Allergic to scented sanitary products? Add your story here!

[wheresmymojo]

Loads of posts about scented sanitary products causing some of us to have issues such as:

• Itchy rashes
• Thrush
• Bacterial vaginosis

After a few attempts I have finally been able to get the attention from Always to respond to my issues.

I know lots of us have them and don't want to be fobbed off that it's 'just me'.

Please can you add your story below if you have issues with scented products.

As another poster has said - I'm pretty sure men wouldn't be expected to spritz Febreeze on their cocks all day for 7 days and have no issues.

I will be adding a link to this thread to my response to Always on Twitter (so obvs don't put anything outing unless you name change)

Yours,

Itchy Vag from Hampshire x

I will start.

I noticed that every period I started to get an itchy rash. I don't believe it was thrush as it was entirely external and no discharge changes but extremely uncomfortable.

It would start within a day or two of using the pads and last up to a week after finishing.

I also started to get BV. I'd treat it and it would clear up but after using scented pads would come back every month.

I found it hard to find unscented pads where I shop - especially Always which were the only brand I'd used. I didn't particularly want to change but have now started ordering unscented organic cotton from Amazon.

I'm just finishing my 1st period using them and no rash or BV for the first time in months and months (and yes, I should've changed sooner I know!).

Yip!! Thank you ItchyVagfromHampshire!! (New name? 😁)

Another pissed off woman here who gets thrush just passing these hideously smelling products in the shop!!

I use a mooncup but sometimes need a towel on the worst days. And since the delight that is the perimenopause, I also need a liner every day and can't find a washable one stays put!

In those times that I have had to buy something outside of my regular perfectly fine fragrance free products (Tesco own for those looking) , I have been caught twice by Always and their awful scented towels.

Not only did they stink like carbolic soap and cheap perfumefrom the 70s, they gave me thrush. So I decided never to buy the scented ones again. Easy!! And then one time after sniffing every bloody packet in a corner shop and scouring the packet for added perfume/scent added I was caught out again!! Opened the packet and was overwhelmed with the God awful smell. Had no choice because I had been caught short and no time to go back to the shop, I then had another wonderful attack of thrush!! Always a fucking joy!!.

Get rid!!!

I actually get ridiculously ranty about this.

And ......breathe

I used Always from when they first came out for years. They were comfortable and I didn't get any leaks. Ever since they added the awful scent to them I get thrush.

The packets don't make it clear they are scented. I have been caught out lots of times. I switched to Bodyform and haven't looked back.

I emailed Always lots of times and was assured the scent was what everyone wanted. You can smell them on other women which is awful.

Always clearly don't care what the majority of women want.

Yes! I get that maybe some women want scented (I don't know who they are as it seems no-one I ask) but they should make it clear on the package so we don't all have to go around sniffing sanitary towels like weirdos...

I would like to see their research about it being what women want.

How many women did they ask? How many have they asked who have been using the scented ones?

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think I was immediately allergic as soon as they added scent. I think I became allergic after a few months of using them, but that's common with allergies.

I'm also concerned about the long term impact of chemicals around our vaginas. I bet they haven't done any longitudinal studies and in 10 years we'll find out they raise the chance of cancer or something

I think they probably asked what women are concerned about with regards to their periods. I imagine some women said they were worried about odour. If you wash daily and change your pad often enough there won't be an issue. They seem to have took this and implanted their revolting air freshener in the pads.

I’ve used them for donkeys years no problem, then they changed and they felt like were burning my skin. Stopped straight away when pad removed, what I imagine to be like if you added neat tea tree oil to pad and sat in it.

I used always for years and managed to avoid the “odour neutralisation technology” for as long as I could. I used to buy the long nighttime ones which were the only ones they hadn’t added it to. Then one month I felt like I was burning on my vag hole and I couldn’t figure out what was happening. Then I saw a post on here about always pads mentioning allergies, and I checked the packet and lo and behold, the shitty scent had been added to those ones too. If I hadn’t had a cold at the time I’d have noticed it as soon as I opened the packet because that stench is vile.

Now I buy Tesco’s cheapy own ones because they have no smell and nothing added.

