The Terrifying Truth About the Tampon Industry

Do you know what’s in your tampon? When you read the label of your tampon box do you know how ingredients like fragrance, rayon, or dioxin affect your body? Well, you should know! When inserting a product inside of us every day, we better know what it’s made of & how its components could be affecting our health. In this article, I will highlight some common toxins found in tampons, their effect on the body, & alternative brands to use that are safe!

Unfortunately, as current laws sit, consumers cannot trust the FDA to safely regulate our feminine care products. There is no requirement that producers of feminine care products disclose the chemicals they are adding to our tampons. Thanks to third party testing, we know that there are countless toxins found in tampons & that these toxins are detrimental to human health. In fact, a recent study published in Environmental International discovered 24 different endocrine disruptors in feminine care products.

Still, finding & understanding all of this information can be pretty time consuming & confusing. I’m here to take those problems away & present some evidence-based & well-researched information on the toxins found in tampons & how these toxins can affect us.

Common Toxins Found In Feminine Care Products & Their Effects on Human Health

There are a bunch of toxins in our feminine care products, so there is no time nor brain space to go over all of them. I will highlight five toxins that are most prevalent: dioxin, phthalates, pesticides, fragrance, & rayon.

1. Dioxin

First, we have Dioxin. Dioxin is one of the most common & more dangerous carcinogens that has been found in feminine care products. The reason dioxin is often found in tampons is that it is a byproduct of the bleaching process. When the cotton & other components of tampons are bleached to be the perfect shade of white, the chemical byproduct, dioxin, is leftover & lingers inside of the tampons.

Dioxin is a cancer-causing agent that disrupts our bodies’ hormone system. This is one of the most dangerous chemicals for women; even when it doesn’t lead to cancer, it has been linked to severe conditions like endometriosis & PCOS. The World Health Organization warns that dioxin exposure is a public health crisis. Unfortunately, feminine care products are not our only source of dioxin exposure.

2. Phthalates

Phthalates are substances that are most commonly added to plastics to make them more flexible or transparent. Phthalates are also known to be hormone disruptors that influence development & fertility. Five recent studies over the last two years have shown that phthalates are in our feminine hygiene products. The latest study in the US found that every single one of the pads & tampons they tested contained multiple phthalates! YUCK!!

It is no surprise that so many women have trouble getting pregnant when phthalates are getting direct exposure to our vaginal tissue. Scientists do not know exactly how phthalates get into feminine care products because manufacturers do not disclose their ingredients or manufacturing practices. Some theories are contamination during production & due to the addition of fragrance.

3. Fragrance

Fragrance is a super vague term used throughout the beauty industry. That’s great for companies who aren’t disclosing the toxins that make us their “fragrance” but it is terrible for the customer. Fragrance has such a broad definition, that there is no way to tell which chemicals are in any one fragrance.

Since fragrances are considered trade secrets, the FDA does not require companies to disclose what’s in their fragrance. This loophole in ingredient disclosure applies to more products than just feminine care. From independent testing, it is known that fragrances usually contain allergins, neurotoxins, & phthalates.

4. Pesticides

It is wildly known that pesticides are bad for humans & the environment, yet large farming corporations still use these toxic chemicals & brands still buy from them. The only way that you can guarantee that your tampons are pesticide-free is to buy 100% organic cotton tampons.

According to the Pesticide Action Network, cotton producers use some of the most hazardous pesticides out of any other industry. In 2017, the United Nations estimated that more than 200,000 farm workers in developing countries died from cotton pesticide exposure alone. Seven of the 15 pesticides that are used when growing non-organic cotton have been classified as known carcinogens by the FDA. Pesticide exposure has been linked to infertility, neurological problems, & developmental defects. Almost 1,000 farmers die every day due to toxic pesticide exposure & thousands more suffer from chronic illnesses.

Additionally, the wastewater produced when this cotton is made into tampons contains unhealthy levels of pesticides and insecticides which are harmful to the environment. These chemicals disrupt surrounding ecosystems & can cause entire ecosystems to collapse.

