The Menstrual Cup: A Sustainable Alternative to Tampons

Menstruation is quite possibly the least exciting part of the month. In fact, it can be a downright struggle: the bloating, cramps, breakouts, and tampons.

In addition to the struggle, did you know that your period can be horrible for the environment as well? Over 19 billion single-use products like tampons and pads end up in American landfills every year.

 If you're still using pads or tampons to deal with your flow, consider switching to a menstrual cup. Sustainable, reusable, and eco-friendly… UltuCup menstrual cups can change your life!

Read on to see how menstrual cups compare to tampons and learn how to make the switch.

Menstrual Cups Vs. Tampons

If you've dealt with a period before, you're familiar with the issues that can happen when using menstrual products. Leaks, smells, unpleasant sensations, constant anxiety, and more! Let's compare the reusable menstrual cup to the infamous tampon.

Size

Tampons come in a variety of sizes ranging from light to ultra, but manufacturers always recommend you use the lightest possible absorbency, for your safety.

Most people with periods will use a range of sizes throughout their monthly cycle; however, with a menstrual cup, all you need is one cup (that fits perfectly, that is)!

The UltuCup comes in three sizes:

• Model 0 - best for teenagers or people with a lower cervix
• Model 1 - perfect for those between 19 and 30 years old who have never experienced birth
• Model 2 - for anyone over 30 or those who have given birth

Unlike other menstrual cup brands, Ultucup offers three different sizes, allowing you to find your “perfect fit,” so you never have to worry about how heavy or light your flow is.

 Capacity

 Most regular absorbency tampons hold about 5 ml of fluid while a supersize one may carry 10 ml. This means you may have to change your tampon every few hours, depending on the heaviness of your flow.

Reusable menstrual cups on the other hand hold anywhere from 25 to 40 ml, depending on size. You can wear your cup for up to 12 hours and don’t have to worry about removing it too frequently! Imagine a whole day of not having to think about your period or having to change your tampon.

Their sizable capacity also makes them perfect for nighttime! No more bleeding through while you’re sleeping or running to the bathroom in the middle of the night because your tampon is leaking. You can sleep soundly for 12 hours without any risk of leaks.

Leak Risk

In studies that compare tampons and cups, findings show that menstrual cups have significantly less leakage. Most instances of leakage happen due to the incorrect placement or the cups being the wrong size.

While a menstrual can last about 12 hours, a tampon must be changed every 4 to 6 hours, or leaks will most likely occur. The difference here is that tampons soak up the blood, causing it to max out quickly while menstrual cups collect the blood, letting it fill slowly. 

Once you practice and get the proper insertion method down, leaks will become a thing of the past!

The Feeling

Every tampon user knows the excruciating torture of pulling out a dry tampon or the uncomfortable sensation of a full tampon slowly sliding down. There are a lot of feelings involved with tampons and none of them are pleasant.

With reusable feminine products like menstrual care products, there should be no feelings! That's right, if you properly insert your cup, you won't even know it's there.

Inserting and removing your cup for the first time can be a strange experience but it shouldn't be painful. We've got a great how-to guide on the whole process; become familiar with it and you'll be a professional in no time!

Safety

 Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a familiar term for anyone who uses tampons. It occurs in up to 3.4 per 100,000 people in the United States and out of all of the possible menstrual products, tampons have the highest risk.

The risk of TSS with menstrual cups is very low. If you properly clean and care for your cup, you should have no issues. Beyond that, the UltuCup menstrual cups are all made from 100% premium medical-grade silicone which also means no nasty chemicals, allergic reactions, or skin sensitivities.

Money and Time

Tampons need to be changed every few hours meaning you have to spend more of your hard-earned dollars on multiple boxes of tampons throughout the year. Over the course of a tampon user’s lifetime, one will spend close to $2000. That's not including pantyliners, backup pads, and replacing underwear that's been stained.

 A menstrual cup, on the other hand, costs between $30 and $40 and can last you for years! Most people will replace their cup every year due to staining but you can actually keep using it for much longer. Even if you do choose to replace your cup every year, you're still spending less than half as much as you would on tampons!

How to Choose a Sustainable Menstrual Cup

Before making your choice, you should figure out a few important things. Choosing the right menstrual cup will save you from having to experiment with different styles.

First, you need to determine your size. People with a lower cervix may feel more comfortable using the model 0 cup. If you don't know how to tell whether you have a high or low cervix, we've got a helpful guide!

Next, you should check the material of the cup. The best option is 100% premium medical-grade silicone. Thanks to UltuCup, the materials will keep your vagina healthy and happy. Make sure there's no added color, sparkles, or any of that nonsense… Looks aren’t everything.

Lastly, consider the ethics of the cup manufacturer. Sustainable menstrual options don't just mean using any cup. At UltuCup, sustainability is at the very core of what we do.

We never use harsh chemicals or dyes, which is better for you and the environment! We also manufacturer all our cups in the U.S., so not only are we supporting the local economy, but we're also reducing shipping pollution.

Making the Switch to the Menstrual Cup

In a recent survey, 20% of people with periods had made the switch to a sustainable menstrual option. At the same time, 60% were considering it. That's a large chunk of the period-having population that are ditching tampons and pads for menstrual cups!

If you're on the fence, dive into our FAQ section to learn more about using the UltuCup menstrual cup. We know you have a lot of questions, so we made sure to prepare the answers!

Ready to make the switch? We're so excited to help you out. Check out our range of UltuCups to find the perfect size for you.