No, really. I love my period panties.
I got my first period when I was thirteen years old. From that point on, I had to decide how I wanted to deal with menstruating every month.
The main options back then were pads or tampons. That was pretty much it as far as I knew.
There are pros and cons to both of those options, and tons of people use them without any problems. But, as I grew up, I kind of felt guilty about the environmental impact of using so many pads or tampons. They create so much trash.
Around this same time, I came across period panties, the brand Thinx specifically. A colleague posted about them on social media, and I was intrigued.
I found a coupon online and got my first pair. I immediately made the switch almost completely to period panties at that point. Traditional feminine hygiene products are still my backup, but period panties are my primary product of choice.
Benefits & Downsides
From my experience, some of the benefits of using period panties include:
- You produce less trash because there is no packaging like traditional hygiene products
- You don’t need to change your pad or tampon during the day
- You save money in the long run
Some of the possible downsides I’ve found include:
- You need more than one pair to wear every day during your period
- The upfront cost is more than traditional hygiene products
- The feel of a soiled pair can be strange at first
I also want to include a strange little story here about the time I flew from Europe to the US while wearing my period panties mid-cycle.
Apparently, the type of material and absorbent layers in the panties can make going through metal detectors in airport security a little bit of a hassle. I set off the detector, took off my sweater, and almost set it off again. The only variable from the last time I went through security a couple of weeks before was my period panties.
I did a quick search online to discover that some people have had similar experiences going through airport security while wearing period panties. Just something to keep in mind.
Talking about Feminine Hygiene Products
When I’ve shared my experience switching to period panties with friends on social media, which has only been a couple of times, I’ve received messages in one of two types:
What?! Are you serious? Isn’t it gross or strange?
Or…
Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve tried this other thing, but I haven’t tried those yet.
From my experience, there can be a great deal of brand loyalty with feminine hygiene products. It makes sense. They are a very personal and important part of your routine if you have a period. And it takes time to get used to using something new.
Thankfully, if period panties don’t sound like your jam, you have a ton of other great options that may be beneficial to you. In addition to period panties, menstrual cups and reusable cloth pads have really taken off in recent years. You can find a few companies that sell each type of product below.
Period Panties
Menstrual Cups
Reusable Pads
I love my period panties. And I invite you to consider eco-friendly feminine hygiene options. You might find one of these alternatives to traditional options really suit you and your lifestyle.
You can also find this post on Medium.