5. Rayon

Rayon is a cheap material made from plant pulp (wood cellulose). Rayon is highly absorbent, so the tampon industry loves to use it in place of cotton. The process of converting this plant pulp into a synthetic fiber that replaces cotton results in a toxic byproduct: dioxin!

Since rayon contains dioxin, it too is toxic to humans. Increased absorbancy and rayon in tampons have been linked to an increased risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome.

While the FDA & feminine hygiene companies will tell you that these tampons only contain trace levels of rayon, any amount is toxic. The vaginal canal is extremely permeable & we use thousands of tampons & pads over the course of our lifetimes, so we need to be extremely cognizant of what we are putting up there!

What to Look For When Buying Feminine Hygiene Products

1. 100% Organic Cotton

The most important thing to me when it comes to buying tampons is that they are made with 100% organic cotton. Women’s Voices for the Earth, an independent nonprofit dedicated to protecting women’s health and the environment, has conducted studies on the ingredients in tampons. In their study, they tested mainstream, organic, and generic tampon brands for toxins.

The results confirmed that many well-known tampon brands have toxins and carcinogens found within them. Brands like Tampax, UbyKotex, and Playtex Sport contained carbon disulfide, which has been linked to menstrual disorders, early menopause, and hormonal disturbances. The only tampons which contained no carcinogens were the organic, 100% cotton tampons.

I think this tells us all something important, that the industry is not being regulated enough and these big brands do not care about women’s health, but rather are more concerned with their profits. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to support brands that have no care for my wellbeing. That’s why I buy 100% organic cotton tampons with biodegradable applicators. This way I make sure that toxins aren’t entering my vaginal canal or the environment.

Switching to non-toxic products pays off. An intervention study demonstrated that we can significantly reduce our exposure to chemicals by simply switching to brands that state they are free from these toxins.

2. Free From Fragrance, Phthalates, Rayon & Dioxin.

If the tampons I’m getting can’t check off all of these boxes, including being made of 100% organic cotton, then I don’t buy them. I already spent roughly 8 years of my life using toxic tampons & now that I know there are better alternatives, I’m never going back!

Tampon Brands I Trust & Use

1. Natracare

These are available at my local Sprouts, Alfalfas, & Pharmaca. They make the best thin, comfortable, and absorbent panty liners. Check out their materials here.

2. LOLA

LOLA makes period products as well as lubricants, wipes, condoms, & more. LOLA is the perfect brand for anyone looking for subscription-based products & are now being offered at Walmart. Learn more about their company here.

3. Cora

Cora makes period products as well as products from bladder care. They also have a subscription-based service or can be found at Target, Safeway, CVS, Kroger, & amazon. Get to know exactly which ingredients are in which products here.

4. Seventh Generation

This is probably one of the brands that is most easily accessible in grocery stores. This was the first non-toxic brand that I used because it was available at Pharmaca, Sprouts, & the Safeway where I live. I also already knew about this brand from purchasing their other products. I love that Seventh Generation is super transparent & makes it easy for the consumer to have access to their ingredient glossary. You can check it out here.

5. Rael

Rael makes feminine care products as well as a multitude of other personal care products. I originally tried this brand when shopping at Target & being unable to find my regular go-to brands. I came across the beautiful packaging & decided to give them a try. Learn more about their company here.

Bottom Line

The FDA & the EPA are corrupt & compromised. These organizations clean so many toxins for use that should not even be introduced into our environment led alone be in contact with our bodies.

Europe has banned over 1,300 toxins found in beauty & feminine care products while the FDA has only banned 11. . .

Companies like Monsanto have people working in the FDA & lobbying for the clearance of toxins like their pesticides. Monsanto provides the majority of pesticides to cotton producers, so it is no wonder that they want the FDA to clear their carcinogenic pesticides.

It is sad but true; as the current laws sit, consumers aren’t being adequately protected as we should be. Consumers have to do their own research, come to understand complicated science jargon, & then cross-reference this with the claims brands are making about their products.

We cannot trust organizations like the FDA or the EPA to prioritize our health & safety. We have to do it ourselves.