A brief history of menstrual hygiene. Who invented gaskets

The history of feminine hygiene products goes back centuries.

A long time ago, when Babylon was blooming and flourishing, rich Babylonian women invented the first tampons. Then they did not yet bear the proud name “Ob”, “Kotex” or “Tapmpax”; they were called simply, but long: “rolls of soft papyrus”. Those who did not have enough money for soft papyrus used hard reed. Not convenient, but cheap.

The first gaskets in different countries

The ancient Romans stepped significantly forward, using special wool to make tampons. The wool was combed, rolled and the finished product was obtained.

But the Japanese made balls the size of a walnut from thin pieces of paper.

European women didn’t bother much and made fabric pads that were attached to the skirt. In the Middle and Post-Middle Ages, skirts were usually worn a lot, and therefore stains were not noticeable.

Eskimo women used lichen moss or very thin alder wood shavings as pads. And some used the fur of fur-bearing animals.

But instead of “pads”, Russian village women used ordinary... hay.

The era of tampons and real pads

The first gaskets that could be called gaskets appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. They consisted of a cover made of thin paper or soft, absorbent fabric. Inside the case there was fluffy cellulose, and underneath there was cellophane.

The industrial production of pads is associated with the appearance of a material - cellucotone, invented and produced specifically for dressing the wounded. He had a very high degree absorption. Specialists from the American company Kimberly-Clark appreciated this property, and commercial production of gaskets began in 1920. At first, women were embarrassed to buy them “openly.” That’s why pharmacies came up with special rooms with screens (like fitting rooms), where the girl would go, take the goods and throw money into the box. Interestingly, no one checked whether she deposited money or not - everything was based on trust.

The first disposable pads from Kimberly-Clark were called Cellunap. However, Cellyunaps were soon renamed to the more euphonious “Kotex”. At first they were sold in packages without inscriptions or drawings.

In 1933, another hygienic revolution took place. The reason for this was the love of horses (!). Thus, the wife of the American surgeon Earl Haas loved to ride a horse. But pads made it very difficult for her to go horseback riding, so her husband Haas came up with a sanitary tampon for the lady of his heart. It was rolled from surgical wool, stitched along its entire length with a cord and placed in a cardboard tube (applicator) for ease and convenience of insertion. Haas called his tampon “Tampax”: from the English words “tampon” (tampon) and “pack” (packaging).

Articles about the female body.

Very interesting article.

Excerpt about menstrual hygiene. And there is still a lot of educational stuff.

“The vulva is not ideal for menstruation, evidence of which is the fact that over its centuries-old history, humanity has never come up with an impeccable hygienic option for women.

Let's take a brief look at the history of menstrual hygiene. For centuries there have been the most various options hygiene. One of the oldest methods is seclusion (i.e. isolation) of menstruating women from society. This was very common in Polynesia and among African tribes. Each settlement had a special menstruating hut in which women were required to stay during their menstruation. Why was this done? In a nutshell, it comes down to isolating menstruating women to ensure their greatest safety. However, was this the only goal? Here is a quote from one historian: “... since the clothes of women of that time did not completely hide their condition, such a woman would become an object of ridicule for others, if even the slightest trace of her illness was noticed on her, she would lose the favor of her husband or lover. Thus, we see that natural modesty is based solely on the awareness of one’s shortcomings and the fear of not being liked.” So, the lack of basic hygiene products in ancient times forced a woman to be isolated during menstruation. The advent of menstrual hygiene products made seclusion optional, but the need arose to develop hygiene products, the main task of which was both to ensure the absorption of secretions and to hide the woman’s condition from others.

In ancient Egypt, papyrus was used, from which rich Egyptian women made tampons. Papyrus was very expensive, so ordinary Egyptian women used linen that was washed after use. Byzantium also used tampons made of papyrus or similar material. Such tampons were hardly comfortable, since papyrus is very cruel.

In ancient Rome, pads were used, and sometimes wool ball tampons were used. There is evidence of the use of tampons in Ancient Greece and Judea. But, apparently, the most common means of hygiene in ancient times were reusable pads made of one or another material such as canvas, fabric, silk, felt, etc.

