how old to start wearing tampons?

Question

At what age would you let your daughter wear tampons. My daughter is nagging me to let her start wearing tampons. I say that at 12 years old she is too young? What do others think?

Thanks everyone.She started her periods may of last year about 4/5months after going 10

Answer 1

I would say this is too young, they have many risks attached such as blood poisoning and toxic shock that ultimately can be fatal. Depending upon how long she has been mestruating for and how confidence she is using sanitary towels I would say that 12 is way too young.

I would recommend from the age of around 14-15 to be honest, and even then she should be monitored as much as possible until she becomes comfortable with them.

If your still unsure consult the GP and he will advise you

I hope this helps xxx

Answer 2

That's a tough question. Girls now are so active and tampons are so much more comfortable. My girls were about 14 when they started. My main concern with them was that they follow the rules. Don't leave in too long. Don't sleep in it. I lived through the OB toxic shock scare of the 80's and it was a real worry for me. I only started using them about 5 years ago and I was 38! Now it's all I wear during the day. I make sure they do all the proper things and then I let them decide. They are so much better than pads...that's a fact. But talk to your daughter about the dangers and you may feel she needs to mature a bit first. You are the Mom, so ultimately the decision is yours! Good luck!

Answer 3

Always talk to a doctor, Personally I started using tampons at that age. I started off with pads and it was extremely unpleasant, walking around with what felt like a giant diaper. Pads usually makes most girls uncomfortable. Some have a heavy flow to where they can smell it. As long as she has talked to her doctor and knows how to use it and she knows how it works and how to prevent toxicshock all should be fine.(easy just change your tampon) Not to mention when wearing tampons it's far easier if she does sports.

Answer 4

i didn't like having periods as i didn't want to grow up (don't laugh) but i was very sporty and conscious that a towel could be seen so i tried tampons without my mum knowing and found it very difficult to use them. it wasn't until i was raped at 14 i could use them a little easier but i had to dip the end in the lid of a tub of sudocream (not too much) just so it was easier to get in.

I do think 12 is young but i was so much happier about periods etc etc once i started to use tampons.

Have a sit down and talk to her and find out if there is a reason why she would prefer to use tampons, it might just be that its all so knew to her she is worried like i was but was too embarrassed to say 'mum can you smell/see it' etc. and that way you maybe able to answer some of her questions.
some of the questions i had and some possible answers you could give her as most mums dont remember these sort of things when discussing periods (i didnt when trying to teach my sister as she was to embarassed about nbecoming a lady to let my mum tell her,bless her):
*does it smell using a towel? No only if you rememer to change it regualry, it only smells once the towel has absorbed too much and the excess reaches the air but by this time it will feel unconfortable
*can you see a towel? not unless you show someone especially because nowadys people like 'always' make some fantastic tiny pads.
*at 12 i was then trying out new underwear ie thongs so she might ask how to wear one with a thong? always do a 'g' string thing which is shaped to suit a g string but i woreone of these on my wedding day as it is very thin and i was about to give birth and didnt want to spoil my dress but didnt want to be wearing BIG undies if i managed it back to the after hotel ;) without going into labour, but you could aslso tell her that a period only lasts a few days and you could take her shopping to new look or somewhere and buy her some 'cute' knickers to wear on her 'on' days.
i hope this helps hun, and i jsut help i remember it when my 7 month old daughter gets to that age.lol



*********************EDIT*****************
i still get my sister asking me questions about her periods and she has been having them for 5 years now but feels she cant talk to my mum as she will get embarrassed etc.

for everyone who has said if she wants to let her...... thats all very well and im not bitching but some girls cant 'physically' get them in (problem i had) hence i think you need to talk to her mum! lol

good luck

Answer 5

Physically speaking there really is no age limit. There are specifically designed tampons, "slenders" for younger girls. I would say that if your daughter wishes ti wear them and is comfortable with the idea then let her. You may want to talk with her about the possible discomfort she may experiance if her hymen is still intact(yes she can lose it from sports and other things) but it sounds like you must have a comfortable relationship so talk with her about all the pros and cons.

Answer 6

I started when I was 13, and I really liked the freedom. Plus, there are less accidents (leakage, twisting around, etc.) I was a very active child, and this was the most discreet thing for me.

You may be concerned with how uncomfortable the applicators might be, and in that case, I started out with the OB no-applicator kind. You twist the string to make the base wide enough to put your finger under, and then up it goes. :) This way she can have one or two in her pocket for quick trips to the RR without having to carry a purse with her. I use these today still for trips or when I'm in a conference.

Answer 7

I think age has nothing to do with wearing tampons. If she goes swimming she has to wear one. I think if she is old enough to ask for them and talk to you about how to insert and remove them, she is old enough to wear them. Just start with the smallest size and suggest that she wears pantiliners to go with them. Wearing pads are messy and disgusting in my opinion. I've been wearing tampons for my periods since I started at age 11 or 12 mostly because of swimming.

Answer 8

If she believes they would be more comfortable than a pad, then I might let her see which she prefers. As a tampon does not break the hymen and shouldn't cause any major discomfort or damage, I don't see any problem with it. In the feminine health section of any department store, you can find the slimmest tampons... I've even seen tampons made specifically for teenagers.

Answer 9

i started wearing tampons when i was 14 and thats the age my mom let me because when i was 12 i was very immature to keep track of how long it had been in for and just becuase of the risks with using tampons. 12 is too young i agree with you

Answer 10

I would discurage your daughter from wearing tampons altogether. There is a large body of research that shows that using tampons can damage your cervix, increasing the risks of difficult pregnancies and cervical cancer later in life.

Sanitary towels these days are very discreet, she should continue to use these.