Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.
EMILY SCHLORF | STAFF REPORTER | eschlorf@butler.edu
The Diva Cup. The Venus. The Yuuki. The She Cup. Any of these ring a bell? If not, you’re missing out. Or maybe you’re just male. Regardless of if you know what these mysterious cups are or not, now is the time to find out the immaculacy that is the Diva Cup, and why you should give it a try.
The Diva Cup is one of many brands that specialize in silicone-based menstrual cups. As a Diva Cup user, I felt the need to speak on my experiences and preach the works of this amazing product. These god-tier silicone cups collect period blood in a sustainable, odorless and cost-effective way. Though the product may look a tad… intimidating, the Diva Cup isn’t too hard to figure out and get the hang of. Here are five reasons why everybody who experiences periods should introduce the Diva Cup — or any other brand of menstrual cup — to their period regimen.
The Diva Cup is cost-effective
One issue that everyone who has periods must inevitably face is the monthly cost of period products such as pads and tampons. When it comes to budgeting as a college student, single-use products like pads and tampons are simply not cost-effective, especially when faced with other costs like gas, groceries and student loans.
The Diva Cup solves these issues. Spending $12 to $20 a month — depending on quality and ethicalness of products — adds up. Let’s do the math, shall we? With the price of tampons, which is around $7 for a box of 36, and the price of pads, which is around $7 for 30, the combined price can be around $12 to $20 a month. This cost of $12 to $20 a month for twelve months a year can add up to — drum roll please — at least $144 annually, which is $144 dollars too many. And at a whopping $30 dollars, the Diva Cup only needs to be replaced once a year, thus saving us more than a hundred dollars.
The Diva Cup is environmentally-friendly
Pads and tampons must be replaced at least two to three times a day, for five to seven days a week — if you want to avoid the terrifying possibility of Toxic Shock Syndrome, see number five for more information. This means at least two to three tampons and pads get thrown away per day, on their way to the garbage dumps where — since they are not recyclable — they will disintegrate for years to come. Not cool. On top of that, throughout a woman’s lifetime, she will experience around 450 menstrual cycles and will buy up to 11,000 pads or tampons, according to a Bustle article. So, not only do women — and everyone who experiences periods — have to pay a decent amount of money per month for products to combat a biological cycle they cannot control, the Earth has to pay for it too.
Thanks to the Diva Cup, the copious amounts of waste caused by tampons and pads can be halted. Also, many menstrual cups are made from reusable, BPA, latex and phthalate-free plastic, and if cleaned, can be recycled at local recycling facilities. Say goodbye to tampons, pads and an unclean conscience and say hello to sustainable period practices.
The Diva Cup promises no leaks or stains
Ever sit in class and wonder “did i just bleed through my pants?” Ever decide against a certain dress or pair of white shorts in fear of the godforsaken red stain? With the Diva Cup, these worries can be reduced significantly. Unlike pads and tampons, which can only hold up to a third of an ounce of blood, the Diva Cup can hold up to a full ounce of blood. Game. Changer. This means that those who experience periods don’t have to change products every couple of hours, and are almost 100% safe from stains and leaks. The Diva Cup allows period-experiencers to live their lives and not feel limited by their periods, which is no small feat.
The Diva Cup saves you time
As mentioned before, the Diva Cup can hold up to a full ounce of blood, unlike their period-product contenders, pads and tampons. Since the Diva Cup can hold more, it doesn’t have to be taken out as frequently as pads and tampons do. The recommended time that a Diva Cup can be inserted is around 10 to 12 hours at a time. And it miraculously does not overflow, spill, or leak.
The Diva Cup is safer than tampons
I’m willing to bet that almost all tampon-users have heard of Toxic Shock Syndrome, and mildly freaked out about its effects at least once or twice. TSS occurs when an individual has had a tampon inserted for more than the recommended time, causing a bacterial infection. Though very rare, TSS’s side effects are scary and can even be life-threatening. These effects include fever, vomiting, low blood pressure, seizures, kidney failure and death, according to Mayo Clinic. Let’s not put ourselves at risk friends! While the Diva Cup does not promise total immunity from TSS, it is much more unlikely to experience TSS from Diva Cups than with tampons, thanks to the Diva Cup’s medical-grade silicone and non-porous material. This is because when tampons are not replaced regularly, their fibrous and absorbent material can attract a harmful bacteria known as Staphylococcus aureus, which can release dangerous toxins into the bloodstream. Tampons can also disrupt pH levels, causing healthy bacteria to become weak, thus allowing harmful bacteria to thrive, according to Better Health.
As long as you don’t leave your Diva Cup in for longer than 12 hours and clean the cup after each use, TSS is extremely unlikely.
Though the Diva Cup has its flaws — such as being difficult to insert and take out — its pros arguably outweigh the minor inconveniences. So save the Earth and some cash and invest in a silicone menstrual cup — you won’t regret it.
