Tampons: Do Playtex Pearls really cause problems.?

Question

I have been told by many people that the pearls are made of a type of fiber and leaves some of that fiber in you vagina and can get in to your cervix and can cause cancer. Have any of you heard that and do you think it is true?

Answer 1

All tampons carry risks due to their use, commercial tampons are the most harmful out of all menstrual options. Tampons prevent normal vaginal cleaning functions, dry out vaginal walls causing vaginal splitting, and give bacteria a place to multiply within the vagina – thus why tampons are linked with toxic shock syndrome and vaginal infections.

All tampons leave fibre within the vagina, this is more true of commercial tampons [e.g. Tampax] as apposed to organic [e.g. Natracare], homemade, soft [e.g. Gynotex] or sponge tampons [e.g. Sea pearls] because of the materials they are made from.

Pearl are length-ways expanding tampons, they are made by taking a length of cotton/viscose fleece and cutting rectangles, where as with widthways-expanding tampons they would roll this fleece into a swiss roll shape, due to the way lengthways-expanding tampons like Pearl are made there are more edges on the outside of the tampon meaning more likelihood of fibre loss. The Code of Practice (COP) for tampons from 199 included regulations that require tampon manufacturers to test tampons around once every hour and if there is significant fibre loss they batch are rejected.

There is still fibre loss from both commercial tampons and organic tampons due to the materials used; the risk of this is an increased risk of toxic shock syndrome and vaginal infection because it gives bacteria a pores blood-filled warm environment to multiply – this is associated with the reasons why leaving a tampon in for longer then the greater the risk because cotton and viscose give bacteria the means to multiply out of control. Fibres are highly unlikely to flow up into your vagina, although the mucus plug is not in place it would be difficult for fibres to go into your cervix because your vagina is designed to self-clean so prevent foreign bodies into the cervix – although a note is that lengthways-expanding tampons do expand into the cervix that increases menstrual cramps.

The risk of cancer does not come from the fibre loss, the association between tampons and cancer comes from their unnecessary bleaching methods.
Prior to 1994 tampons and other paper pulp products such as pads and diapers used chlorine gas bleaching, a by-product of which was dioxin that does cause cancer in human beings. There is no safe level of dioxins, when it comes to tampons this was an extra concern because the vagina is a major orifice of the body with mucosa rather than skin making it easier for toxins to get into the blood stream and so collect within the fatty tissues of the body - tampon manufacturers argued otherwise until government agencies took them to court to ban this manufacturing method.
Commercial tampon manufacturers however continue to use chemicals to treat their products, they have legal protection so they do not have to inform their customers of the chemicals they use in their products, so simply we do not know what chemicals they use exactly, and they could very well have cancer risks.

The best way to avoid the risk is simply not to use tampons, there are over twenty different menstrual options including pads and menstrual cups.

If you prefer internal menstrual options then you should look into menstrual cups – these can be worn safely for up to 12 hours, can be worn at night, before your period is due, during swimming, they are also not linked with any health problem, environmentally friendly, ethical manufacturers, cheap, highly convenient, easy to use, and unlike tampons they are hygienic.
http://www.divacup.com
http://www.keeper.com
http://www.softcup.com

If more a pad user then it is advised that you use organic, cloth, or homemade pad options because like commercial tampon manufacturers the commercial pad manufacturers also use harmful materials and chemicals.
http://www.lunapads.com
http://urban-armor.org/urban-armor
http://www.reddyspads.com

If you do use tampons then it is far safer to use organic tampons or sponge tampons, change at least every 4 hours, use the lowest absorbency possible, do not wear while asleep, and do not use when not menstruating.
http://www.natracare.com
http://www.jadeandpearl.com


For more informaiton on tampon risks and issues;

http://www.spotsite.org
http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro
http://www.tamponalert.org.uk
http://www.frontiernet.net/%7Eruthb/Tampons.html
http://www.vaginaverite.com/menstruation/tamponsafety.html
http://www.life.ca/nl/46/maxi.html
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/features/tampons_003834.htm
http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/359/Kohen.html
http://www.varsity.utoronto.ca/archives/120/oct12/feature/warning.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7307365&dopt=Citation

Answer 2

i use them and no i have not heard that but all tampons have a risk of using them its called toxic shock syndrome

On top of TSS concerns, there are also rumblings about cancer risks linked to dioxins produced during tampon manufacture.

Dioxin is found in everything, including food, and campaigners argue that repeated exposure to trace amounts over a lifetime of tampon use unnecessarily raises women’s levels of exposure.

If you still want to use tampons, Tampon Alert says following some simple rules should lower your risk of complications.

These include:


Use the lowest absorbency needed at each stage of your period.


Don’t use tampons continuously during a period.


Alternate with sanitary towels, particularly at night.


Use a towel at the end of your period.


Change tampons every four to six hours.


Don’t use tampons if you’ve had any unusual discharge.


Wash your hands before and after use, and handle the tampon as little as possible.

While TSS only develops in certain circumstances there appears to be a greater risk associated with young menstruating women.

Answer 3

All tampons have that same warning in the box. Its called Toxic Shock Syndrome. You can use any brand just fine, just dont use them for longer than 8 hours at a time, Change them constantly.

Answer 4

I don't know.

I know that all tampons carry a risk of TSS, which is NOT cancer, but is still potentially lethal. Although risk is decreased if tampons are worn properly and changed often, there's still a risk that even worn perfectly someone is going to get sick.

The question is whether or not that risk is worth it to you.

Answer 5

Neither. I've tried both, but the best ones are Playtex Beyond. They work sooo well, I don't bother with anything else anymore.

Answer 6

No i would have to say. Tampax Pearl is all that I buy because they are so easy to use and the thought of leaving them in too long is not a problem because when it is time for them to come out, they start to slide right out...... I would recommend them to any one. I haven't heard any bad comments about this one particular brand.

Answer 7

no don't worry the only complaint i have bout pearls is they are too slippery and once got way inside the string too and i started to freak out ..arghhh
no cancer from tampons just lies girl

Answer 8

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/pearl.html

If the tampons really caused cancer, they'd be out of business :)

Answer 9

THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH TAMPONS WHEN THEY WERE LEFT IN TOO LONG. JUST CHANGE THE LIKE YOU WOULD A PAD.