Menstrual Cups for Teenagers?!


Question: Menstrual Cups for Teenagers?
I've been considering and researching menstrual cups for a while now but I'm still don't know which kind I should get. I looking for a cup that is smaller and easy to insert ( I'm kind of skinny and small) t and more pliable and soft for folding and inserting, and comfort. I'm most worried about removal! Thinking about removal scares the heck out of me. What if I can't reach it or I experience pain when I try to remove it. If anyone has information about the different types of stems (ball,ring,tab). Which one is more comfortable yet is easy to reach. Even though I want a smaller cup my period tend to be moderate to heavy so I don't want to have to be constantly emptying it so I'm not sure. I'm not sure what else to add but I need some suggestions on menstrual cups for teens under the age of maybe 17.

Answers:

Wow, you've had some ignorant responses so far!
Good for you looking into healthier alternatives, cups are not gross at all as they're far healthier and more hygienic than tampons or many types of pads, and it's good to see someone your age being so grown-up about this subject and making an educated choice :-)

Removal.
Your vagina is only a few inches long so the cup won't get lost or stuck, depending on your body your cup may move further up your vaginal canal but you can use Kegals (tensing vaginal muscles) or squat to get it to move back down again. Pain on removal will only happen if you tense up or if you don't break the seal by gripping the base - so as long as you relax and get a good grip there's no reason for pain, most women find them less uncomfortable to remove than tampons. If you get a cup try a few dry-runs before your period and inserting/removing in the shower at first, it helps.

Stems.
Most cups have tab stems, some have none, or MeLuna have tabs, balls, rings or no stems - the stems don't serve any purpose, at most they help you locate the cup inside you, but you really don't need them and thus why most women remove the stems. Some women find the stems can irritate their vaginal opening if the cup sits low in the vagina but they may not want to cut the stem off completely - thus why you have ball, ring or no stems on some cups.

Suggestions.
I'd normally suggest a large sized Ladycup as they're small, short and flexible but the larger size has a good capacity (I have very heavy flow and the large Ladycup works perfectly for me, however in your case it may not be the best option as they are very smooth so a bit tricky to remove. Instead I'd say a medium soft MeLuna might be best for you - good capacity, short, flexible, and they have ridges for easy removal but also I'd suggest a ring stem may be best for removal - http://meluna.eu/monatshygiene/menstruat…

Remember that when folded cups are little different in size to a tampon, when open they are little different in size to an expanded tampon - cups are also smooth so don't cause friction like tampons, all in all making cups easier to insert and remove - regardless of age or virginity.

If you haven't already check out the menstrual cup support community http://www.menstrualcups.org - in particular this post on choosing cups http://community.livejournal.com/menstru… and this post on cup use and virginity http://community.livejournal.com/menstru…

Oh, and also if looking at healthier alternatives, a few other suggestions;

Softcups - http://www.softcup.com - similar idea to softcups, they can be more difficult to use than menstrual cups and can leak, but they are healthier than tampons and so also more convenient as like menstrual cups they can be worn with any flow, any time in your cycle, for 12 hours.

Sponges - http://jamsponge.co.uk - same idea as tampons but made from natural sponge, when wet they are pliable so easy to insert and better as preventing leaks, as they're rayon, chemical and bleach-free they are a healthier alternative to commercial tampons.

Diaphragms - not sure how willing/able you would be to get a diaphragm at your age but this little birth control option can also be used as a reusable menstrual cup, they sit higher up so may be harder for you to use right now but think of them like a hybrid of menstrual cups and softcups.

Cloth pads - http://www.lunapads.com - healthier and more hygienic than commercial pads, generally a lot more comfortable and cooler too, these fasten around your underwear rather than sticking so don't move about as much. Look on etsy.com as they're far cheaper so you can try a few different styles to see what's best for you (I personally recommend PunkyPads).

Work within sexual health, and personal experience.



to be completely honest i've never even heard of that until now (im 17) but i think a tampon would be an easier choice. They're really comfortable and you forget that they are there. Plus there much smaller than the cup as i've seen



id stick with the tampons. but if your scared of taking anything out, maybe you need to stick with pads...



I think cups are gross, immature even. I prefer to use pads and tampons.




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