Sanitary Pads: 5 Reasons Why Sanitary Napkins Are Dangerous

Eat healthy, drink some green smoothies and go to the gym – you know the drill. Girls live in a world where being healthy is cool and well, expensive.

We check our food’s nutritional value - count the calories and cholesterol percentage because there is this slight obsession not just to lose weight but primarily to be healthy and organic.

But then again, we tend to overlook the other important factors that are considered unhealthy and unsafe. 

So how well do you know your favorite sanitary pads? You’ve been using them for a long time, maybe ever since you start your menstruation.

Girls always listen to their mothers’ recommendation when it comes to buying feminine hygiene products. But sometimes, we need to check if they’re safe enough before making our choices.

And as consumers, it is our responsibility to make sure that you are buying products that won’t harm or worst, kill you.

That’s why more women now choose to use organic menstrual pads without any plastic materials, period panties or menstrual cup like the EvaCup.

Check out my post about the "Advantages and Disadvantages of Menstrual Cups".

Here are the 5 reasons why your sanitary pads are dangerous:

1. They can cause cancer

Yes, CANCER.

Of course, you don’t just get cancer right away. But you’re using pads every month and though there are only low levels of exposure to chemical contaminants found in the materials of such pads.

They would accumulate inside our bodies and threaten our reproductive health. Just the thought of having these cancerous chemicals on our vagina is sickening and scary.

FACTS:

• Your pads are made of plastic materials. Some chemicals that are made to plastic like BPA and BPS can complicate embryonic development. The plasticizers can actually lead to organ damage. 
• The fiber in the absorbent pads that you use can cause cervical cancer. Sanitary pads are not purely made of cotton but they’re made of cellulose gel. 
• The dioxin present in the menstrual pads can cause ovarian cancer. 
• Napkins are made to absorb wetness. That is why aside from cotton, they also contain rayon, a synthetic fiber, which is also dangerous because they also contain dioxin. Basically, when rayon is bleached, it releases dioxin. 

2. They contain pesticides and herbicides

We all know pads are made of cotton. Like other crops, cotton crops are being sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that can definitely cause harm when they reach your bloodstream.

Furan, a potentially dangerous chemical, is present on the cotton and will stay until it’s harvested.

Imagine having this chemical contaminant inside your body. Furan is even linked to cancer in some experimental animals.

Herbicides and pesticides are linked to thyroid malfunction, infertility and other health problems.

3. They contain dioxin, an environmental pollutant

Cotton is not naturally ultra – white. Because most girls prefer something that is purely white to make them feel they’re putting on something fresh and clean, sanitary pad companies use a chemical called dioxin to bleach the cotton.

Unconsciously, we are paying a very high price for being neat freaks. Such companies may argue that the pads contain very low levels of dioxin.

Based on research, a short-term exposure to dioxin can cause skin darkening and altered liver function.

A woman might be using 6,000 sanitary napkins in her lifetime and when dioxin accumulates in the body it can cause serious health risks and diseases such as immune system damage, diabetes, hormone dysfunction, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer and others.

4. They can cause infertility and birth defects

Your pads contain odor neutralizers or deodorants because every woman hates the smell of blood. It’s understandable.

However, sanitary pad companies added some chemicals in the scented pads that can cause complications on your baby’s embryonic development.

Also, it is not recommended to use scented feminine hygiene products because they can cause irritation.

They can cause yeast infection which can lead to other health complications.

5. They are prone to bacterial growth and other infections

Prolonged use of sanitary pads in a day means an overgrowth of staphylococcus aureus bacteria in your vagina.

It’s commonly called as toxic shock syndrome. Some symptoms of toxic shock syndrome are dizziness, fever and diarrhea.

The toxins released by the bacteria can actually cause a sudden drop in your blood pressure which is dangerous because the brain fails to get enough supply of blood.

Your pads are made of synthetic materials which can cause blockage of wetness, which encourage bacterial growth.

This is one of the reasons why some women experience severe allergies and yeast infections.

Some women may think it’s normal to have allergies and itchiness, which is a misconception.

Being a woman is not just about having your monthly period, being beautiful with your makeup on or having a vagina.

Being a woman means being mature enough to take control of your body and taking care of your reproductive health.

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