You eat healthily, drink the amount of water recommended by nutritionists and therapists, and you regularly exercise or enjoy your favorite 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 even once in your life? Burning, itching, pain and even discharge are symptoms known to almost every one of us. The frequency of such situations is shown by the fact that many advertisements are dedicated to products that soothe these unpleasant ailments.
How best to care for intimate hygiene?
It turns out that preventive measures — and above all proper hygiene — have a huge impact on our comfort and health. Hygiene is not just about avoiding sitting on toilet seats in public places and regular washing. It also means the hygiene we ensure by wearing appropriate underwear, choosing suitable contraceptives, and above all which intimate hygiene products — that is pads and tampons — we use.
Do you know what “standard” pads and tampons are made of?
I'm sure that when you buy pads and tampons every month, you don’t think about what they are made of or how they affect your body. These products are made of compressed cotton or viscose. A tampon additionally has a string, and a pad — adhesive, porous foil or cellulose that prevents bodily fluid from escaping. An important factor is the quality of the materials that make up the intimate hygiene products you use. In most cases, however, this leaves much to be desired.
Are “standard” products safe for your health?
Ordinary — standard — products are most often made of highly absorbent viscose or ordinary cotton that comes from uncontrolled farms, which means that pesticides or chlorine used to whiten cotton to a snowy white — associated with hygiene and sterility — may be present in the tampons and pads you use.
Dioxins released during the chlorination process can accumulate in our bodies over time, and exposure can lead to skin irritation, ulcers, and in extreme cases may even contribute to cancer. Like chlorine, fragrance substances used to entice with comfort and mask unpleasant odor can cause unwanted effects. The fresh scent so often shown in ads is meant to encourage purchase and give a sense of comfort during menstruation. What else is found in standard pads? For example, moisture absorbers that are derivatives of petroleum, which allow the product to absorb much more fluid than ordinary cotton.
Why is the composition of pads and tampons so important?
Because you use intimate hygiene products a lot and very often. For several or many days each 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, making infections easier to catch. Doctor of medical sciences, gynecology and obstetrics specialist Ewa Kurowska states that classic pads and tampons can irritate and dry the mucous membrane of intimate areas, and also cause allergies. If you’re prone to intimate infections, be careful to wear breathable cotton underwear and appropriate sanitary pads.
“During intimate infections the balance of bacterial flora is disturbed. A mucous membrane irritated by chlorine-bleached and synthetic tampons defends itself with congestion and swelling, which becomes an open gate for bacteria, fungi and allergens that can cause infection.”
How to choose good-quality feminine hygiene products?
The solution is to use the highest quality products with a known composition printed on the packaging. The best are those made from organic cotton, free of allergenic fragrances and dyes and irritating moisture absorbers. Pay attention that pads and panty liners are not covered with plastic foil that prevents air flow, as this increases the risk of bacterial growth. Look for products certified with the ecological mark of the international ICEA organization, awarded to products made with respect for the environment and human labor. The ecological symbol awarded by the Italian Institute for Environmental and Ethical Certification guarantees that the product does not endanger our health and its use reduces the risk of developing allergies.
On the Polish market there are already intimate hygiene products with completely safe compositions. In stationary Rossmann drugstores and online stores (including www.biobeauty.pl) you can buy pads, tampons, postpartum pads and liners from the Masmi brand. These products are made of 100% organic cotton, certified by international organizations for safety (including the Ethical and Environmental Certification Institute, Global Organic Textile Standard).
Masmi is a Spanish company specializing 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 produce MASMI products is bleached (purified) without the use of chlorine (TCF) and dioxins.
MASMI is a healthy, natural and ecological choice for women’s health. The brand is increasingly chosen by women around the world, including in Poland. As one internet user wrote:
I succeeded — finally a product that doesn't cause my skin allergies. Visits to the dermatologist and gynecologist brought little improvement. Only after a friend's recommendation did I try MASMI products and the irritations disappeared. I’ve been using Masmi pads for three months and I have no unpleasant symptoms. How could I have lived without them before?
Regardless of which products you use, they should be changed frequently. Tampons should not be worn for longer than 3–4 hours and under no circumstances should you sleep with them in.
Based on an article from http://kobieta.gazeta.pl/
