As tampons fall around her, sophomore Kiya Hall looks down, overcome by emotion. Tampons have been the subject of controversy because of the risk they pose of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome. "I think that it's very scary and we need to spread awareness," Hall said.
By Morgan Howarth
Tampon users would expect to be able to use a tampon with no risk.
However, one small tampon can cause a lifetime of muscular and renal failure. Toxic Shock Syndrome or TSS is a rare complication that is caused by staph and strep bacteria. TSS is life threatening and it can arise from surgeries, menstrual cups and tampons.
In the case of tampons, TSS occurs when the menstrual products aren't replaced often enough, causing staph bacteria to build up. This effect can be amplified by chemicals found in menstrual products.
Discussions about TSS recently increased after legal charges were brought against menstrual product producers for allegedly putting in “forever chemicals,” man-made chemicals that break down incredibly slowly over time. However, the presence and effect of these chemicals in tampons is unconfirmed.
For example, polyacrylate rayon, a chemically-based artificial fiber, used to be found frequently in tampons because it increased absorbance. This increased absorbance came with side effects such as a higher likelihood of bacteria development. However, obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Mary Plank says the presence of such fibers and chemicals has decreased over the years.
"[Schools] don't really teach you the proper way to use [menstrual products] and it's not talked about enough."
“The tampons were highly absorbent, but because of the type of rayon they had in them,” she said. “That's what also made more infections [from TSS]. That’s how tampons got their bad name.”
According to Plank, TSS used to be quite frequent in the 1970s, but as of now, there should be no brands that contain dangerous chemicals available to consumers.
“Everything in tampons today is completely safe because everything has been tested by the FDA,” she said. “You've got your organics or your inorganics, but they're all the same. They've all been tested because the tampon is a medical device that the FDA regulates.”
Today, TSS is a rare complication and only affects one in every 100,000 people. Additionally, the main reason that cases of TSS arose is because of a lack of proper tampon usage.
“The only time we ever come to any trouble is when you forget about [the tampon] and it’s been there for a while,” Plank said.
Since tampons are medical devices, tampon users should be completely safe from any material or chemical within the product and the same goes for pads and menstrual cups.
However, misinformation and a lack of education about reproductive health has contributed to menstrual products being misused. Both Plank and school nurse Molly Brennan agree that the largest problem lies within education.
“They don't really teach you the proper way to use [menstrual products] and it's not talked about enough,” Brennan said. “There is not enough information about how to safely use them and every woman's body is different. There needs to be more variety to better suit women’s menstrual experiences.”
Freshman Bennet Choi agrees that more precautions and education is needed on the topic of menstrual products.
“Always research what you're using because you don't want to use something harmful,” Choi said.
"The biggest thing to reduce your risk is a low absorbency tampon and [not leaving your tampon] in for more than eight hours."
Brennan proposed other menstrual products where TSS and infection are less likely to occur. She suggests using a diva cup, or menstrual cup as it is also called, which is eco-friendly and does not contain any chemicals, plastics or dyes.
“[With] a diva cup, there is less risk because it is silicone and you have to change more often and it would not be absorbed into your bloodstream,” Brennan said.
Overall, Plank believes that although TSS is very rare today, there are still steps that can be taken to reduce risks and promote learning about menstrual products.
“Make sure you know what TSS looks like,” she said. “The biggest thing to reduce your risk is a low absorbency tampon and [not leaving your tampon] in for more than eight hours.”