“Cleanliness keeps disease away”, this is especially true for menstrual hygiene. Women need to take care of their bodies & feminine hygiene during periods & not doing so can cause a slew of problems like rashes, vaginal aggravation, and UTI’S, yeast infections, and the risk of contracting HPV and cervical cancer. Therefore keep yourself clean, use clean & dry undergarments, change your napkins every 4-6 hours, use good quality cotton napkins for periods & dispose of them properly. From this, we can know sanitary products play a vital role in our menstrual well-being & comfortability.
Sanitary Products & What are they?
Albeit the idea behind menstrual care products is the same, there is an array of products available in the market catering to internal & external.
To name a few, tampons, menstrual cups, Pantyliners, vaginal health products & the most commonly used Sanitary Napkins & these products come in a lot of varieties.
Conventional Sanitary Pads, what are they made of?
Sanitary napkins are the most widely used female menstrual product in the world. And especially In India, about 42 % of young women use sanitary napkins as found by a study by NFHS, India 2015-2016. But all is not well with traditional Sanitary napkins, which come with a bevvy of issues like environmental pollution, allergies & rashes, discomfort, hormone imbalance etc. And the most alarming being the presence of harmful chemicals, fragrances & pesticides present in pads, which can enter the bloodstream via the absorbent tissues of the vagina.
Commercial Sanitary manufacturers use Chlorine-bleached Kraft or sulphate pulp to produce Fluff pulp as an absorbent material to make disposable pads. The chlorine-bleached pads contain harmful chemicals called dioxins which are associated with cancer risk.
What are Organic, Biodegradable Sanitary Napkins? & why is it the best choice for you?
Organic Sanitary pads are made of plant fibres or by-products like bamboo pulp, banana fibre, water hyacinth & cotton, with cotton pads being the most widely used. These are used as absorbent material for sanitary napkins. They are 100 % biodegradable, feel comfortable on the skin, are breathable & most importantly doesn’t come with hidden dangers.
When you’re on your period, you have to deal with a lot of dilemmas. Your hormones are haywire making you grumpy and irritable, to compound on, the whole ordeal is exasperating. Women have to deal with the bleeding, the foul smells, worrying about staining their clothes, the horrible pain & the rashes associated with Conventional Sanitary pads, that’s why it’s best to make yourself comfortable to ride out the storm. Here are six reasons why organic cotton pads are your best choice!
1. It’s good for the environment & women.
Biodegradable sanitary pads are plastic-free and can decompose in 2 years. In contrast, commonly available sanitary napkins constitute 90 per cent plastic & take 800 years to decompose. These products also kill beneficial bacteria when buried in soil because of their chemical composition, which delays the decomposition process. Against that backdrop, think of how much waste sanitary napkins create in India alone, amounting to 2.65 billion tonnes per year.
2. It’s comfortable, rash-free & breathable
Unlike Plastic pads, cotton pads are softer & lie gently on the skin, are very comfortable to use & super absorbent, preventing unwanted leaks & soiled clothes. The conventional plastic pads lock in moisture, doesn’t let our intimate areas breathe and create a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi that results in rashes & infections. Diametrically opposite cotton pads allow trapped heat and moisture to evaporate since they are breathable & porous, allowing the skin to breathe.
3. Healthier choice
By choosing to use an organic cotton sanitary pad, your choice is a chemical-free, fragrance-free & hygienic product. It’s a lifestyle choice that doesn’t cost you much but comes with a truckload of benefits. Our organic cotton pads are 400% more absorbent and keep you comfortable & free of stains throughout the day. It’s a holistic choice that is helpful to women & the environment.
4. Sterile & Hygienic
Organic cotton pads are free of any form of harmful chemicals & pesticides. GOTS-certified 100% organic cotton is the foundation of Hi Life’s soft organic cotton pads, which are made of premium GOTS-certified cotton from Texas. Apart from this, the organic material doesn’t harm our sensitive reproductive parts & are user-friendly and hygienic when compared to commercial pads.
5. Bang for your buck
Although Organic cotton pads are slightly expensive, they more than live up to their expectations. Women who use organic pads say they change their organic cotton pads less frequently as opposed to commercial sanitary pads as they are more absorbent, comfortable & can deal with a heavy flow. Also, the choice of shifting to organic pads benefit you and the environment in the long run.
6. Your Doc recommends it
Gynaecologists recommend organic pads as they are far superior in usage, comfort & quality as opposed to commercial period pads.
Organic pads don’t come with hidden dangers & Doctors feel it’s a healthier, greener option & a way forward from the traditional sanitary napkins.
Why are people not aware of better options?
For women, Organic cotton pads are the best option they can choose. The main reason why it’s not widely known & used is that people of unaware of such products in the market & especially in India there is a lot of taboo related to Menstruation. The key is educating young women about good products so that they can make informed decisions about their bodies & health.
Bottom-line
Research on your own, don’t rely on me. Before you make a permanent change, try using cotton pads, if you feel it makes your period hassle-free and comfortable, make the change. There are many options available in this niche market but do make the change as it’s the best choice for women to move towards an innovative option.
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