In medieval Japan, China, and India, feminine hygiene was very high, many orders of magnitude better than in Europe. It was in Asia that disposable pads first appeared. Asian women used disposables paper napkins folded into an envelope. Such an envelope was held with a scarf attached to the belt. Later in Japan they began to make menstrual belts (if the author is not mistaken, they are called “Vami”), which were a belt with a strip running between the legs. A napkin was placed between the band and the vulva: the belt was reusable, the napkin was disposable. Outwardly, such a belt somewhat resembled an inverted basket. Every intelligent Japanese woman should have been able to make such a belt for herself.

In Polynesia, specially prepared plant bark, grass, and sometimes animal skins and sea sponges were used. Indian women in North America apparently did approximately the same thing.

In Europe in the Middle Ages, feminine hygiene was at its lowest level. Commoners, for example, simply used shirttails or petticoats tucked between their legs. In Russia in the 17th-18th centuries the so-called “pudendal ports,” i.e., something like tight-fitting pantaloons or long panties (ordinary panties were not worn then) made of thick material - menstrual fluid was absorbed directly by the ports, which were located under extensive skirts.

It should be noted that in the Middle Ages, menstruation was a rare “guest” for European women. Menstruation began then at the age of 16-18 years, and stopped at the age of about 40-45 years. Since there were no contraceptives, many women were almost constantly in a state of pregnancy or lactation (during breastfeeding, menstruation is usually absent). Thus, many women could have only 10 - 20 menstruation in their entire life, i.e., as many as modern woman on average it takes a year or two. It is clear that issues of menstrual hygiene were not as pressing for European women then as they are now. However, by the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the problem of menstrual hygiene for American and European women was already extremely acute.

In America and Europe at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, they used reusable homemade pads made of felt or canvas, which after use were folded into a bag, then washed and reused. Some adopted the Chinese method using paper envelopes. In cases where it was impossible to carry a used pad with them or saving the pad seemed impractical, women burned it in the fireplace. The custom of burning gaskets in the fireplace did not arise by chance. The fact is that the toilet became widespread only at the end of the 19th century (although it appeared two centuries earlier). Before the advent of the toilet in England (and in many European countries), women peed in pots while locking themselves in a bedroom or other room; After urination or defecation, the pots were taken out by servants or the woman herself. Therefore, changing menstrual hygiene products was also carried out in the rooms, since there were simply no special toilet facilities then. Note that in those days almost any living space was equipped with a fireplace. Therefore, it was easier to burn the gasket in the fireplace rather than throw it in the trash. This was especially true when a woman was traveling - in this case, apparently, it was easier to sacrifice a reusable pad rather than carry it with her for a long time. The fireplace was used for this purpose. At the end of the 19th century in England, there were even special portable crucibles for burning gaskets - for those cases when there was no fireplace at hand!

The habit of wrapping used pads in paper or newspaper and throwing them in the trash began only in the 70s. XX century with the widespread use of disposable pads - before that, as we see, they either saved the pads for later washing, or burned or threw them away. However, reusable pads were inconvenient for women, not only because of the unpleasant washing process (which maids did for the rich) but also because of the need to collect used pads during menstruation.

For additional protection, aprons were worn, dressed in the manner underwear, i.e. they additionally protected the upper skirt from contamination. Quite a long time in the 10s - 30s. XX century (or even longer) in America (possibly in Europe) menstrual panties were used, called briefs or bloomers (the origin of the names is unclear, they are not translated into Russian). Tampons, like disposable pads, were virtually unknown in America, Europe and Asia at that time.

Significant changes occurred during the First World War. Then the French nurses in military hospitals noticed that the material cellucotton (something like cotton wool made from cellulose), developed by the American company Kimberly Clark, which was widely supplied to Europe for military purposes, perfectly absorbs menstrual flow and began to use it, in fact creating the first homemade, but disposable, pads in Europe.

This discovery had a significant impact on the further development of menstrual hygiene, prompting the Kimberly Clark company to produce sanitary pads from this material. The first disposable pads, called Cellunap, were released in 1920, but their sales in America proved extremely problematic. In principle, women were enthusiastic about the idea of ​​disposable pads (this was shown by a thorough and very complex sociological survey for those times), but it was obvious that women were very embarrassed about menstruation. Advertising or displaying pads was unthinkable back then; women were embarrassed to even buy pads, which were then sold only in pharmacies; Often mothers sent their little foolish daughters to get sanitary pads. When purchasing, women were very embarrassed to even pronounce the name of the product, using only the last syllable, i.e. “nap”. Nap (nap) - in English means “napkin”, and this term has taken root quite widely - for many years the word nap was used to refer to pads, i.e. napkin, although pads, of course, were not napkins. Cellunaps were soon renamed Kotex, but were still sold in packages without inscriptions or drawings.

