whilst answering your questions we couldn’t help but notice all of the myths surrounding the use of our beloved menstrual cups! To tackle this issue, we decided to summarise the most common myths we’ve heard about menstrual cups and debunk them here:
Myth 1
Menstrual cups are uncomfortable.
Actually, it’s quite the opposite. There are two things determining your level of comfort when wearing a menstrual cup. The first one is finding and measuring your cervix. If you don’t know how to do that, we highly recommend watching THIS VIDEO.
And the second factor determining your comfort when wearing a menstrual cup is finding the right fold.
There are 8 pretty common folds. Don’t be shy to experiment until you find the right one for you.
Image credit: JuJu
Myth 2
Menstrual cups leak
When inserted properly, they are rock solid.
All you have to do is make sure that you’ve created a suction seal.
But we’ll be honest with you. Getting used to inserting your menstrual cup correctly takes practice so don’t give up if things don’t work out from the first time. Instead, get an organic cotton cloth pad to use together with the cup until you feel 100% comfortable. We've created an Exclusive Menstrual 2 in 1 Kit especially for that purpose and it offers you a pack of 3 organic cotton pantyliners and 1 menstrual cup. The price of the kit is 11% cheaper than purchasing the items separately.
Myth 3
Menstrual cups shouldn’t be used by virgins
Nope. If you haven’t had sexual intercourse yet, you have nothing to worry about when wearing a menstrual cup. In fact, OrganiCup have created a cup in size Mini which is recommended for teenagers and there is also OrganiCup size A which is recommended for women who haven’t given birth vaginally.
Perhaps you have, like many others, grown up believing that the hymen is a seal that bursts or breaks when you have sexual intercourse for the first time.
However, this is a widespread misunderstanding.
Contrary to what many believe, the hymen is not a ‘seal’ inside the vagina that is punctured when having sex for the first time.
If that was the case, girls wouldn’t be able to menstruate before they lose their virginity because there wouldn’t be an outlet for the menstrual flow.
In fact, the hymen is a thin piece of tissue that fully or partially covers the vagina – some girls are born without one completely.
The hymen is gradually worn away with time by doing sports, riding a bike, self-exploration, doctor exams or using a tampon or menstrual cup.
In some countries, cultures and religions a lot of value is put on the state of the hymen, and it’s directly connected to someone’s virginity.
However, this is not a truthful way to prove or disprove virginity.
Being a virgin is, by medical standards, not defined by the state of your hymen; you remain a virgin until you participate in penetrative sexual intercourse (OrganiCup 2020).
These are the different types of hymen
Myth 4
Menstrual cups cannot hold much blood
Actually, this is quite the opposite. OrganiCup is offering menstrual cups in 3 different sizes – Mini, A and B.
Size Mini can hold up to 17 ml of liquid which is around 2 regular tampons. Size A can hold up to 25 ml which is around 3 regular tampons and size B can hold up to 30 ml which is around 3 regular tampons and a half.
Moreover, you can wear your menstrual cup for up to 12 hours during day and night.
Myth 5
Menstrual cups are unhygienic
Not at all. Actually, the menstrual cups that we sell and recommend (OrganiCup’s) are made of 100% soft medical-grade silicone and they do not contain any allergens. They are also registered with the FDA and AllergyCertified.
Cleaning one is a piece of cake! All you have to do is empty it in a sink, rinse it well and reinsert. It’s not necessary to use soap to clean your cup, but if you prefer using soap, it’s important to use a perfume free and pH-balanced soap (OrganiCup 2020). Once your period is over we recommend sterilising your menstrual cup. You can do that by boiling it in water for 3-5 minutes, just keep an eye on the pot to avoid casualties!
Myth 6
Menstrual cups cost too much
Well, we understand that the price of 45 BGN or 23.03 Euros might seem a little high at first but you can use your menstrual cup for up to 10 years! Isn’t that amazing?
That way you’ll be saving the planet from plastic pollution, you’ll be taking care of your health and you’ll also get to save money.
Here is how:
One pack of 16 regular conventional period pads costs 2 Euros here in Bulgaria. If a woman uses two packs per month, that makes 4 Euros per month for period expenses. Multiply that by 12 for the whole year and you get 48 euros and now multiply that by 10 for 10 years and you get 480 euros for period expenses, in comparison to a menstrual cup for 23.03 euros or 45 BGN.
Myth 7
Menstrual cups are unnecessary
In fact, the irony is that it’s quite the opposite. Sadly, conventional period products are far from healthy because they contain a large quantity of plastic, they are not biodegradable and take hundreds of years to break in landfill.
For example, the equivalent of pads and tampons that the average woman uses per lifetime comes down to the shocking height of 1,6 km which equals 5 Eiffel towers.
Well, that was all from us for now, dears.
Do you use a menstrual cup? If not, what is holding you back?
We'd love to find out so please let us know with a comment below.
Love,
Vera and The Team of Green Revolucia