How To Insert and Remove A Tampon Correctly:
The method described here is the most common one used for inserting a tampon. However, there are other methods which may work better or even safer than this one. You will have to experiment yourself to see what works best for you.
You need to prepare your hands well before you start putting in a tampon. Make sure they are clean and dry. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so, then wash them thoroughly with soap and water after washing your face and hair. Wear gloves if possible while handling the tampons because it is very easy to get blood on these things.
Also make sure you wear cotton underwear since the latex material might irritate your skin too much when inserting a tampon into them.
Take a paper towel and place it over your hand. Then take the tampon applicator (a small plastic tube) and hold it at an angle so that its tip is pointing towards you. Now close your eyes and try to touch the tampon applicator with your fingers. Do not use any kind of utensil like a knife or spoon; just use the tampon applicator itself.
Now, you need to fold the tampon applicator so that the tip of is facing you. After folding it, it should look like a figure eight.
Next, hold your index finger against the tip. Then, take hold of the wrist with your other hand. Now, push the folded tip against your vaginal opening. When it goes inside, push the applicator with your middle finger.
If you are not comfortable doing so, then you can use your index finger too. After this is done, the folded tip should slide open into the form of plastic cup.
When the cup is all the way inside, you can now pull out the applicator. It is very important to remember that only the folded tip should be inside your body. If it goes in any deeper, then it can cause serious problems like vaginal abrasions and micro-tears.
You might find it a bit tough to grasp the folded tip with your finger, so you might need someone to help you with it the first few times. However, with some practice, you should be able to do this on your own.
After the cup has opened up inside your body, you can now hold it by its base and remove your hand from the applicator. Make sure that it is secure inside you before leaving it there for a long time.
Once you have pulled out the applicator, you can now throw it away in the bin. It is very important not to reuse the applicator since it is a single use object and also because of health concerns.
When you are ready, you can now push down the cup gently with your fingers so that it holds tightly against your vaginal walls. You can leave it there for as long as 12 hours, after which you should take it out.
You may have to push down a bit if it has come out of your body while taking it out. You also need to be careful that the cup doesn’t fold back into its original position; doing so might cause it to slip out of your body.
After you take it out, you should wash your hands well and then throw it away in the bin because it can’t be reused either. Again, make sure you wash your hands after throwing it away.
Now that you are done, you can now go do your work or do anything else of your choice. You just have to remember to not leave it in for too long and to also take it out at the correct time.
Make sure you don’t get distracted and forget about the cup inside your body because forgetting about it can lead to serious health issues. You should keep a regular track of the time and try your best not to leave it inside for more than 12 hours.
Harmful Chemicals
As you already know, these disposable cups are made with harmful chemicals and plastic. They may or may not be harmful to the human body, since the composition of these cups are usually kept a secret by the manufacturers. Keeping such information private is not illegal, unfortunately.
In addition to these cups being made up of harmful chemicals, they can also cause serious vaginal problems like vaginal dryness and abrasions. Even microscopic tears in the vaginal area can lead to more serious health issues in the long run.
Another thing is that sometimes the cups can get stuck inside the body because the manufacturers don’t spend much time perfecting the design. There have been several complaints about such cases from users all over the world.
Disposal
You may have already thought about what to do with the cup once you are done with it. Perhaps the easiest way to get rid of it is to throw it in the trash bin since it is the simplest way to solve the problem. However, this can be a potential hazard for the environment.
The chemicals from these cups can mix with other trash and also seep into the soil. If it gets soaked in water and then ingested by animals that are lower in the food chain, it can become even more dangerous for the environment.
You can also try to find a bio-degradable bin to throw away the cup into. However, not all countries have such facilities so you may not be able to dispose this way.
There is also the option of trying to find somewhere to recycle the cup. You can try your local supermarket for this or even look online to find a facility that can recycle the cup. The opportunity to find such a place may be rare, but it’s still one of the best ways to dispose the product.
Sources & references used in this article:
Self-spreading catamenial tampon by DD Kokx, RS Moore – US Patent 3,706,311, 1972 – Google Patents
Menstrual protection. Young women’s knowledge, practice and attitudes by S Abraham, C Knight, M Mira, I Fraser… – Journal of …, 1985 – Taylor & Francis
Method of forming a laterally expandable tampon by JL Jessup, DH Paalman – US Patent 5,659,934, 1997 – Google Patents
Laterally expandable tampon by JL Jessup, DH Paalman – US Patent 6,039,716, 2000 – Google Patents