Nevertheless, sociological surveys confirmed that only embarrassment during purchase prevents the widespread adoption of new products - women really did not like reusable felt pads, but they were embarrassed to ask for “sanitary napkins” at the pharmacy. The times were very puritanical, especially in America.

Then manufacturing companies (such as Kotex, Fax and others) launched a wide campaign of very careful, but persistent and thoughtful advertising of hygiene products, the most important element of which were books for girls, which talked about puberty, menstruation and “unobtrusively” conveyed the idea of the need to use the products of one company or another (the most famous such book is “Marjorie May’s 12th Birthday,” which caused an explosion of indignation among old-fashioned moralists). Disney has made an educational cartoon about menstruation for girls. Advertising for pads appeared on the pages of women's magazines.

This policy led to fairly rapid success; by 1940, the share of felt reusable pads decreased to 20%, and after the war, by the end of the 40s. – up to 1%, after which reusable pads became a thing of the past. However, only the sexual revolution of the 60s. finally lifted many taboos, including the taboo on television and street advertising of products feminine hygiene.

What were the first industrial gaskets like Kotex? Menstrual belts were used to carry “napkins”. Euro-American belts differed from Japanese ones, which resembled an inverted basket in shape - they were a fairly thin horizontal elastic belt worn at the waist, from which two straps descended down the front and back, ending with metal clips (like clips for curtains). A gasket was attached to these clamps and passed between the legs. The designs of the belts were slightly different, but had the same basic design. The pads themselves were very long and thick, usually rectangular in shape, and covered the entire perineum. The absorption capacity of the pads was quite low, so sometimes two pads were attached to the belt at once. Changing a pad was a very difficult task; after urination, women most likely always installed new gasket. This led to women preferring to wait as long as possible before going to the toilet, which was detrimental to their health. If you consider that back then they wore stockings, also attached to a belt, then you can imagine how much time and effort the process of urination of a menstruating woman took then.

There were different types of pads, and women's opinions about them varied widely, so it is not easy to draw a general conclusion. Apparently, these pads were soft and did not rub the vulva. On the other hand, they were difficult to install in the desired position, they often got knocked down and leaked, even though they were somewhat thicker at the bottom. Therefore, women wore special tight panties, sometimes with a waterproof layer in the crotch, which reduced leakage but caused increased sweating of the vulva. Some panties had special devices for additional fastening of the pad. If a menstruating woman was going to dance or wear expensive, beautiful clothes, then for additional protection they would also wear something like a sash. These pads had to be changed several times a day.

Nevertheless, for Europe and America it was a huge step forward - from reusable to disposable hygiene products. Such belts were quite widespread until the end of the 60s, but later gradually disappeared with the advent of pads with an adhesive layer, which had a different wearing principle.

The first industrial tampons appeared in America in the late 1920s. (Fax, Fibs, Wix). They did not have applicators, sometimes even lanyards. The first tampon with an applicator (the famous Tampax) appeared in America in 1936 and gradually began to spread. The popularity of tampons was greatly facilitated by Dickinson's famous report, “Tampons as a Menstrual Protective Device,” published in 1945 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This report helped to some extent overcome women's mistrust of the very idea of ​​a tampon. Nevertheless, in the 20s - 50s. tampons were still “exotic” for American and European women, and tampons apparently became widespread only in the 70s.

Disposable pads of the current concept appeared around the end of the 60s. - thinner ones that did not require belts to wear, but were placed in panties or stockings. Let us note, however, that the very first such disposable pads, Johnson & Johnson, appeared back in 1890 (!), Curads in 1920, but they did not take root at all then, because women’s society was simply not yet ready for the idea of ​​disposable hygiene products.

In the 1960s, tampons with applicators became increasingly common different types– from pin to telescopic, usually plastic. At the same time, advertising of pads and tampons began to spread widely on television and in women's magazines.

Acceleration (due to which the age of first menstruation in just a few generations decreased from 16 to 12-13 years), an increase in the age of menopause (cessation of menstruation), the widespread development of contraception, a significant decrease in the number of children in a European and American family, the development of emancipation - all this led to an increase in the number of menstruation in women's lives and made the problem of hygiene much more pressing than before. The intensification of women's lives also set new requirements - the speed of changing hygiene products, invisibility to others, availability for sale, reliability, ease of wearing, etc. All this could be provided only by disposable hygiene products of industrial production. Already in the 70s. The life of a civilized woman without factory-made tampons and pads has become unimaginable.

