Diva Do or Don’t

Say hello to my new best friend (and yours).

The DivaCup is a bell shaped, silicone, reusable insert for your period. No more buying tampons every other month or so. No more having to change it every 3 to 4 hours, and no more worries about leaking wherever you are!

According to Safecosmetics.org, a woman who uses tampons monthly will buy more than 11,000 in her lifetime (which is over $60 a year while the DivaCup only costs $34). You’d think that there would be ample ingredient and safety information about such an intimate and often-used product, but there isn’t. As with cosmetics, feminine-care product manufacturers aren’t required to tell you what’s in their products. Unfortunately, tampons may contain traces of dioxin from bleach, pesticide residues from conventional, non-organic cotton, and mystery “fragrance” ingredients. 

If you are anything like me, I’m sure you have plenty of questions. Let me try and answer the most common ones about the DivaCup:

Will I leak with the DivaCup?

The DivaCup is made to be leak-free for up to 12 hours at a time. Don’t believe me? I wore it for 16 hours and had no problems (this is not recommended, but worked for my busy day). You know that heavy feeling you get when your tampon is full and you’re in desperate need of changing it? I’ve never once had that feeling with the DivaCup in. It’s completely comfortable and I hardly ever notice I have it in. Or you know the feeling when you take it out too soon and it hurts? There is absolutely no pain with the DivaCup. Your vagina is naturally lubricated so the silicone cup fits perfectly going in and out – no matter how long you wear it. 

How will the DivaCup catch all the blood?

Don’t let your imagination get the best of you. Removing the DivaCup is not at all like a scene from a horror movie. The DivaCup conveniently holds one full ounce of menstrual flow (30 ml), and the average woman only flows approximately 1 to 2 ounces (30-60 ml) per cycle.

What about the smell?

Menstrual flow only begins to develop an odor when it is exposed to air. As the DivaCup is worn internally, the blood is never exposed to the air like with tampons or pads. For the first time, the DivaCup will leave you feeling (and smelling) clean and ready to conquer the day.

What if it gets lost or stuck in there?

The vagina is an elastic, muscular tube only four to five inches long. Your vagina doesn’t connect to anywhere else in your body, meaning it will never get lost. When wearing the DivaCup, it’s low at the base of the vaginal canal so you can easily reach it, always.

How do you keep it clean and do you have to clean it every 12 hours?

The DivaCup is incredibly easy to take care of. Before every insertion and after every removal, you wash your hands keeping your vagina and the cup clean. After disposing of the blood, you simply wash it out, making sure to use the DivaCup soap or a non-fragranced, non-oil based soap. After cleaning it correctly (from the directions), you can insert it again.

But Haley, what if I’m in a public restroom?

If you’re in a bathroom other than your own when you need to clean it, you simply dump it out and wipe it off. Then as soon as you’re in a bathroom you’re comfortable in, you can clean it properly. Just plan your day accordingly if you’re nervous. And as time goes on, it gets easier to figure out and you’ll be a pro before the end of your first period with it.

Is it safe?

According to the DivaCup website, “When used as directed, the DivaCup is a more sanitary feminine hygiene solution to tampons or pads. Latex-free, plastic-free, BPA-free, odor-free and free of colors and dyes, the DivaCup is made from healthcare grade non-absorbent silicone, which means it will not dry out or disrupt the natural environment of your vagina.” Unlike tampons that are not FDA approved and may contain perfumes, dyes and materials which are not meant for the vagina.

The DivaCup has changed the way I look at getting my period every month. I have an average to slightly heavy flow, depending on the day. Since my switch to the DivaCup, I’ve never been worried about it being too full – especially after getting a feel for how long I can leave it in. I can honestly say I will never go back to tampons because of how great the DivaCup is.

 Now do yourself (and the environment) a favor and try the DivaCup!

Photo Cred: DivaCup, DivaCup Bag, Anna Kendrick

• HC SAU