It is just not good to use tampons when you are not on your period. Not only are they unnecessary when you aren’t on your period they are also not going to be easy or comfortable to insert when there isn’t really something for it to absorb.

Pantyliners on the other hand are made to absorb discharge and are very comfortable to be worn all day. Pantiliners are the perfect solution for absorbing discharge. So if you want to have something that will be comfortable, light and easy to use against your discharge just grab a panty liner. It will do the job!

Since tampons were made and are intended for the use of absorbing menstrual blood, they should be used for that purpose.

It’s the same as if you used your toothbrush to brush your hair. The purpose of a toothbrush is to brush your teeth and not your hair. So using your toothbrush to brush your hair would not make sense and would not help make your hair less knotted.

Now using that same logic we can then see that using a tampon for something, which it is not, intended for, like absorbing daily discharge, would not make sense.

So remember, if you need something to absorb your daily discharge use a pantyliner.

The first sign that you can see when a girl first starts her period is a brownish discharge that is a little slimy. This is completely normal. Soon after the discharge blood will come. The blood might look brownish reddish or it might just look red. One thing that you could experience is stomach cramps. Some girls get stomach cramps and some don’t. You don’t have to have to get stomach cramps, some girls get them and some don’t.

When you first get your period I recommend using a pad. Thats what I did. I used pads for the first couple of times and then switched over to tampons. If your flow is very heavy at the beginning you could use tampons since it might be uncomfortable to use pads with a heavy flow.

When you are on your period you wouldn’t want to just use a panty liner. You would want to pair it with a tampon, since a pantyliner is too thin to be worn by itself during the period.

It is really up to you if you want to use pads or if you want to use tampons right away. Most girls that I know used pads at first and then started using tampons. If you want to start off by using a tampon and you are unsure of how to use them, you can refer to our post “ How to Insert a Tampon”.

Most girls start off with wearing pads and when they feel ready or they must for some reason wear a tampon they then switch over to tampons. Some girls wear pads for their first year of their period. Some girls just for the first week. It all depends on what one feels is right for them.

If you feel embarrassed about wearing pads and you really do want to wear tampons then you should just try out tampons. If you don’t know how to insert a tampon ask someone who you trust that can help you or refer to our post “ How to Insert a Tampon”.

Some people wear pads because they are scared to use tampons and they just are not ready. That is totally okay, you just need to know that tampons are nothing to be scared of. You do not need to be embarrassed about it. Every one is different. Also every one’s cycles are different. For some people pads just work better and for some tampons just work better.

One thing to keep in mind is that if other girls are making fun of you for not wearing tampons and still wearing pads, then you should just not pay attention to them and don’t go into agreement with them. Your period and what you wear doing your period is a very personal thing. And no one should make fun of you for it. Just keep your head up and be strong!

Another reason why some women change their tampon after going to the bathroom is because after urinating the string of the tampon becomes wet with urine. Having a wet string dangling from your vagina can be uncomfortable, but that is just a matter of opinion.

So just in case when you go to the bathroom and you are on your period make sure to always bring an extra tampon with you. Since you might a) notice that your tampon is actually full, before you thought it would be, b) your tampon moved out of place or c) the wet tampon string will annoy you. Just imagine going to the bathroom and realizing your tampon is full..but you don’t have another one with you. That would make a very unpleasant experience. Always be prepared. Make sure to have extra pantyliners, pads and tampons with you wherever your day takes you!

There are two different types of applicators that you can choose from when buying tampons. One is plastic and the other is cardboard. Which one is better to use?

Well the answer to that question depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a tampon that inserts easily and comfortably one with a plastic applicator would be your best bet.

If you don’t mind about comfort or how easy it is to insert a tampon and you are concerned with helping out the environment, cardboard would be your best choice.

There are a lot of people these days that are starting to be more aware of the environment and are starting to do things to make it so that our planet becomes more sustainable. Plastic is a material that is very hard to recycle since it is made of synthetic materials whereas cardboard is made from natural resources such as trees. Plastic cannot decompose very easily. It takes years and years before it breaks down, so by using plastic the waste hills are just growing bigger and bigger. In order to help cut down on plastic usage a lot of people are starting to buy environmental friendly products. Such products include: tampons with cardboard applicators, recycled products and natural soaps and detergents.

You might think that a little plastic applicator for a tampon doesn’t make a difference. But just think about it, you aren’t the only woman using plastic applicators there are millions of women who use plastic applicators. If one woman in every city were to stop using plastic applicators just think of the difference that would make.

By using tampons with cardboard applicators you are making a difference and taking one step to a healthier planet.

I’m not saying that tampons with plastic applicators are bad, because truthfully they do insert easier, all I’m saying is that by taking a different look at the picture you can really help.

Also if you don’t change your tampon regularly it defeats the whole purpose of a tampon. