Tampons and pads come in direct contact with the most intimate and sensitive body parts – for an extended amount of time, every single month. Tampons, in particular, are directly inserted into the vaginal canal, which is one of the most absorbent parts of the human body. The tissues found in this part of the body are capable of carrying chemicals and other materials quickly in to the bloodstream and throughout the body. As a result, anything that is in close contact with these tissues (like tampons!) could have negative effects on your body if it contains harmful ingredients.
Are Tampons Regulated?
Tampons are considered medical devices by the FDA, which makes them somewhat regulated but not as thoroughly as we, at Maxim would like them to be. For example, period product companies in the U.S. are not required to label their products’ packaging with ingredients. The only exception to this is New York State, which just became the first state to require menstrual product companies to disclose their ingredients, a practice Maxim has applied since its inception (cuz we’ve got nothing to hide)!
This is an amazing first step for getting other companies to join our transparency efforts, but be aware that companies have until April 2021 to actually update their packaging to meet these requirements.
What Exactly is in Conventional Tampons?
In general, mainstream brand tampons are made of a blend of cotton and synthetics, “cotton-like materials” that don’t offer the same natural benefits of pure natural cotton materials. Some examples of synthetics and other ingredients used in conventional tampons include rayon, viscose, dioxins, polypropylene, polyethylene, pesticides, chlorine, BPA – the list goes on and on! Plus, if tampons include any sort of fragrances, that’s a double-dose of exposure to even more chemicals.
How Does This Impact Me?
On one hand, these chemicals can cause minor discomfort, like rashes and other irritation, when they come into contact with extremely absorbent and sensitive body parts. On the other hand, even trace amounts of these chemicals have been questioned in causing more serious problems. For example, Dioxin, a known byproduct of chlorine bleaching (yes, your tampons are bleached) has been linked to causing fertility issues, thyroid conditions, polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal and cystic acne, endometriosis, and even some forms of cancer. The FDA claims that the exposure is minimal, but the problem is that their studies don’t look at repetitive, cumulative and long term exposure to dioxins. We need more research to confirm these findings on a larger scale.
Not All Tampons Are Created Equally.
Maxim Hygiene Products has been fully disclosing all of our products’ ingredients since day one – over 12 years ago! Instead of synthetics, our full range of feminine hygiene products are made with 100% organic and natural cotton. We also use a safer, chlorine-free bleaching process to ensure that no dioxins or other chemical matter is getting anywhere near your intimate areas.
We encourage you to ditch conventional tampons, and take a look at our synthetic-free tampons!
