It was six months ago that Selin Celikoyar bought her last tampon and switched to a reusable menstrual disc.
\n\u201cI had already been wary of tampons from an environmental perspective and also from a biological perspective. I felt that they were very wasteful and expensive to consistently keep buying,\u201d she said.
\nThe flexible discs and other reusable menstrual products are gaining traction as alternatives to the billions of single-use pads and tampons that get tossed into landfills every year. Products such as the discs, silicone cups and period underwear can be reused for years, so they\u2019re cost-effective and long-lasting in addition to helping people reduce waste. The popularity of the reusable alternatives has grown since the pandemic, when it was easier to experiment with period products in the privacy of a home bathroom, according to women\u2019s health experts.<\/p>\n
Celikoyar said she used tampons and pads for years because those are the options she grew up knowing about. But when she saw her friend make the switch to a menstrual disc, she decided to try it too.
\n\u201cThe experience has been such a game changer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
About 12 billion disposable pads and 7 billion tampons go into U.S. landfills every year, according to Dr. Luwam Semere, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara. Pads are mostly plastic. Once they\u2019re in the landfill, they take up to 800 years to degrade, according to the National Institutes of Health.
\nSingle-use pads and tampons are by far the most popular period products. Women\u2019s health expert Dr. Navya Mysore said that\u2019s not because they\u2019re better, they\u2019re just usually the first options kids are shown.
\n\u201cIt was often like, \u2018What did your mom use? What did your grandma use?\u2019 And that\u2019s how you were introduced into period hygiene,\u201d said Mysore, a primary care physician based in New York City.
\nFILE \u2013 Tammy Compton restocks tampons at Compton\u2019s Market, in Sacramento, Calif., June 22, 2016. (AP Photo\/Rich Pedroncelli, File)<\/p>\n
The most popular is the menstrual cup, which gets inserted much like a tampon. The discs get inserted farther in, so they don\u2019t interrupt intercourse. Both can hold several times more than a tampon and can stay inserted for up to 12 hours, instead of the four to eight hours recommended for tampons. Semere also said the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome commonly associated with tampons is much lower with menstrual cups and discs.
\nThe cons? The products require some technique to put them in right, and doing it wrong can get messy. The cups and discs also have to be cleaned regularly with soap and water.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s hard to do that if you\u2019re at work and you\u2019re in a shared, public restroom. It\u2019s not the most convenient,\u201d said Mysore.
\nCups prevent leakage by creating a suction, so people who use intrauterine devices for contraception risk dislodging them if they pull out a menstrual cup without breaking the seal.
\nThe placement of discs, which don\u2019t use suction, can also take some getting used to.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s high up there, you don\u2019t feel it, but it can be sometimes harder for women to pull them out,\u201d said Dr. Annemieke van Eijk, an epidemiologist with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
\nBut for Celikoyar, the advantages of the discs outweighed the drawbacks. She said that longer changing window has gotten her through a back-to-back concert and red-eye flight without any concern.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s an ease of use there for the modern woman that is significantly better than traditional methods,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Menstrual cups and discs typically cost between $15 and $40 and come in different shapes and sizes. They\u2019re available online and at pharmacies and big box stores.
\n\u201cIdeally, you would like to experiment a bit with what type of cup works best for you. And the cost can be kind of prohibitive to do that,\u201d van Eijk said.
\nA reusable product can help save money over the long term. Celikoyar estimates that she was using three tampons every day for seven days, or about 20 per month. With tampons costing 20 to 25 cents each, someone who switched to a reusable product would likely break even after a few months.
\nFor people who prefer pads, the most common reusable option is period underwear, which is comparable to regular-looking underwear with an extra absorbent lining.
\n\u201cThose are nice because we do see people getting irritation from pad use,\u201d said Semere. \u201cBecause of the different materials that are in the disposable pads.\u201d
\nThe downside, just like with pads, is the inability to tell when it\u2019s absorbed all that it can.
\nMysore said that\u2019s why some of her patients use the underwear as a backup, and pair them cups, discs or tampons.
\n\u201cYou can sort of mix and match different period products, depending on how heavy your flow is and what your period is like for you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The switch to reusable menstrual products is a significant step towards reducing waste and promoting sustainability. With the growing awareness of environmental issues and the benefits of reusable products, more women are making the switch. While there are some drawbacks to using reusable menstrual products, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. With the cost-effectiveness and long-lasting nature of reusable products, it\u2019s no wonder that women like Selin Celikoyar are making the switch.<\/p>\n
Q: What are the benefits of using reusable menstrual products?
\nA: Reusable menstrual products are cost-effective, long-lasting, and help reduce waste. They also come with the added benefit of reducing the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome.
\nQ: What are the different types of reusable menstrual products available?
\nA: There are several types of reusable menstrual products available, including menstrual cups, discs, and period underwear.
\nQ: How do I choose the right reusable menstrual product for me?
\nA: It\u2019s best to experiment with different types of products to find what works best for you. Consider factors such as your flow, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
\nQ: Are reusable menstrual products hygienic?
\nA: Yes, reusable menstrual products are hygienic as long as they are properly cleaned and maintained. It\u2019s essential to follow the manufacturer\u2019s instructions for cleaning and care.
\nQ: Can I use reusable menstrual products if I have an intrauterine device (IUD)?
\nA: Yes, but it\u2019s essential to take precautions when using menstrual cups to avoid dislodging the IUD. It\u2019s best to consult with your healthcare provider for guidance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction to Reusable Menstrual Products It was six months ago that Selin Celikoyar bought her last tampon and switched to a reusable menstrual disc. \u201cI had already been wary of tampons from an environmental perspective and also from a biological perspective. I felt that they were very wasteful and expensive to consistently keep buying,\u201d she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19803","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health-wellness"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.dailynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Climate_Choices_Menstrual_Products_72261-1.jpg?w=1400px&strip=all&w=1400&resize=1400,933&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19803"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19803"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19806,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19803\/revisions\/19806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}