In the 80s, gaskets continued to improve, with a protective bottom layer and a “dry” absorbent layer, wings; began to use absorbent materials that turn blood into gel; pads began to be made taking into account the structure of the female perineum (anatomical shape). The pads became more blood-intensive and at the same time thinner, the range expanded - from the mighty “overnight” to the thinnest “for every day”. Tampons also developed - for example, tampons with telescopic applicators became more popular, which were often made from cardboard (since, unlike plastic, cardboard easily dissolves in water and is therefore more preferable from an environmental point of view).

Around the same period, feminine hygiene products began to rapidly internationalize - brands such as Tampax, Ob, Kotex, Always, Libresse and others are distributed throughout the world and are rarely found only in poor countries (however, the richest ladies even in the poorest countries are increasingly use global brands). In some countries, they also add their own “national” brands. National brands can be divided into two categories. The first is cheaper models compared to international ones. In Poland these are Bella pads, in Russia – Angelina, Veronica and others, including Polish ones. Such products are usually not as convenient as international ones. The second category is products that are more in line with national tastes and preferences than international ones. In France, these are, for example, Nana and Vania pads (provided with a wrapper in which the pad can be wrapped after use), in Japan, tampons with longer and usually plastic applicators, supplied with plastic bags for wrapping used tampons, etc.

Note that there are certain national preferences in the choice of hygiene products. They are not always amenable to explanation, but are often very well traced. Thus, Japanese women categorically do not accept the idea of ​​inserting a finger into the vagina, which is why almost all Japanese tampons have applicators, and rare brands without an applicator are equipped with rubber finger guards! In general, Japanese women definitely prefer pads. Asian, Latin and Russian women also prefer to use pads. American women definitely prefer tampons; in Western Europe, the prevalence of tampons and pads is comparable. The author assumes (but has no evidence) that Muslim women only use pads, and homemade ones, since menstrual advertising is prohibited in Muslim countries.

In the USSR until the end of the 80s. industrial tampons did not exist at all, and industrial pads were extremely rare and were occasionally sold in pharmacies under the name ... “hygienic product” - in a word, the situation in America in the 30s was reproduced with anecdotal accuracy. But every book for schoolgirls explained in detail how to make pads from cotton wool wrapped in gauze. All Soviet women were fluent in this “know-how”.

The first Tampax tampons and pads appeared in the USSR in the early 90s. and caused a real sensation among women. The first Tampax advertisement appeared in Burda magazine in 1989. The page showed a tampon with an applicator in front of a box. Was there short text, the essence of which was that with Tampax tampons in their vaginas, Russian women will gain freedom and unprecedented comfort.

The author personally observed how female students literally froze when they opened the page with this advertisement and studied the contents of this advertisement for a long time, spellbound. The magazine passed from hand to hand until all the students had read the advertisement. An interesting psychological subtlety: usually the girls looked at the page in groups of two, often whispering to each other. Consequently, they were not embarrassed about menstruation among themselves, but when the guys appeared, they pretended to look at the styles of dresses. It should be noted that at the time this advertisement appeared, there were no tampons or pads on sale yet, and girls could only use homemade pads. The idea of ​​a tampon delighted the girls.

At first, hygiene products were expensive, there were many cheap, low-quality Eastern European handicrafts, so the spread of new hygiene products was quite slow. The first to menstruate in industrially produced products were rich ladies, girlfriends of bandits, thieves and other “new Russians”. However, the spread of global brands was hampered not only by the high price and general poverty, but also by a certain prejudice of Soviet women against industrial hygiene products (“why buy expensively when I can make a sanitary pad myself much cheaper”). Foreign manufacturing companies were interested in the speedy distribution of their products on the Russian market. And then, as in post-war America, advertising was launched into battle, the purpose of which in our case was to convince Russian women that menstruating “the old fashioned way” with homemade pads was now simply unfashionable. It was necessary to break the stereotype and convince women, especially young women, that life without Kotexes, Tampaxes, Allways is simply impossible.

