Menstrual cups · 5 min read
5 advantages of the menstrual cup
Why use a menstrual cup?
You're interested in a menstrual cup but not quite sure whether they really are that great? We have put together 5 advantages of using a menstrual cup. And because we are often asked about the downsides of menstrual cups too, we have also looked at the disadvantages – or rather, the "non-advantages". Whether they really are disadvantages is for you to judge.
What do you need a menstrual cup for?
A menstrual cup is a small cup, usually made of silicone, that collects period blood during menstruation. That's why it is often called a period cup. A menstrual cup replaces disposable products such as pads and tampons, because it can be used again and again. When the menstrual cup is full – which, depending on how heavy your flow is, can take around 4–12 hours – it is simply emptied, cleaned and reused. A period cup lasts several years, making it a truly eco-friendly and at the same time cheaper alternative to tampons or pads. If you want to know more about finding the right menstrual cup for you, just read our article "Which menstrual cup should I buy?".
Over 600,000 menstruating people already love our sustainable period products. That makes us very happy! And the advantages of the menstrual cup speak for themselves. Here are the top 5 arguments to make any tampon and pad fan think twice.
The 5 biggest advantages of the menstrual cup
1. Less changing, because it can hold plenty of blood
A menstrual cup can hold more blood than a standard tampon or pad. For comparison: a normal tampon manages 9–12 ml on average, while a super tampon reaches its limit at 18–21 ml. Depending on the size, our menstrual cups can hold between 21 and 33 ml of blood. Over the course of a period, you lose around 60 ml of blood in total – most of it during the first two days. With a light period, blood loss is under 25 ml, while a heavy period means losing more than 80 ml.
2. Easy to keep track of how heavy your period is
Most of us judge how heavy our period is by how often we need to change our pad or tampon. While some only need to change once or twice a day, others visit the toilet every two or three hours. Even so, we usually have no idea how much blood we actually lose during our period. A menstrual cup, on the other hand, makes it easy. You can also quickly spot changes in heaviness or colour.
3. No odour, no dryness, no allergies
That's basically three advantages in one! Because menstrual cups collect the blood while it is still inside your body, there is no unpleasant odour and you always feel completely fresh – quite unlike wearing a damp pad. Sure, tampons work on the same principle, but tampons also absorb the vaginal fluid that keeps your flora healthy. Unlike tampons, menstrual cups absorb hardly any vaginal fluid. This means the healthy bacteria stay exactly where they should be, and your vaginal flora stays in balance. Tampons also dry out the vagina far more, which can encourage infections. If you choose a menstrual cup made of medical-grade silicone, the risk of allergies or intolerances is reduced to a minimum. Less pain during your period
By the way: many of our customers report that they have had less period pain since switching from tampons to a menstrual cup.
4. Brilliant & invisible – even during sport
From A for aerobics to S for swimming to Z for Zumba – with a menstrual cup you can do EVERYTHING. It sits comfortably (the right size is important), adapts to every movement and is ultra leak-proof. And there's no annoying string or rustling wings in the way.
5. Zero Waste: no constant stream of new rubbish
Creating waste on the one hand and having to dispose of it properly on the other simply makes disposable items like tampons and pads feel out of step with the times. We can already foresee that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. Against this backdrop – and the fact that it takes around 500–800 years for tampons and pads to decompose – disposable products are hard to square with a clear conscience. A menstrual cup isn't made from renewable raw materials either, but its lifespan of around 10 years on average is considerably longer. Extrapolated, every menstruating person has their period 500 times, with five days of bleeding each time. It's incredible how much waste that adds up to when you need an average of 3–4 tampons, panty liners or pads per cycle day. That means each person gets through 10,000–17,000 menstrual hygiene products.
Saving money with a menstrual cup
Cheaper than disposables in the long run: buying a menstrual cup pays off
Those were five good reasons why a menstrual cup is simply brilliant. And here's a bonus: switching from tampons and pads to a menstrual cup will also make itself felt in your wallet. A menstrual cup does cost more to buy, but it quickly pays for itself.
