Dear younger girls and older girls who have yet to take the leap to try tampons, or as Lady Whistledown would say,

Dear gentle reader,

I am 28, started wearing tampons a few months less than two years ago, and this is a blog to answer some of the questions you dare or dare not ask aloud but which have made you stay in the safety of pads.

Tampons have existed for a long time in history but not in every market. Therefore, it definitely is not the most accessible menstrual hygiene supply out there. When I lived in Nigeria, I doubt that I even came across one needless to think about using it. However, there are countries where tampons are just as much of a staple as pads. If you grew up in a country like Nigeria, you probably also did not consider tampons in the early days of menstruation. But maybe now you do because you have access to it either because it is in the Nigerian (replace with your country) market or because you live in another country. You see it in the markets and wonder if you should give it a try but, you have questions and concerns such as the following.

1. It feels strange to think of putting something in there, up there.
   Girl… yes, that is a valid concern if you have never had sex and it is hard for me to come up with an easier response than this; consider it preparation. You know, like in those movies where pregnant people go to baby classes and are given dummy babies to care for. The second possible response I have is to consider it not that big of a deal. The feelings from sex insertion are different from those from tampon insertion. In one case, you are bleeding, probably cramping, and inserting something with a mildly abrasive outer layer into your bleeding duct and in the other, you are probably not bleeding and hopefully, what is being inserted is as smooth as a glazed cake. So, seriously, if concern 1 pops up in your mind, dismiss it and move on to more serious concerns like the next ones.
   
2. How does a tampon actually work?
   I love scientific questions and this is a good one. The material composition of most tampons is a mix of plant-based and synthetic fibers but the variation and proportion of composition depends on the type and brand of tampon. As synthetic fiber, some brands combine polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester for the outer cover and pill-string of tampons to allow gentle insertion and removal. Rayons such as viscose are used inside the tampons for their absorbent properties, and some brands use cotton instead. With this composition, the tampon is a thin piece usually about the length and width of a pinky or thumb. Thus, like menstrual pads, you have ranges of regular/normal for non-heavy flows, super and more for heavy flows.

I have three main flow ranges and have to switch between super and normal tampons. Both are roughly 5.1 cm long, and the super is 0.25 cm wider than the 1.5cm normal. I use the super for heavy days, normal for non-heavy flow days, and pads for lighter days. Of course, there are also the panty liners, which I wear with the tampons so they can catch tiny spills in case I sit a little too long before changing the tampon.

3. What to caution about when wearing tampons?
   Tampons are advised to be worn for a maximum of six hours because of the association to toxic shock syndrome (TSS) which is a fatal and life-threatening syndrome that has occurred historically as a result of long durations of wearing internal sanitary protection products. While science has developed over time and the capacity to manage TSS may have improved, it is advised to:
   • not wear internal sanitary products (tampons and cups) for prolonged durations. This means, change the tampons within reasonable timeframe and do not wear tampons with higher absorbency than your flow.
     
     But of course, you probably do not want to have to go to the washroom at an alarmingly frequent rate. That is where knowing your body comes into play.
     
4. How to get started?
   Start with a tampon for regular normal flow and learn about your body.
   
   I started with a ‘normal’ tampon even though I know that I tend to have heavy flows. Starting with this lowest absorbency piece allowed me firstly, to relatively easily learn to insert the tampon without feeling much abrasion from the outer fibers and to get used to wearing tampons. Secondly, I noticed that I needed to change every two hours on heavy days. This is way shorter than the advised maximum duration, meaning I could still get more from tampons. Therefore, after a year, I decided to try the ‘super’, which bought me an additional two hours on heavy days. It is thicker, but all is good as long as the tampon does its job.
   
5. How to insert the tampon
   Some people advise that it is easier to insert while standing. Some say it is better to squat a bit. I think it definitely hurts more to begin inserting while standing, and what if blood pops out of the duct?
   
   I use the squatting technique. If I am sure that there is little to no chance of spillage, I stand and squat a little bit to relax the pelvic floor. However, in heavier scenarios, I squat over the toilet seat pretty much like I am sitting on the seat. Try and see what works best for you. Just know that whatever abrasive pain you feel in the first attempts will not be felt much later.
   
   In general, inserting a tampon should not be painful and make you question why you are doing it. On heavy days, it should glide in smoothly, and on lighter days, the roughness of the fibers should be mildly noticeable. Some people switch to pads altogether the moment they can sense the abrasion a few days into their period days.

Of course, TSS sounds scary, but women have used tampons for years now and continue to use them even after the TSS outbreak in 1980. Tampons reduce the mental stress that you experience during menstruation especially if you experience heavy flows or long period days and often worry about getting stained. You may not be able to control your flow or its duration but you can move on with your life, letting tampon do its thing and you revisiting it every four to six hours. For me, this is why I made the switch. The last question to briefly react to in this post is whether to wear tampons to bed or not. I have tried this. Whenever I do this, I set an alarm for four hours duration. This is not very palatable for good sleep, so I only do this when I sleep out (e.g., for work or at my partner’s) during my heavy days, and I am very worried about getting stained.

A woman’s feminine journey is theirs alone, and this is only a post to answer questions that I have seen many people (myself included) curious about. The most important thing is to continuously learn about your body and know what works best for you.