Everyone remembers the times when the country was literally drowning in advertising menstruation. This stream of advertising, very tactless, loud and annoying, at first terribly embarrassed and shocked both women and men. There was even a movement “Against the advertising of sanitary pads and for a girl’s honor” (however, we note that sanitary pads have nothing to do with a girl’s honor; rather, on the contrary, the one who “maintains her honor” is definitely menstruating, unlike her “knocked up” girlfriends ). However, arrogant and assertive advertising has done its job - the modern generation of 15 - 25-year-old girls menstruate only in pads and industrial tampons and simply do not agree with any homemade products (although in the Russian outback the secret of making homemade products is probably not lost). In addition, the embarrassment of girls in this matter has decreased - if previously girls did not talk about their menstruation in principle and were extremely shy about any mention of it, now girls look at menstruation as a completely natural phenomenon - intimate, but in principle not shameful. We can thank advertising for this."

Let's start with the fact that menstruation in ancient times and now are slightly different phenomena. Primarily because a stable cycle was a rarity rather than the norm. Poor nutrition and lack of vitamins led to hormonal imbalance, and this, in turn, led to disruption menstrual cycle. Menstruation could even stop altogether if the woman was severely exhausted.

Tampons and Ancient Egypt

Very often on the Internet you can find a statement that tampons were known to the ancient Egyptians. Mention is also made in this context of Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” who allegedly mentioned small wooden sticks wrapped in soft linen that women inserted into the vagina.

Dr. Helen King, who has spent many years studying menstruation from a historical perspective, claims that the original Hippocrates quote has never been found, and the myth was widely used in advertising campaigns for famous brands producing personal care products for women.

Popular

The same goes for claims about tampons in ancient Egypt and Greece. But there is evidence that Roman women attached subligaculum - absorbent cotton pads - to their underwear.

Middle Ages

If you very briefly answer the question of what women did until the 19th century during their periods, the answer would be: nothing. Most European women did not wear underwear, so there was nowhere to attach the fabric.

However, there were also exceptions. An alternative method "for the rich" was cloth "pads" that were secured between the legs using a special belt that was fastened around the waist. For example, we know that Elizabeth I, Queen of England, owned three black silk belts.

The “civilized” approach to personal hygiene also involved pieces of tissue being inserted into the vagina to stop bleeding. But most women just let the blood flow out of them naturally. This, apparently, if you believe the records, did not surprise anyone.

Laura Klosterman Kidd, an expert on the subject, studied 17 women's diaries and letters with recommendations on what to pack for a trip. She did not come across a single mention of objects that could in any way make a woman’s life easier during this period.

1800

Nothing changed. A German doctor wrote in 1899: “It is absolutely disgusting to bleed on your shirt and then wear it for four to eight days, it can easily lead to infections.”

Yes, some women did use "menstrual tissue", but most women could not afford such an expensive pleasure.

At the same time, women “in these days,” for example, were prohibited from working in factories, especially food factories; it was believed that they could “poison” the food.

1900

The linen was securely attached to the so-called hygiene belt. The first advertisement showing disposable wipes appeared in the United States in 1888. Until this point, any advertising that touched on the topic of menstruation was considered taboo.

The product did not attract consumers and was discontinued.

1920

The women also used a sanitary belt, but this time they agreed to disposable pads. World War I nurses discovered the absorbent properties of special medical paper - they used it to absorb blood from open wounds, but they were also quite suitable for menstrual blood.

Inspired by this idea, Kimberly Clark invented Kotex, the first disposable menstrual wipes.

1930

The first tampons with a cardboard applicator appear. Tampax introduced its product to the market in 1934. It was recommended for use only by married women because it was widely believed that tampons were only suitable for women who had already lost their virginity.

1940

War, women have to move a lot, there is no time to cool down. This is how the first tampon without an applicator appears. Between 1936 and 1943, tampon consumption increased fivefold.

1950

Time ago. And again a hygienic belt, but not a word about menstruation. Women should remain silent about this uncomfortable period in their lives. But menstruation should not serve as an excuse for refusing housework.

1960

Washable cloth pads. The time of the struggle for women's rights has changed almost nothing in attitudes towards menstruation.

What happened before the advent of gaskets?

History goes deep into antiquity...

At different times and among different nationalities, they used everything that was available, everything that came to hand was familiar to the existing way of life.

Of course, in what a woman chose for herself millennia, centuries and decades ago in different countries, both her financial capabilities and what she did played a role.

Much depended on the climate and natural conditions of the woman’s “habitat”.

Yes, rich women Egypt, Syria and Babylon preferred the first tampons, which were rolls of soft papyrus.