Sample calculation: sustainable period products vs. disposables
| Tampon | Pad | Menstrual cup | Period underwear | Cloth pad | Cloth panty liner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack contents | 56 pcs | 26 pcs | 1 pc | 3 pcs | 1 pc | 5 pcs |
| Purchase price | €3.95 | €3.45 | €17.99 | €44.90 | €8.99 | €19.99 |
| Needed per cycle | 20–25 pcs | 8–10 pcs | 1 pc | 6 pcs | 6 pcs | 5 pcs |
| Cost per cycle | €1.41 | €1.06 | €17.99 | €44.90 one-off |
€53.94 one-off |
€19.99 one-off |
| Cost per year | €16.92 | €12.72 | €17.99 | €89.90 1st year only |
€53.94 1st year only |
€19.99 1st year only |
The downsides of the menstrual cup
A menstrual cup pays for itself financially by the second year of use at the latest. The alternatives, such as cloth pads, cloth panty liners or period underwear, easily withstand around 100 wash cycles on average – how many you need depends on how often you do your laundry. We recommend keeping around 5 at home so you never get stressed about washing.
Disadvantages of the menstrual cup (or, as we say, "non-advantages")
Admittedly, we had to search for a while before we found a few disadvantages of the menstrual cup. But here are the points that at least didn't make it onto the list of advantages. Whether they are real disadvantages is of course for you to decide. So here they are, the disadvantages of the menstrual cup:
You need to be able to look at (your own) blood
Unlike with a tampon or pad, the menstrual blood is not absorbed. As the name suggests, the blood is collected as if in a cup and then poured away. Especially during the first days of your period, this can be quite a shock – particularly if you have only used disposable products so far.
Care matters (typical for reusable products)
Since a menstrual cup isn't thrown away after use but is used again and again, it does need a little care. Before use, you should boil it to sterilise it – easily done in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Take care if you have a (hormonal) IUD
If you use a (hormonal) IUD for contraception, you need to be particularly careful when removing your menstrual cup. Because of the suction, it is possible to pull the IUD out along with it.
It takes a little practice – don't give up
It certainly takes a bit more practice to get used to a menstrual cup than it does with pads or tampons. At the beginning, the odd mishap may happen – but hand on heart, who hasn't had that with tampons or pads? As so often in life, it all comes down to the right technique. You can read everything you need to know in our guide "Finding the best menstrual cup: we tell you what matters". If the "disadvantages" of the menstrual cup have put you off as little as they did us, why not try for yourself how easy and comfortable everyday period life can be with a menstrual cup.
Buying a menstrual cup
If the advantages of the menstrual cup have won you over, give it a try now. We offer a range of menstrual cups in different sizes and firmness levels – you can read all about the differences in our article "Finding the best menstrual cup: we tell you what matters". We are sure you will love it (at the latest once you're past the practice phase). And if not, just drop us a line – we're sure we can give you a tip or two.
Empfohlene Produkte
¡Nuestra última innovación es una verdadera revolución en el segmento de la ropa interior menstrual! ¡Nuestro nuevo tejido autoadhesivo permite la combinación de la ropa interior menstrual con compresas intercambiables - ¡una verdadera innovación y evolución para el sector de la higiene menstrual sostenible! Un tejido revolucionario En estrecha colaboración con nuestros diseñadores y expertos textiles, SELENACARE ha desarrollado una nueva tecnología que redefine la flexibilidad durante la menstruación - ¡un tejido autoadhesivo! Este tejido se cose en la entrepierna de la Braga Básica SELENACARE Easy Comfort, así como en las compresas absorbentes, facilitando el intercambio y evitando el desplazamiento de las mismas. De esta manera las compresas se pueden intercambiar fácilmente sin tener que quitarse la braga. El tejido autoadhesivo permite que las compresas se cambien fácilmente en la braga básica SELENACARE Easy Comfort, tal como se hace con las compresas desechables tradicionales. ¡Pero las Compresas Easy Comfort se pueden reutilizar ya que son lavables! ¡Dile "Adiós" a los momentos incómodos de cambio y "Hola" a una sensación de flexibilidad absoluta durante tu menstruación! El Set SELENACARE Easy Comfort El Set SELENACARE Easy Comfort se compone de dos partes. La Braga Básica SELENACARE Easy Comfort que está equipada con el tejido autoadhesivo en la entrepierna - una base genial para las Compresas SELENACARE Easy Comfort, que componen la segunda parte del set menstrual. Compresas Easy Comfort con bolsa impermeable Las compresas Easy Comfort están equipadas con un tejido autoadhesivo en la parte inferior y encajan perfectamente en la braga básica, insertándose en el área de la entrepierna. Gracias a la propiedad autoadhesiva, la compresa permanece firme en su lugar y no se desplaza. Con diferentes niveles de absorción, son perfectas para acompañarte en cada etapa de tu menstruación - desde el flujo ligero al abundante ¡te sentirás siempre segura! Una vez que la Compresa Easy Comfort llega a su capacidad máxima de absorción, se puede extraer fácilmente de la braga básica y reemplazarse por una nueva. No es necesario quitarse la braga para cambiar la compresa, Simplemente sustitúyela, guarda la compresa usada en la bolsa impermeable, lávala y reutilízala.
