i've been eyeing this thing since the end of last year, but never actually be tempted enough to try. and still not know. but i found a good reasoning by in a yahoo answer and i thought i want to dump it here. in case i want to buy one, eventually.
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Pros;
• Healthy and safe.
Menstrual cups allow your vagina to function as it would normally, self-cleaning and keeping the walls of the vagina moist to protect from infection and damage. As menstrual cups are made from either medical grade silicone or natural gum rubber it means there is no where for bacteria to multiply. Menstrual cups do not contain synthetics, chemicals, additives or bleaches which means no increased risk of infection or long-term health problems. This is put into direct comparison with tampon health risks, because of their affect on the vagina and chemical treatment tampons put women at high risk of everything from vaginal infections to TSS, vaginal splitting to cancer. Unlike tampons menstrual cups have never caused or contributed to a death. Menstrual cups have never been associated with TSS or any other health problem. Many women also reports lowered menstrual flow, bloating and cramping when switching from tampons to menstrual cups.
• Clean.
Allowing the vagina to self-clean as it would normally and not giving bacteria a place to multiply means that the vaginal environment is no different with a menstrual cup in as it would be without a menstrual cup in. Menstrual cups are sanitary like all other menstrual options but they can also be sterilised. They take nothing to clean, soap and water is all that is needed. Personally I recommend emptying in the shower, particularly when first getting used to the menstrual cup this makes things easier. If you find you have to empty in a public bathroom you can carry a water bottle, wipes, use toilet paper or just reinsert without risk.
• Convenient.
Menstrual cups can be worn safely and without leaks for up to 12 hours at a time, this includes from a very light flow to very heavy flow, you can use them before your period is due to avoid being caught without protection, you can wear them safely at night, you can wear them to deal with excessive discharge. Menstrual cups are also perfect for sports as they do not cause cramps or bloating, they are reliable and nothing shows on the outside of your body, they also don’t absorb fluids making them great for swimming. You never need to carry spares, never risk running out, and don’t have to worry about disposal. You also don’t have to constantly change absorbencies or worry about health risks.
• Cheap.
One menstrual cup will cost you around $35, cheaper if you shop around and depending on what brand you choose. I figured out last week that if I had still been using tampons and pads it would have cost me £20,000 over ten years; where as my menstrual cup only cost me £17, which is a hell of a saving. Most menstrual cup brands offer money back guarantees so you can try them and if not for you then you can get all your money back, so you have nothing to loose in trying them – oh, plus if one brand doesn’t work for you it means you can try another one without having to pay twice!
• Environmentally friendly.
A woman will use 12,000-16,000 tampons or pads in her lifetime; a menstrual cup lasts for up to 10 years so that cuts down on a lot of waste being put into landfills or blocking up our sewage systems and ending up on our beaches unable to biodegrade. Manufacturing of commercial tampons and pads means the use of non-organic cotton and synthetic materials made from a small percentage of the wood forested for the purpose, these materials are then chemically treated which adds to pollution, and the extra energy required for these unnecessary treatments results in increased CO2 emissions.
As for cons, to be honest I don’t think any menstrual cup user will really come up with many cons and the ones that you can come up with are rare cares where a person’s personal ideas or experiences come into play, not issues with the menstrual cups themselves.
Cons;
• They are more hands-on, which some women are uncomfortable with.
• They can be difficult to get your head around at first, all new ideas are, insertion can seem problematic as menstrual cups seem large (in fact they aren’t much bigger than tampons and your vagina can more than handle it) and because they may pop open a lot at first. You get time to try them and you can try on dry-runs, but it is easier to do when menstruating and trying different folding methods – sometimes women loose grip of their menstrual cup and it goes flying. Removal has similar problems, wondering for the firs time how the hell to get the cup out without splitting anything, again you get over this in time and best done in the shower at first to avoid mess (menstrual cups aren’t normally messy, but have the potential to be if you loose your grip or slip). Using a menstrual cup becomes like second nature.
• Some women feel discomfort, we are all different, although most women say they are very comfortable some women can feel pressure on their rectum or urethra, other women find the suction is too strong.
I should also make a note to the brand you linked to, Divacup, they are one of the bigger and better known brands, they offer a 12 month money back guarantee which is longer than any other brand offers, they are silicone so this means that they are easier to keep clean and see menstrual flow, and they don’t leave any taste or smell in your vagina as rubber ones can. Cons of the Divacup are that they are one of the larger and less flexible brands, this may not be a problem for you at all, but if you get one and it is a problem I recommend the Mooncup or the Ladycup – Ladycup are actually the smallest and most flexible menstrual cup brand available.
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