Those who were poorer had to be content with harder reeds.

In the manuscripts of the Egyptian pharaohs, dating back to the second millennium BC. e, contains information about tampons made from linen fibers, closer to modern materials, which were “introduced into the flesh” during menstruation.

Ancient Greek women They also preferred an internal form of protection, and used homemade tampons made either from rolled fabric or from a round wooden rod covered with absorbent material. Agree that wood or reeds could hardly provide a comfortable feeling. Such tampons could not take the shape of the insertion site and often caused internal damage to the vaginal walls.

Ancient Romans used more gentle ones, from the point of view tactile sensations, the predecessors of tampons - rolls of soft wool, lightly greased. Byzantine aristocrats preferred only the best wool imported from the Caucasus, which was combed in a special way and rolled into tampons.

Japanese They made balls the size of walnuts from thin pieces of paper.

But European women preferred the prototype of a modern pad, and during menstruation they wore an ordinary fabric bandage, folded several times and pinned to the waistband of their skirt. Unfortunately, such a gasket was unreliable, caused physical discomfort due to its bulkiness, and provided an excellent environment for the rapid proliferation of bacteria that cause an unpleasant odor and inflammation. So, there was no need to talk about hygiene here. The same goes for aesthetics: the woman wore a lot of skirts, and the surrounding stains were not noticed. Such pads were, of course, reusable.

Residents of the North were not far behind. The Eskimos used the skins of fur-bearing animals, reindeer moss and thin alder shavings. Those who had a sea nearby took seaweed for their feminine needs.

But you are probably interested in how our compatriots got out of the situation? Ladies of a higher class, who had the opportunity to purchase foreign goods for their wardrobe and toilet, were luckier than peasant women, who had to use... ordinary hay for such intimate purposes.

The beginning of the 20th century... Technical progress, of course, does not stand still. As new materials with properties unique to their time are invented, new types of products begin to appear. A woman, in her ingenuity and ability to get out of a situation, is unique. Sometimes, her actions can change the course of history. And give rise to the development of a new industrial direction. The production of pads and tampons is no exception.

The first gaskets consisted of a cover, made of soft, highly absorbent fabric or thin paper, inside of which there was an absorbent layer of fluffy cellulose, and cellophane underneath to prevent leakage. Later, a layer of adhesive was applied to the underside of the pad so that it would not move while walking or active movements. However, such a device was imperfect and still caused a lot of inconvenience.

First gaskets, manufactured industrially, appeared in the USA. At that time, women still used special underwear or pieces of fabric for intimate hygiene on critical days, which were reused after the next wash. But during the First World War nurses paid attention to unique properties cellucotone is a new material invented and produced specifically for dressing the wounded. Its high degree of absorption was immediately appreciated and immediately put into use as the best homemade hygiene products at that time. In turn, the use of the material for purposes other than its intended purpose immediately attracted the attention of Kimberly-Clark specialists. Naturally, the idea was picked up, and commercial production of gaskets began in 1920. At first, women were very embarrassed to buy them “openly.” And then pharmacies came up with special rooms with screens (like fitting rooms), where the girl would go, take the goods and throw money into the box. Moreover, no one checked whether she put the money in correctly or not - everything was based on trust.

First tampon- the prototype of today's Tampax, Kotex, o.b. etc. - was invented a little later, in the thirties of the 20th century. At the beginning of the last century, women for whom, due to their profession or for other reasons, comfort and protection during movement were of great importance (the same actresses and dancers), used homemade cotton swabs. But in 1933 another revolution in consciousness took place...

The wife of American surgeon Earl Haas loved to ride horses. But her usual sanitary pads prevented her from doing this on her critical days. Taking a break from your hobby because critical days she had no desire. Found a way out caring husband, who came up with a tampon for her, rolled from surgical cotton, stitched along the entire length with a cord and placed in a cardboard tube (applicator) for ease of insertion. Haas named his tampon "Tampax", from the English words "tampon" (tampon) and "pack" (packaging). And three years later, this same Tampax was recognized as a discovery in the field of hygiene. As a result, today about 100 million women use tampons as the most modern, convenient and relatively safe means menstrual hygiene.

Millions of women use scraps of fabric during their periods - rags that are not even suitable for cleaning the house. Some women stay at home five days a month because they have nothing to use. Charity workers say the lack of hygiene products is jeopardizing women's health and access to education.

