To think sanitary pads are the work of the devil?

[theimposter]

Just had an op and not allowed to use tampax for a while so for the first time ever having to use pads. The most uncomfortable thing ever if you actually want to move around and do outdoorsy stuff. Who actually chooses to use these?! Any tips on brands and what doesn't irritate your lady gardens gladly received. I don't wish to have to go totally bald down there to reduce irritation as re growth will be even more painful!

YANBU OP.

Disposable pads are really awful. I used to use them, but suffered terribly from chuff chafe, and my flow was always horrendously heavy.

I'm now totally converted to reusable san pro. I've been using them for years now, and don't suffer with chuff chafe anymore, thankfully. My flow is now so much lighter too - I think that's because there's no more harsh chemicals 'drawing' it out.

Muff fluff is definitely the way to go, ladies!

" there's no more harsh chemicals 'drawing' it out"- can you explain that a bit more?

I use a mixture of pads and tampons. i find pads more comfortable if I have pain and feeling congested and bloated, tampons for lighter days or if I am swimming or at the gym.

WTF is chuff chafe????? It sounds like something you can't reasonably blame on pads anyway.

Yabu

I use both tampons and sanitary pads, but on the whole prefer pads to walking around with something stuck inside me all day. Always conscious of the fact I am using a tampon, with pads I don't think about it.

I use cloth pads and they are very comfy, none of that sweaty feeling, no smells and no rustling.

I don't understand the sink hygiene thing. When I wash my hands the only part of the sink I touch is the tap, and surely everyone touches that, whether they've done a pee, a poo, changed tampon, emptied mooncup...

Of course nobody wants to see menstrual blood or bits of poo in a sink, but I don't see how it's any different to washing your hands.

Can I ask about cloth pads? I'm thinking of getting some for light days, but I notice it says to only wash in cold water and on their own, I can't run a washing machine for just one or two cotton pads on their own, surely that defeats the whole object of being environmentally friendly etc?

The cold water is only to prevent stains or smells.

I use cloth nappies so they go in with those but before I used to put the used ones in a toiletry bag in the bathroom throughout the day then rinse under the cold shower/tap in the evening then chuck in the next dark load.

deepinthewoods You know in the adverts it says 'draws liquid quickly into the central core'? Well, those ones - sorry not to be more specific.

Chuff chafe - where the disposable pads rub/make you sweat and it's a bit sore, especially when your period lasts about a week.

Alec - as PP said, the cold water is only to stop the stains setting. I wash mine with nappies too, or rinse well and put in with a clothes wash.

I buy mine from Made by Amber - her prices are very reasonable and she does a great starter pack.

Alex I made mine myself. I soak in a tupperware tub of cold water in the bathroom cupboard and then put them in the next load of laundry. I hadn't read about them needing a separate wash.

My cloth pads can be washed up to 40C.

I give them a good rinse in the sink (at home) to prevent stains and to get rid of any odour, then they go in the next dark wash at 40C.

I hated pads
I hated tampons

I bought a mooncup after reading about them here and have never gone back. It is so much cleaner, more comfortable, better for the environment.

There are times in life where we have to use pads - e.g. a young girl just started her periods, just given birth, or after an operation like the OP, but for general use mooncups are brilliant.

Whoever said tampons leak down the string. Yes, some brands do even in light flow. I find lilets don't do this, they expand widthways and don't seem to leak down the string

That was me - and no, I find Lillets(sp?) do this as well. Do some of you just have really, really light periods if you manage to get away with tampons and nothings else?

I think my daughter will be starting soon and I am dreading how to help her as I still have difficulties at times. I use mostly towels having emotional issues with tampons but I don't want to make things harder for her by not telling her everything she needs to know. I was thrown a pack of towels and not a word was said. I have bought the lillets teenage pack and she has that in her drawer but I don't know at what age it is okay for a girl to start using tampax and it isn't something you can show your child. [useless mother emoticon].

I don't think it's pads that chafe or make people sweat. It's more likely to be the combination of pad and suboptimal undercrackings. There are some undercrackings I can't wear with pads - toxic combination (usually scanty ones). Sturdy undercrackings and pads work fine, because they don't shift around.

Sir Chenjin - I prefer to use pads because it's more economical! you have to change a tampax every time you use the facilities (well, I do. I don't like the idea of hoiking out a string that has previously been weed on). Maybe I have light periods.

See I'm someone who hates tampons. Stuff cotton inside you? Yuk.

There are some great pads around but avoid the REVOLTING scented ones. Boots do a great one for a pound a pack.

Me too Herc - never, ever got on with tampons. Far too unreliable, always leaking, and far to much faffing about getting them out and putting them back in when you're in a small office or public loo.

office loo that is

Sir Chenjin - I don't find they leak and I wear them for swimming or in the bath. But that's it. I don't like them. And if you carry them loose in your bag the wrapping tends to come off rendering them unusable. And they are ridiculously uneconomical. Those 8 hour pads really do last 8 hours for me (longer probably) so they are a much more cost effective and no fuss way of dealing with things. The only time they get sweaty is if I've been running.

Are sanitary items etc still subject to VAT e.g. classed as a luxury item? I think they used to be. but it got abolished?

oh it was reduced to 5% well thanks a lot HMRC! NOT….

The first time I used a mooncup - literally the first - it was fabulous. It formed such a good seal that I had to rummage a bit to break the suction. Totally leakproof. Brilliant.

Unfortunately the first time was the only time it worked that well. From then on - and I'm talking the first insertion, not the whole of the first period - it got less and less effective. I spent a year or so assuming I was putting it in wrong and then gave up.

I really wanted to love it and almost had myself convinced a few times but no - hopeless.

Is there anyone who does like scented sanpro? I never understood why they started doing it anyway, but as almost everyone else seems to think that way too, I wonder why they do it at all.

VAT on sanpro is the reduced rate of 5%, and in this case it's set by EU.

I think HMRC can increase VAT rates (Denmark? does this) but cannot reduce below the agreed level.