Tampons are just one of the period care products available to you once you get your period. People choose tampons over other options because they are convenient, effective, and a good choice for certain situations, like a beach holiday or pool party. Some people use tampons and pads at the same time. Some people use tampons when their period is heavier, and switch to pads when it is lighter. However you decide to deal with your period blood, it’s good to know how tampons work and how to use them.
What is a tampon?
A tampon is tube-shaped and made of cotton and rayon. These materials absorb your period blood. A tampon sits inside the vagina between the vagina opening and the cervix. Tampons are usually in cardboard or plastic cylinders, with an applicator that helps you to insert the tampon. Applicators and cylinders kind of look like a kind of syringe you might have seen in science class. On one end of the cotton and rayon tampon is a little blue string - this hangs outside the vagina (usually you can tuck this into your vulva lips) and you use it to pull out and remove the tampon when you’re ready.
Basically, a tampon is like a period pad, but shaped differently and you put it inside your vagina. When you’re first starting out with tampons, use the tampons with an applicator as they are much simpler to insert.
The different kinds of tampons
There are different brands of tampons and different types of tampons. You can buy tampons that are for light, regular/normal, or heavy flow. “Flow” is how much period blood you make when you menstruate. Heavy flow tampons are often called “super” tampons. You should choose the lowest category for your “flow” but when you’re first getting periods you might not know what flow to expect, it’s best to start with light or regular tampons and change them more often until you have more experience.
Try not to feel overwhelmed by the number of tampon brands at the store, most of them are very similar. Look for tampons “with an applicator” and maybe get a mixed box of light and regular to try first.
How to insert a tampon
The tampon is going inside the vagina. We have three holes - one for poop, one for urine, and one where the menstrual blood comes out. Check out a diagram to make sure you know where you’re aiming for! You’ll be putting the tampon in the hole that connects the outside of your vagina to your uterus, where the menstrual blood comes from.
-
The easier way to do this is to put one foot on the toilet seat and crouch slightly. You can also sit on the toilet if you prefer, or simply stand in front of the toilet and bend forward.
-
Using the tip of the tampon open your labia and place it at the vagina opening.
-
Push the tampon and applicator into your vagina, but point it towards your back or spine and not straight up. Your vagina is angled this way inside your body.
-
Push it in as far as you can, then use the plunger to push the tampon out of the applicator into place.
-
Remove the applicator by pulling it out with your same fingers.
-
You should not really feel the tampon and you should not see any of the white cotton and rayon, all you should see is the blue string. If you can feel it and it feels not high enough, use a clean finger to push it further up, or simply remove and try again (although this may feel a little uncomfortable as your vagina will be dryer).
-
Put the applicator in the trash can, don’t flush it
How to remove or change a tampon
You need to change a tampon every four hours. This is very important as it prevents TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome which is a dangerous bacterial infection that can happen when a tampon is left in the vagina too long.
With normal flow the tampon will be fully soaked with menstrual blood or partly soaked when you change it. If you see a lot of white, you should switch to a light tampon or just use pads alone. If you have to change it more than every four hours because you are leaking or it fills up more quickly, that’s okay. If you are struggling to manage the amount of menstrual blood your body makes, please talk to your doctor or a trusted adult.
-
Open your labia with clean fingers and pull gently on the blue string.
-
The tampon should slide out easily. It may be a little slower on lighter period days, at the start or end of your period.
-
You can drop it into a piece of toilet paper and put it in the trash can. Tampons should not be flushed.
-
You can then take a fresh tampon and insert the way we have described above.
-
At night, you might want to take your tampon out before you go to sleep and use a period pad, and then put a tampon in when you wake up in the morning. This depends on how long you sleep and if you like to sleep in or not get up in the night.
Common questions and concerns about tampons
A tampon cannot get lost in your vagina. The vaginal canal, as it is known, goes between the outside of your body and the cervix. It is only a few inches long. There is no way a tampon can get through the cervix. Yes, a baby can come through the cervix when we give birth, but a tampon cannot go the other way!
It is also very unlikely that you could fit two tampons in your vaginal canal without realizing it. But, if you need to, set reminders on your phone to change your tampon at least every four hours so you can keep track.
Tampons might be the best choice for you if you do a lot of active sports or swimming - because period pads might chafe and because when swimming, tampons keep the period blood inside your body.
You can still go to the bathroom with a tampon inserted, both urination and poop.
Using a tampon might not be very comfortable, but it should not be painful. Consult with your doctor or a trusted adult if it feels painful. If you find using tampons uncomfortable, that’s okay, you can either use a water-based lubricant on the tip of the tampon to help it go in (like KY Jelly) or choose to use period pads instead. Some people have vaginal openings and vaginas that make using tampons more difficult than it is for other people.
