Period Facts: The average woman will have her period for 38 years (456 months) and will use 11 000 hygiene products. Feminine hygiene, globally, is a multi-billion dollar industry.
An estimated 20 billion pads, tampons and applicators are sent to North American landfills annually. Since plastic can take as long as 500 years to decompose, that means every disposable menstrual product that’s ever been used is still sitting in a landfill so

A menstrual cup is a reusable feminine hygiene product made of silicone that has been around since 1932.Inserted like a tampon, this cup “catches” menstrual flow and has to be emptied regularly.

The longevity of a menstrual cup is a personal decision, and an average life span is 5-10 years, although with proper care and sterilisation this could be prolonged. The colour may change but that should not have any impact on the efficacy.

The Advantages:

Environmental – Since one cup can last for years, less waste is created.

Economical – an average cycle will use 20 tampons or pads, so the one-time cost of a cup will offset the $4-10 dollars spent on disposable products each month.

Safety – the cup is made of medical grade silicone, whereas tampons/pads have harmful substance such as chlorine, fragrances or BPA. The cup lowers the likelihood of Toxic Shock Syndrome as it is hypoallergenic

Convenience – the cup can be worn for up to 12 hours at one time, making it possible to sleep in whilst wearing, and durable for lengthy sporting events or binge watching.
Other products should be changed every 6-8 hours. The cup is odourless and will not cause vaginal dryness.

The Disadvantages:

Use – some people have difficulty inserting the cup.
This can be overcome with practice.

Mess – there is more mess involved in emptying and cleaning than disposing of a pad.
The messiness will not go away, it is a personal decision to suffer the mess. After a few months of use many people report that they are used to it an do not even consider it a problem – it is generally just a transitional problem.

Safety – if the cup is not properly disinfected and cleaned it could cause an infection.
This can be overcome by following the proper cleaning guidelines.