Tampon

For the commune of Réunion, see Le Tampon.

A tampon with applicator

The elements of a tampon with applicator. Left: the bigger tube ("penetrator"). Center: cotton tampon with attached string. Right: the narrower tube.

Digital tampon (tampon sold without applicator). (The ruler shown is in cm)

A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodily fluid. The most common type in daily use (and the topic of the remainder of this article) is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid. Several countries—including the United States, under the banner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—regulate tampons as medical devices. In the United States, tampons are a Class II medical device. Tampon originated from the medieval French word tampion, meaning a piece of cloth to stop a hole, a stamp, plug, or stopper.

History

As a medical device, the tampon has been around since the 19th century, when antiseptic cotton tampons treated with salicylates were used to stop the bleeding from bullet wounds so that soldiers could survive battle, and there have been reports of modern menstrual tampons being used for the same purpose by soldiers in the Iraq War. In a 2009 episode of Spike TV's Surviving Disaster, host Cade Courtley, in an episode about how to survive a terrorist shooting, shows how to use a tampon as a field dressing.

It is documented that gynecologist Dr. Judith Esser-Mittag developed, during her studies on the female anatomy, the digital design of tampon. In the late 1940s, Dr. Carl Hahn, together with Heinz Mittag, worked on the mass production of such a tampon. Dr. Hahn sold his company which included the digital-style tampon range to Johnson and Johnson in 1974.

Design and packaging

Tampons come in various sizes, which are related to their absorbency ratings and packaging. The outward appearance of a tampon is similar for all brands, but their absorbency varies. The two main differences are in the way the tampon expands when in use; for example applicator tampons such as Tampax tampons and Natracare tampons will expand axially (increase in length), while OB, Natracare and Lil-lets digital tampons will expand radially (increase in diameter). All tampons have a cord for removal and some have an additional outer cover to aid insertion and withdrawal. Some women prefer to use a tampon which is contained within an applicator to further aid insertion.

The majority of tampons sold are made of rayon, or a blend of rayon and cotton. Organic cotton tampons are made from only 100% cotton. Tampons are sold individually wrapped to keep them clean. Since the vagina is not a sterile body cavity, and for the most part contains “good bacteria”, there is no need for any menstrual device to be sterilized.

Tampon applicators may be made of plastic or cardboard, and are similar in design to a syringe. The applicator consists of two tubes, an "outer," or barrel, and "inner," or plunger. The outer tube has a smooth surface to aid insertion and sometimes comes with a rounded end that is petalled.

The tampon itself sits inside the outer tube, near the open end. The inner tube is encased inside the outer tube and held in place by a locking mechanism. The outer tube is inserted into the vagina, then the inner tube is pushed into the outer tube (typically using a finger) pushing the tampon through and into the vagina.

Digital or non-applicator tampons are tampons sold without applicators; these are simply unwrapped and pushed into the vagina with the fingers. Tampons can range in size from 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches.

Main uses are for women who enjoy swimming, which prevents leakage, and for women who wish to take baths during their menstrual cycle.

Absorbency ratings

2 water drop marks mean that the absorbency is between 6 and 9 grams.

Tampons are available in several different absorbency ratings, which are consistent across manufacturers in the U.S.:

• Junior absorbency: 6 grams and under
• Regular absorbency: 6 to 9 grams
• Super absorbency: 9 to 12 grams
• Super Plus absorbency 12 to 15 grams
• Ultra absorbency 15–18 grams

In the UK absorbencies range as follows:

• Lite/Lites/Light (light flow) 6 g and under
• Regular/Normal (light to medium flow) 6–9 g
• Super (medium to heavy flow) 9–12 g
• Super Plus (heavy flow) 12–15 g
• Super Plus Extra (very heavy flow) 15–18 g

The method usually used to determine absorbancy, is a piece of test equipment referred to as a Syngina (Short for synthetic Vagina). The machine uses a condom into which the tampon is inserted, and synthetic menstrual fluid is fed into the test chamber

Toxic shock syndrome

Main article: toxic shock syndrome

Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at the New York University Medical Center, who helped determine that tampons were behind toxic shock syndrome cases in the early 1980s, blames the introduction of higher-absorbency tampons in 1978, as well as the relatively recent decision by manufacturers to recommend that tampons can be worn overnight, for increased incidences of toxic shock syndrome. Materials used in most modern tampons are so highly absorbent that they pose the risk of absorbing the vagina's natural discharge and upsetting its natural moisture balance, which is what enables toxic shock syndrome to occur. The U.S. FDA suggests the following guidelines for decreasing the risk of contracting TSS when using tampons:

• Follow package directions for insertion
• Choose the lowest absorbency needed for one's flow
• Consider using cotton or cloth tampons rather than rayon
• Change the tampon at least every 4 to 6 hours
• Alternate between tampons and pads
• Avoid tampon usage overnight or when sleeping
• Increase awareness of the warning signs of toxic shock syndrome and other tampon-associated health risks

Following these guidelines can help to protect a woman from TSS, and cases of tampon connected TSS are extremely rare in the United States.

Alternatives to tampons include menstrual cups, pads, and sea sponges. However, sea sponges are technically no longer allowed to be sold as menstrual aids.^{[citation needed]} A 1980 study by the University of Iowa found commercially sold sea sponges to contain sand, grit, and bacteria; therefore, sea sponges could also potentially cause toxic shock syndrome.

Other health concerns

Tampons may contain pesticides used on the cotton and chlorine which is used to bleach them. Some of the substances used to bleach tampons have been implicated in the formation of dioxin. A study by the FDA done in 1995 says there are not sufficient amounts of dioxin to pose a health risk; the amount detected ranged from undetectable to 1 part in 3 trillion, which is far less than the normal exposure to dioxin in everyday life. Tampons not using bleaching are on the market, but no research has been conducted to determine whether all-cotton tampons and pads are safer than the more commonly available tampons and pads.

See also

• Cloth menstrual pad
• Menstrual cup
• Sanitary napkin

Further reading

• Finley, Harry (1998)(2001). The Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health. Retrieved December 12, 2003 from http://www.mum.org/comtampons.htm
• Khela, Bal (November 26, 1999). The Women's Environmental Network. Retrieved December 13, 2003 from http://www.wen.org.uk/gen_eng/Genetics/tampon1.htm
• Meadows, Michelle (March–April, 2000). Tampon safety: TSS now rare, but women should still take care. FDA Consumer magazine.
• Sanpro. (April 8, 2003). The Women's Environmental Network. Retrieved December 13, 2003 from http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro/sanpro.htm
• Truths and myths about tampons http://www.snopes.com/toxins/tampon.htm
• Using a Toilet for Tampon Disposal
• Practicing Proper Sanitary Napkin Disposal
• The effects of lactic acid bacteria: Bacterial Vaginosis: a public health review, Marianne Morris et al., British Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneocology, 2001, Bacterial Vaginosis as a risk factor for preterm delivery: A meta analysis, Harld Leitisch et al., General Obstetrics and Gynecology Obstetrics, 2003.

External links

• Original patent by Dr. Earle Haas
• Tampon Related Patents Tampon Patents