In the village of Rupaspur, 260 kilometers from New Delhi, local women describe the discomfort they face every month when old clothes are cut and sometimes stolen. Worse, they know of deaths due to such practices after childbirth, when the risk of infection remains high.

In India, activists are trying to ensure access to sanitary pads

Many Indian women use only scraps during menstruation. old clothes, which may put their health at risk. NGO workers are trying to make clean and cheap sanitary pads available.

In stores, pads cost about 60 rupees ($1.50) per pack, while a fifth of the country's population lives on less than 25 cents a day. For many women, even buying regular cotton wool every month is too expensive.

“A neighbor gave birth and then she started bleeding and she tore a rag from her old blouse,” said Shahnaz, a resident of this Muslim village of 80 families. “But there was a rusty hook in the blouse. The doctors said she developed tetanus.” As a result, the woman died.

Shahnaz, a mother of four, started using cotton pads that are distributed public organization Gunj, which means "Echo". Their pads cost 2-3 rupees, but if a woman has no money at all, she can get them for free. More than 600 women now receive handmade pads from them.

The UN children's fund, UNICEF, says a lack of proper toilets in schools, early puberty and a shortage of sanitary pads are leading girls to drop out of school.

With support from UNICEF, the organization is working with village committees to help them purchase machines to make sterile pads.

Nagalakshmi, one of the first women to train under them, and her self-help group have started a small business producing sanitary pads, which cost about Rs 1.30.

The organization also disseminates information about staying healthy. “We don't intend to become gasket manufacturers,” says Anshu Gupta, head of Gunj, who won a World Bank award for her project. “We want to start a movement that is independent of us, and we spread skills like how to dry your pads in the sun, or how to change them more often.”

Women who use cloth pads are more afraid of laying them out to dry in plain sight than of the possible risks associated with wet cloth - fungal and other infections.

“The level of knowledge is very low, even in cities. Everyone thinks that periods are dirty and cannot be discussed. And because no one discusses them, things like this happen,” says gynecologist Pankaj Desai, president of the Federation of Societies of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of India. “There are no infections in normal menstrual blood. She's not dirty. However, if it gets on these dirty rags, microorganisms begin to multiply quickly,” and there is a risk of serious infections.

There are no sex education courses in Indian schools, and parents are often too embarrassed to talk to their children or know little themselves. One villager, a 30-year-old mother of five, said she had no idea what was happening when she got her first period. “I thought I had some kind of cut,” she says.

She continued to bathe constantly and worry, believing that she was suffering from some terrible disease, until an older friend told her that it was menstruation and gave her a piece torn from a sari.

Women in Rupaspur say normal sanitary pads have been a godsend. “If you are staying with relatives, how will you ask for cloth or linen?” - says Shahnaz. “And you can live peacefully with them. You can go anywhere."

The pace of life forces you to be active: a friend’s wedding, a meeting with school friends, a trip to the sea, romantic dates...

But there are days when, for obvious reasons, your freedom is limited.
It is during this period that a menstrual cup will help you a lot, thanks to which you will have time to do everything you have in mind without slowing down or changing your habits.

So what is this thing? This is a container for collecting secretions, which may have different shape, texture and color. It can be made from various materials and have different ponytails. But its main task is to make your critical period more comfortable without hitting your budget.

Installed in the same way as a tampon, does not require frequent monitoring

Unlike tampons and other hygiene products, the menstrual cup does not reveal its presence in any way, even to you. It takes shape inside the body and you don’t feel it at all.
The cap is absolutely neutral. It maintains the natural balance of flora, does not leave fibers and does not allow liquid to come into contact with the internal environment. Thus, it is more physiological for the body than other hygiene products.
In addition, the cap is a fairly economical thing. Having bought one only once, you will forget about other products for several years.

If our arguments seem insufficient to you, you can read the real reviews of our clients.

Why should you buy it in our store?

We have been working since 2009 and advise girls every day. Use the feedback form. We have the most wide choose. And this is not surprising, because we know that you are different, each with your own characteristics. That's why we always have a product that will suit you perfectly.
We offer the lowest price on the market. And if you can find it cheaper, write through the feedback form and we will sell it to you at that price.
We provide cheap delivery and carry it out throughout Russia. You can choose the most convenient one.

Silicone mouthguard. Where can I buy? Online store

We invite you to learn more about the advantages over pads and tampons, find out the differences between different brands: MeLuna (meluna) with a ball, with a ring, with a stem,