You eat healthily, drink the amount of water recommended by dietitians and therapists, and you also exercise regularly or enjoy your favourite physical activity. But what about the products you apply to the most sensitive, intimate parts of your body?
Have you ever complained about intimate infections? Burning, itching, pain, and even discharge are symptoms known to practically all of us. The number of such situations is evidenced by the fact that many advertisements are dedicated to remedies for these unpleasant ailments.
How can you best take care of intimate hygiene?
It turns out that our comfort and health are strongly influenced by preventive measures, and above all by proper hygiene. Hygiene doesn’t just mean avoiding sitting on public toilet seats and washing regularly. It also means the hygiene we ensure by wearing the right underwear, choosing appropriate contraceptives and, most importantly, the type of intimate hygiene products – pads and tampons – we use.
Do you know what’s inside “standard” pads and tampons?
I’m sure that when you buy pads and tampons every month, you don’t really think about what they’re made of or how they affect your body. These products are made from compressed cotton wool or viscose. A tampon also has a string, while a pad has adhesive, a porous film or cellulose that prevents bodily fluids from leaking out. A key factor is the quality of the materials used in the intimate hygiene products you use. In most cases, however, that quality leaves a lot to be desired.
Are “standard” products safe for your health?
Standard, conventional products are usually made from highly absorbent viscose or regular cotton from uncontrolled crops. This means that the tampons and pads you use may contain, for example, pesticides or chlorine, which is used to turn cotton’s natural color into the snow-white shade associated with hygiene and sterility.
The dioxins released during the chlorination process can accumulate in our bodies over a long period of time, and poisoning with them can lead to skin irritation, ulcers and, in extreme cases, even cancerous changes. Just like chlorine, fragrances used to entice you with comfort and mask unpleasant odors also have undesirable effects. The fresh scent so often shown in commercials is meant to encourage purchase and give us a sense of comfort during our period. What else is hidden in standard pads? For example, moisture absorbers, which are petroleum derivatives. Thanks to them, the product can absorb much more fluid than ordinary cotton wool.
Why is the composition of pads and tampons so important?
You use a lot of intimate hygiene products, very often. For several or even a dozen days a month, around the clock, you expose your skin and mucous membranes to the substances they contain. During your period, your intimate areas are also more susceptible to bacteria and fungi, which makes infections easier to catch. Dr. Ewa Kurowska, MD, a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics, states that conventional pads and tampons can irritate and dry out the mucous membrane of the intimate area and can also trigger allergies. If you’re prone to intimate infections, be sure to wear breathable cotton underwear and use appropriate panty liners.
“During infections of the intimate area, the balance of the bacterial flora is disturbed. The mucous membrane, irritated by chlorine-bleached and synthetic tampons, reacts with congestion and swelling, and this opens the door to bacteria, fungi and allergens that can cause infection.”
High-Quality Feminine Hygiene Products – How to Choose Them?
The solution is to use top‑quality products with a clearly listed composition on the packaging. The best ones are those made from organic cotton, free from allergenic fragrances and dyes and from irritating absorbents. Make sure that pads and panty liners are not covered with a plastic film that doesn’t let air through and thus increases the risk of bacterial growth. Look for products certified with the eco‑label of the international organisation ICEA, awarded to products made with respect for the environment and human labour. The eco symbol is granted by the Italian Institute for Ethical and Environmental Certification and guarantees that the product does not endanger our health and that its use reduces the risk of allergies.
The Polish market already offers intimate hygiene products with completely safe ingredients. In Rossmann drugstores and online stores (including www.biobeauty.pl), you can buy Masmi pads, tampons, maternity pads and liners. These products are made of 100% organic cotton and are certified by international organizations for safety (including the Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute and the Global Organic Textile Standard).
Masmi is a Spanish company specialising in the production of a full range of intimate hygiene products made from 100% pure organic cotton, which helps reduce the risk of irritation and allergies caused by substances found in mass-market products (chlorine, cellulose, viscose, perfumes, dioxins). To ensure that Masmi products are made from 100% organic cotton, are hypoallergenic and biodegradable, they hold as many as eight certificates: ICEA, GOTS, FSC, VEGAN, COTTON NATURAL, NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS. All products are clinically tested, dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. The cotton used to make MASMI products is bleached (purified) without the use of chlorine (TCF) or dioxins.
MASMI is a healthy, natural and eco‑friendly choice for women’s health. The brand is now being chosen more and more often by women all over the world, including in Poland. As one internet user wrote:
Finally, a product that doesn't cause skin allergies for me. Visits to the dermatologist and gynecologist didn't help much. Only when I tried MASMI products on a friend's recommendation did the irritations disappear. I've been using Masmi pads for three months now and have no unpleasant symptoms. How did I live without them before?
Regardless of which products you use, they need to be changed frequently. Tampons should not be worn for longer than 3–4 hours and under no circumstances should you go to sleep with one in.
Based on an article from http://kobieta.gazeta.pl/
