Overall, the 2022 tampon shortages are being caused by the same factors as other shortages—access to raw materials, shipping troubles, and labor issues. As Time pointed out, tampons are made with cotton and rayon, two materials that have been in high-demand for personal protective equipment throughout the pandemic.
During the global pandemic, supply chain issues have impacted the production and delivery of all sorts of products, but not all products are created equal. Some products, like tampons, are necessities, and to the more than 800 million people who menstruate on any given day, life can't really move on without them.
Tampons have become the latest household product to fall foul of supply chain issues. Reports of a scarcity of the menstrual product, used by millions in the U.S., have combined with general inflationary pressure on the price of goods to create cost and access barriers.
Since the onset of the pandemic, production and distribution of tampons has been stalled by the same kinds of supply chain issues that have caused inflationary price hikes and delays on basically every other consumer good.
Experts say if tampons are not available to you, there are several other alternatives including pads, reusable underwear, menstrual cups and discs that can be used to absorb blood flow during a period.
“The habit of using tissue paper in form of sanitary pads is a poor hygiene practice on the part of any woman. “Because no health policy has supported the use of tissue paper as sanitary pads, it's a bad behavior and should not be adopted. “It doesn't have any credibility of use.
When deciding whether to use pads or tampons, it's really up to you. Many girls start out using pads, but might want to use tampons when they do sports or go swimming. Tampons also are easy to store in a purse or pocket. Another advantage to tampons is that they can't be felt because they're inside the body.
The hashtag #BoycottTampax trended in the U.S. on Twitter on Tuesday after the menstrual product company made a joke about being “inside” its users, with some accusing the brand of “sexualizing” those who get periods, and others expressing anger at the company for using gender neutral pronouns in its post.
Scotland becomes the first country to offer tampons and pads for free, officials say. Period products are seen in a Scottish supermarket in 2020, when Scotland's parliament initially approved legislation to make such products available for free.
Overall, the 2022 tampon shortages are being caused by the same factors as other shortages—access to raw materials, shipping troubles, and labor issues.
The company said that dropping Ultra tampons, the most absorbent version, was a business decision. There were no health issues, such as reports of toxic shock syndrome, that led to the decision, which was made last September.
Figures are rubbery but in the United States it is estimated 42% of women use tampons (and likely not exclusively), compared to 62% using pads.
Menstrual hygiene products that are deemed “biodegradable” are designed to break down over a long period of time – in a waste treatment facility. Even “eco-friendly” tampon brands can cause plumbing blockages and pipe breaks.
In 1931, Earl Haas, a physician in Colorado, developed a cardboard applicator tampon that was meant to absorb menstrual blood. He made the tampon inside the applicator from tightly bound strip of dense cotton that was attached to a string for easy removal.
Several tampon manufacturers have confirmed that they are indeed facing supply issues in 2022, leading to a tampon shortage. According to Time, Procter & Gamble, which makes Tampax, said it was having issues sourcing raw materials.
There is a lack of knowledge about such products
Says Dr Goel: “Girls, often, don't have access to information about menstruation or any education on the topic. Hence, they are not too aware of the different methods of managing menstrual flow.” Women who have grown up in India will attest to this fact.
Infections include the rare but serious Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). It is safe to sleep with a tampon in as long as it's not for more than eight hours. So, if you can keep your night-time snooze to 8 hours or under, then you can wear a tampon overnight.
The second factor is leak protection.
Tampons are more likely to leak than pads because they can't always absorb all the blood flow.
Some people might feel like their periods end faster when they use tampons, while others say that using pads seemingly shortens their period length because pads do not hamper period flow. However, there is no scientific evidence that either tampons or pads can make your period end faster.
The best way to know if your tampon needs changing is to give a light tug on the tampon string, if it starts to pull out easily then it's time to change, if not, it usually means you can leave it a bit longer. Just remember with tampons, 4 hours is about right, and don't leave one in for more than 8 hours.
Can I wear a tampon in the bath or shower during my period? Yes, it's fine to wear a tampon in the bath or shower. If your period is light at the time, you might find that you don't need one for the few minutes that you are in the bath or shower. Most of the time, blood won't leak out.
Will my tampon soak up the water? Some of the pool or seawater will likely be absorbed by your tampon when you're swimming. This is not to say, though, that it won't absorb your blood also - it will. You may want to consider this and use a slightly more absorbent tampon before taking a dip.
This number is backed up by Dr Nye, who adds that "considering a normal sleep pattern of seven straight hours and minimum exercise, you would expect to use four to five pads per day or around 20-23 pads per cycle."
You might have menorrhagia if you: Have a menstrual flow that soaks through one or more pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row. Need to double up on pads to control your menstrual flow.