It's that time of the month again! Maybe you want to try something new and more eco-friendly this month. Menstrual cups and reusable sanitary pads are the only reusable options out there? NO ladies there are more options would you even believe it! Menstrual discs! Reusable menstrual discs at that.
What are menstrual Discs?
Discs like cups are menstrual products that are inserted into the vagina and collect blood. Like the cup, this can hold blood for up to 12 hours. This will likely be different for each person and depends on their flow.
How do menstrual discs work?
The most exciting thing about the disc and why it has taken social media by storm recently is that the disk can 'supposedly' provide you with the period sex both you and your hormones desire but totally mess-free.
How are they different from menstrual cups?
The main difference between a menstrual cup and a menstrual disc is their shape. One is cup-shaped and the other is shaped like a flat disc. They both have a kind of string or stem to help you remove them for easier usage.
However, as far as I am aware cups have special holes to make a vacuum while discs do not. Depending on how worried you are about leaking this feature might be what sways you one way or the other.
Can you use a menstrual disc for period sex?
If I am being honest I don't know how true this is and I am sure it doesn't work for every couple. But just the fact that it is being talked about gives me confidence that the stigmas around periods and period sex is becoming less. It also gives women confidence and a chance to feel sexy when they otherwise are feeling uncomfortable.
Menstrual discs are not just for those who want to have sex on their period. While the prospect of an embarrassment free quickie is very exciting, discs are usually one more option for how to deal with their periods.
According to Healthline "A cup sits in your vagina below your cervix and extends into your canal, depending on the type or brand you choose. A disc, on the other hand, fits back into your vaginal fornix, which is where your vaginal canal meets your cervix." (Healthline, Adrienne Santos-Longhurst, Feb 2020).
Like the menstrual cup, it could help reduce period pains because of the way that a cup sits in your vagina. If you found that a cup hasn't suited you but you still want to give reusable a try.
This might be a better option for you.
What are menstrual discs like to use?
I have tried disposable menstrual discs before I knew of reusable ones and I did find that they were very comfortable and very discreet. For those who found menstrual cups to be very noticeable and didn't get on very well with them, this might be less noticeable.
The way that they sit inside, in my opinion, makes them far less noticeable. But a little more difficult to get out. As far as I am aware, there aren't any scary stories about them getting stuck like some badly manufactured menstrual cups. This is one of the major advantages of using a menstrual disc over a cup.
Due to the way discs sit in your vagina they do lesson period pain for some people.
Should I try discs as a sustainable swap?
So if you are still on the hunt for a reusable menstrual product maybe this one will be the right fit for you. Maybe, if you just want to get frisky and have some fun this is a good product to keep in mind.
The Takeaway
In the end, menstrual discs provide yet another useful option for people wanting to make their periods more eco-friendly. They have many advantages and are definitely worth a try. It might be worth making sure you have your usual period methods on standby just in case it doesn't work. We don't want you to get caught out.
In my experience, this kind of product does take a bit of practice. So give it a few months before you give up if you don't feel it's working for you.
If you want to know more about other eco-friendly period products, check out my blog on period pants, menstrual cups and more. I also have a complete user guide to menstrual cups that answers all the questions you are too afraid to ask!