I think it’s ridiculous that they think women prefer these “scented” pads. Perhaps they did research with the smallest sample ever. The smell of them is unmistakeable. Even if they didn’t burn me, I wouldn’t use them anyway for fear people could smell them.

I wonder how they phrased the question when consulting women - "Do you worry about odour during your period?" might get a very different response to "Would you like your vag to smell like a stale Uber?"

I hate the implication this all has that periods are rank and stinky and something to be ashamed of.

I switched from Always when it became impossible to find non-stinky ones. First to Bodyform but am now a fervent Mooncup and cloth pad user.

I always used always until they started putting the scent in. I think it's about 10-20 minutes before I start feeling uncomfortable and half an hour before I start getting itchy.
Don't buy them now.

When Always did their market research, did they ask leading questions to make women say ‘why, yes, I do worry about smell’ and answer ‘yes’ to ‘wouldn’t it be great if there were a product to take away the smell?’

I got very itchy when I used scented pads. I now stand in the supermarket aisle sniffing packets of pads to ensure they’re not scented.

Also I can smell when women wear the scented pads - has anyone else found this too?

I also have switched from always, having been loyal to them from teenage years, to supermarket own brand as they aren’t scented. As a bonus, I’ve saved money.

Wouldn’t have crossed my mind to switch from Always if they hadn’t made me itch with the smelly pads.

I hate them. i will never purchase them, vile things. i stand in the aisle sniffing boxes to make sure of what i am buying. they offend me hugely. as a result these days i almost always buy supermarket own brand.

I’ve found even the allegedly fragranceless Always have a noticeable scent and I’d started getting horribly itchy and uncomfortable when I used them. I’ve since switched to reusables and had no itching whatsoever since.

I’ve used Always pads for years before as I always found them thin, comfortable and reliable. Bit of an own goal by Always really.

Tell them that you are transgender, that the smell offends you and boom it will be gone.

There has been a big outcry on Twitter by African women.

They hated the side effects of the scent so much they thought Always must be testing something on the African population...that isn't a joke.

I will find a link.

I'm not allergic to scented pads, but I strongly dislike them and get really annoyed when I accidentally buy them instead of unscented ones, so I would welcome this being made clearer on the packet. Thanks OP.

I've been using Tesco mattress night towels. They are like the sanitary towels of yesteryear and they are the only pads that don't irritate my hoo ha.

I used Always from my very first period. I’m 33 now and I don’t use them any more! Awful smelling things. I switched to Bodyform after getting caught out when Always first introduced the scented ones.

When I’ve been forced because there are no other options I have bought Always since they became scented and they are grim. They make me itch and they smell absolutely awful. I don’t use soap or shower gel on that areas because it’s so sensitive - why on earth would I want a scented pad right next to me in a damp, warm environment. It’s madness.

What’s wrong with unscented? I really miss using always as they were more comfortable. But never again with the scented products.

Yup. If I use the scented towels I get the most awful thrush type itch and soreness. To the extend my skin cracked and was bleeding from my labia as well as the period bleed! I use cloth pads now so I can be sure I wont get sore.

Loyal always customer until post children I discovered always stank like febreze. Itching and burning 1 day into my period. I boycotted them for a while but couldn’t find another product that was as effective. I now buy their sensitive range from boots, ruby that can be hard to get.

Get rid of the stink always, you can add your own scent but you can’t remove one......

I have used Always for years until they scented them. Gradually I noticed I'd get thrush a few days into my period. I get so so sore with them. I hate sniffing them in shops. I'd love to see the research that decided this was a good idea. The smell screams 'period' too.

I've just bought some from Costco yesterday for the first time in years. I didn't realise they were scented. Really unnecessary and will be changing back to a non scented brand as I feel I'll get itchy if I continue using these.

Terrible terrible irritated, angry & painful sometimes open wounds on my skin with all always pads now. I have a terrible time with my periods, and now if I’m not careful I essentially get contact sores that leave me open to potential infection if I get stuck with scented pads (and those with so called fresh lock, we daren’t let women smell of anything other than roses lest men be overcome with a touch of the vapours bollocks).