Feminine hygiene products such as panty liners, pads and tampons contain surprising levels of toxic ingredients that may be causing us serious issues! I guess it should surprise me to find this out at this point in my path of non-toxic living. These unregulated toxic chemicals increase risk of breast cancer, reproductive problems, allergic reactions and more.
Vaginal tissue is much more absorptive than the rest of our skin, making it incredibly important to know what you are using. Since the government doesn’t have any regulations in place on the chemicals used, companies can legally put toxic chemicals in products and they are not required to tell us!
Chemicals of concern include:
Dioxins and Furans, cause cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity
Fragrance, completely undisclosed chemicals of unknown toxicity, causes allergic reactions, cancer and endocrine disruption
Pesticide residues (from traditionally grown cotton that’s sprayed on the crops), cancer, endocrine disruption, and acute toxicity
Exposure to these chemicals for a week at a time, every 28 days has the potential to cause some major problems. I think of so many friends that have reproductive system issues, either painful periods, irregular periods, endometriosis, reproductive problems and then of course I think of the youth that will be using these nasty products as they enter the developed state. It’s tough to learn this information, and it makes me so angry. I have had my fair share of reproductive system issues and I wonder how much has been caused by using toxic products unknowingly.
But there are options! There are companies that provide protection products but with conscious, ethical products. I have began my journey with panty liners because I ran out of them first. Once I run out of the products I currently have I will purchase better, cleaner options.
As always, I recommend you do the research and find a product or company that you align with personally. For me that company is Cora. Cora is more expensive ($9 for 24 liners) however, with every purchase made Cora sends feminine hygiene products to girls in third world countries that don't have access to protection during their cycle requiring them to stay home from school. This makes it a wise investment for me. I am also going to try Rael, and I will also try Lola at some point. I will keep trying if need be until I find the products that work best for me. These companies are not the only ones that use organic cotton but they are the most popular and most reviewed. I rarely leave reviews, but always read them especially on serious purchases. I have used the same brand of products for as long as I can remember. I specifically want to mention one: Always pads, these scare me the most. Truly, with the ingredients styrene, chloromethane, chloroethane, CHLOROFORM, and acetone I want to cry as had I known I would have NEVER EVER put those products anywhere near my body let alone the most sensitive tissues to absorb all this garbage!
So far, I like the Cora liners but I need a lot more time to experience them, when and where they work best and try other companies products as well. I will do a follow up of this topic in a few months. I seriously urge you to look into the products you and your daughters, nieces and friends may be using.
This is not okay...
Andrea