Siéntete completamente protegida y libre con la ropa interior menstrual SELENACARE Free-Cut. Invisible bajo la ropa, te ofrece comodidad, discreción y máxima absorbencia durante la menstruación. Esta braguita en tallas XS-M, así como L-XXL, se ha desarrollado especialmente para días medios y satisface las más altas exigencias. Perfección invisible para ti Gracias al innovador diseño Free-Cut y al fino material, la ropa interior menstrual SELENACARE Free-Cut no deja marcas antiestéticas bajo las prendas ajustadas. Puedes moverte libremente y sentirte completamente cómoda sin preocuparte por las marcas visibles. Con esta ropa interior, te sentirás confiada y segura en cualquier situación. Máxima comodidad y flexibilidad para ti La ropa interior menstrual Free-Cut de SELENACARE no solo te ofrece protección, sino también una comodidad excepcional. El material de microfibra superelástica se adapta perfectamente a tu cuerpo y ofrece la máxima flexibilidad. Tanto si trabajas como si haces ejercicio o sencillamente descansas, esta ropa interior te garantiza un ajuste óptimo y libertad de movimientos. Protección fiable para días medios La ropa interior menstrual ha sido especialmente diseñada para días de flujo medio, para ofrecerte un alto nivel de protección. Las capas absorbentes del interior de la ropa interior retienen el líquido de forma segura y evitan fugas no deseadas. Puedes confiar en su fiabilidad todos los días de la menstruación. Es tu compañera perfecta durante el periodo. Experimenta la comodidad, discreción y protección que te mereces. Ten confianza y disfruta de tu libertad sea cual sea el día.
Las braguitas menstruales Hipster convencen por su corte moderno y su ajuste supercómodo. Como en todos nuestros modelos, la superficie de absorción integrada está incorporada de forma discreta e invisible en la braguita menstrual. Las bragas menstruales absorben hasta 25 ml de líquido. Gracias a la pernera baja y a la cintura media, se adaptan perfectamente al cuerpo y dan sensación de seguridad. Días de flujo ligero, medio o abundante La intensidad de la menstruación puede variar a lo largo del ciclo. La ropa interior menstrual Hipster es ideal para los días de flujo ligero y medio del periodo. Proporciona una sensación de sequedad y no permite la salida de líquidos. En los días de flujo más abundante, recomendamos utilizar la ropa interior en combinación con una copa menstrual o un tampón. Si tienes la regla o manchas, puedes utilizar una compresa higiénica o una compresa lavable, dependiendo de la intensidad del flujo. Sin restricciones, siempre bien protegida Realmente no hay ningún límite en el uso de la ropa interior menstrual. Puedes utilizarla en tu tiempo libre, en el trabajo o cuando estés de vacaciones. Además de la sangre, también absorbe el sudor y otros fluidos y los sella de forma fiable. Como el material es absorbente, también proporciona una sensación muy segura durante la práctica deportiva. Después de usarlas, puedes lavar las braguitas con agua fría, secarlas al aire y reutilizarlas. Esto las convierte en una alternativa cómoda, sostenible y respetuosa con el medio ambiente en comparación con los tampones y las compresas desechables. No solo se reducen los residuos, sino que también se ahorra dinero gracias a su larga vida útil. Higiene y frescor a base de cloruro de plata (principio activo biocida según la lista del artículo 95): Las capas absorbentes de los productos SELENACARE están equipadas con el acabado protector antimicrobiano y biocida SILVERPLUS® del GRUPO RUDOLF. Impide la proliferación de las bacterias causantes del mal olor. SILVERPLUS® es la tecnología líder de iones de plata y está certificada según la norma OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. OEKO-TEX garantiza que todos los componentes se han sometido a pruebas para detectar sustancias nocivas y que el producto es inocuo para la salud.
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