Holmes Patricia - Girlology - A Girl's Guide to Stuff that Matters

When you have your period, you obviously need to use pads or tampons (affectionately known, in totally unhip terms, as feminine hygiene products) to keep the blood off your clothes. There are tons of different brands in tons of different shapes and sizes. After a few periods, you’ll know what works best for you.

Whether you use pads or tampons, you should change them at least every four to six hours and may need to change them more frequently if your menstrual flow is heavy. If you aren’t familiar with them, here are some of the products out there. If you know all this . . . feel free to skip it and move on!

Pads

Pads are made with an adhesive that attaches to the crotch of your underwear. Just unwrap the pad, pull off the strip that covers the adhesive and put the pad in your underwear (sticky side against your underwear, not YOU! Ouch!). Adjust the pad into place as you pull your underwear up. There are different types of pads to choose from, including: Pantyliner. This is a really thin pad that works for very light flow. Some girls like to use a pantyliner when they are also using a tampon, just in case they overflow the tampon. Some girls also like to use these for the vaginal discharge they have between periods. Minipad. A little thicker than the pantyliner, this is for light to normal flow. Maxipad. This one can feel pretty thick. Some girls say it feels like a diaper! It’s good for heavy flow days or at night because it can absorb a lot. “Wings.”Pads with “wings” have flaps on the sides that you wrap around the crotch of your underwear. Sometimes a lot of running or activity will make your pad bunch up in the middle so that your menstrual flow goes over the edge and stains your underwear. The wings can help prevent that. Sanitary napkins.Another term for menstrual pads, it usually refers to maxis. Reusable pads.Some girls and women choose to use cotton pads that they can wash and reuse. They are probably better for the environment because you are not using disposable products. You can find them at health food stores.

Tampons

Tampons are little padlike things that actually go inside your vagina to absorb the menstrual flow as it comes out of the cervix. Sounds painful, but really, if you put it in right, you won’t even feel it!

You put tampons in with an applicatorthat helps you insert the tampon into the vagina. There is also a brand that doesn’t have an applicator, so you just put it in with your finger. The box they come in will have directions—look at the pictures they provide, and it will help. Just like pads, tampons come in a variety of sizes. For your first time, it definitely helps to use the slender or “light” size tampons. Sometimes it helps to put your finger in your vagina first to see what direction you need to “aim” the tampon. All tampons have a stringon them so you can just pull the string to take the tampon out when it is time to change it. Don’t worry, the strings don’t break!!!! Even if they did, the vagina is a “dead end,” so a tampon cannot get lost inside you and end up coming out of your nose! (Whew!)

Tampons are nice because you can swim and do other activities with them and not have to worry about having a bulky pad on. Can you imagine trying to wear a pad in a bathing suit and then getting it wet in the pool?

It is safe to use tampons even with your first period.Some girls, though, feel more comfortable trying their first tampon after they are a little more used to having periods. When you decide to use a tampon for the first time, make sure you are on your period with a pretty normal to heavy flow. This is because the tampon comes out a lot easier when it is soaked. If it is dry, it feels like you are tugging on the walls of the vagina . . . ouch! There is no reason to “practice” using a tamponbefore you are on your period. It will work, but it takes a little getting used to.

If your mom doesn’t want you to use a tampon, you should ask why. Tampons have only been around for a couple of generations, so a lot of women your mom’s age or grandmother’s age were told they couldn’t use tampons until they were married. This means they couldn’t use tampons until after they had sex. Tampons won’t break your hymen, injure your vagina or tarnish your reputation as a nice girl.Even the super-plus size tampons are a lot smaller than an erect penis! And since you put a tampon in yourself, you will know how much pressure you can apply to get it in without hurting yourself.

Another reason some people are scared of using tampons is a problem called toxic shock syndrome (TSS).TSS became well known when it started happening among women who used one particular brand of tampons that is no longer made. Toxic shock syndrome is a severe infection with a particular type of bacteria, and it is only rarely associated with tampon use. (It’s actually more common with surgery or skin infections.) Recently, it has occurred a little more frequently because of super absorbent brands. If you use one of these make sure you remove it within four-six hours. So the bottom line is that tampons are safe to use if used properly.

How do you use them properly? Well, if you are using tampons, just as with pads, you’ll need to change them regularly. If your flow is heavy, you’ll know to change your tampon when you feel it starting to leak. If your flow is light, use a light or thin tampon, and don’t wear it longer than six hours. If you forget to take one out and leave it in for several days, you’ll remember when you start to notice a horrible odor or start having spotting that has a bad odor. An old, bloody tampon that sits in a vagina for several days will cause just that. Yuck! Hold your nose, take it out and wrap it up in something that will contain the smell! It happens. Just let it be a lesson: What goes in, must come out!

PMS?

Some teens and women notice changes in the way they feel before their period. Symptoms can start anywhere in the one to two weeks before your period starts. They might include emotional things like crying easily, being moody or grumpy, or wanting to be alone. They can also be physical things like breast soreness, cramping, feeling puffy or craving certain foods.

When these types of feelings affect the things you do or your relationships with your friends or family, it’s called PMS (it stands for premenstrual syndrome)—it’s a real medical diagnosis, not an excuse. Sometimes people want to blame anger or emotions on PMS, but it may just be real anger or real emotions. There’s a little good news since PMS won’t happen at all unless you are ovulating regularly (remember that can take several years after you start!).

If you think you have PMS, you can do some things to make it better. First, you can predict when you will start your period and then also predict when your PMS will start. Use the menstrual calendar we provided. If you are prepared for it, it may not affect you so much.

PMS Busters

Get some exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.