Whoopsie! A Menstrual Cup? Yes, we have heard about it from our friends, or their friends, or at least on the YouTube channels of feminine care. For most of us, it’s a biggie. For the rest of us, it's an enigma.
A need of the hour
About as many as
70% of women in urban areas prefer sanitary napkins. This ratio drops to
approximately 48% in rural households of the country.
It's no longer a
secret that sanitary napkins create a tremendous amount of plastic waste, along
with an infinite 500-800 years to break down in the environment. (As backed up
by the Menstrual Health Alliance India- https://www.wsscc.org/media/news-stories/tackling-indias-silent-problem-menstrual-waste
)
The disposal of
this plastic waste ends up choking the environment- 28% being thrown with the routine waste, 28% in open spaces, 33%
through burial and 15% being burnt openly: as shown by the data of
Menstrual Waste Management. There is still a long way to greener
menstruation. While the debate over sustainable menstruating products still
hovers around us, there is a solution for the same- A Menstrual Cup.
What is a Menstrual Cup?
A
Menstrual Cup is a medical-grade silicone cup that collects blood during our
period. The material is completely safe to use. Many of the cups
available in markets today are approved by
doctors. The cup is supposed to be inserted into the vagina and rests just
below the cervix. This eco-friendly wonder comes
in various sizes, so one can go for whichever one fits them best.
But why to cup it? What’s wrong with pads or
tampons?
Nothing
is wrong or right when it comes to your choices of Menstrual products. The idea
behind making this silicone wonder is to save your money, environment, and thighs (from the
rashes!) I’m not saying you have to try it. I’m here to make the population aware of the
marvellous Invention.
According
to an Article from Betterindia, an
average woman spends about 1 lakh rupees on buying sanitary napkins. Since
the beginning of the period till the menopause, a
huge amount of pads or tampons are used. A
single female of menstruating age can produce as much as 125 KGs of non-biodegradable waste in her entire life.
Also, the plastic and chemicals used in
Sanitary Napkins are no less dangerous. A chemical
named as Dioxin used to bleach the cotton to make it look white in sanitary
napkins, is banned by WHO, because this chemical does not degrade itself in the
environment.
Along with that,a pad or tampon needs to be changed every 4-6 hours.
Prolonged use can lead to Urinary tract infections and Vaginal infections.
By
using a cup, you not only save yourself from the rashes and, but also save up
your pocket money, because a cup lasts for as long as 10 years! Also, dear
ladies, no jhanjat of changing it. A
cup can stay in there for as long as 10-12 hours, meaning less frequent visits
to the washroom. Once it's
filled up, you can remove it to empty the contents, wash it by plain water, reinsert it
and Voila! You just need to sterilize it by keeping
the cup in boiling water for 15-20 minutes before every cycle.
Pssst!!
You can bathe, play, swim, exercise and do almost anything which normal pads
and tampons restrict you from doing.
Okay, I’m convinced of its powers. But what
precautions do I need to take?
Good
thinking. Given that it goes in your
vagina, you must keep your hands
clean. Also, you might want to bid farewell to those expensive and useless nail extensions, they’re
better off at the store window.
Secondly,
it should not be a big deal. To save yourself from any kind of embarrassment,
prepare yourself first. Yes, it goes in the vagina, and it won’t affect its
elasticity. The vaginal muscles are flexible. You might as well take a look at
some vlogs online of people who have tried it.
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