How often do you check the labels for ‘organic’ while grocery shopping? Most superstores have set huge spaces for organic everything and even some organic stores have also been opened to satisfy the demands of customers. But was this organic trend always this catchy and in-demand? Probably not. The demand for everything organic has been drastically increased during this decade and companies are making food to organic tampons, everything.
So does this mean that organic things are better than other ones? In the case of food items, there are high chances for it to be true. But for other things such as organic tampons, it is quite confusing because there is no such information on how these types of tampons are better than regular tampons.
In an attempt to understand the meaning and difference between these terms like ‘all-natural’, ‘herbal’, ‘organic’, and ‘non-GMO’, the shopper gets carried away. Although all of this is usually mentioned on the product label or the section, understanding what it means and deciding whether it is a good investment or not is really tricky.
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There are many companies that make organic tampons and these types of tampons are commonly available everywhere. But what exactly does an organic tampon mean? What makes it organic? What are the benefits of using an organic one vs. the regular one? Questions like these require a proper answer before spending your money on this organic shopping.
Many companies report that their tampons are made with organic material such as cotton which makes them different from other standard tampons made of rayon and non-organic cotton. The next difference is that these organic tampons are usually bleached using peroxide whereas the regular ones have bleached with conventional bleaching agents i.e. chlorine.
Using chlorine to bleach them typically created a byproduct that is dioxin which is a famous carcinogenic substance that is also involved in hormonal imbalance in women. That’s why FDA has made it essential for all tampons making companies keep an eye on their dioxin levels, but still, it is something that should worry about.
On the other side, the organic tampon making companies say that their products are made without any byproducts which can cause cancer or hormonal imbalance in the users. They are free from all synthetic materials.
In addition to this, the organic tampons are scent-free which has benefits for users with sensitive skin. But doesn’t all this make these organically made tampons a better choice?
The health experts all women know about the potential dangers of tampons such as the increased risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) which is a rare but deadly condition.
It doesn’t matter if a woman is using a regular tampon or the organic variant, the risk remains the same. In fact, this risk is increased with the duration of usage and the absorbance capacity of the tampon.
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The more time the tampon remains inside the vagina, the greater the risk of toxic shock syndrome gets. That’s why, instead of falling for the organic and non-organic debate in tampons, women should pay attention to better care plans and individual care, especially during mensuration.
Interestingly, the tampons are typically considered as medical essential and are under FDA regulation. But all tampons, irrespective of what they are made of have the same structure. So it is really not about the function where it helps, it helps if a person is allergic or sensitive to synthetic materials and is unable to use the regular tampons.
Using the type of tampon is a choice and choosing what should come close to a sensitive body part is not something that should be criticized. However, an organic tampon doesn’t change the precautions and guidelines that apply to tampon usage in general.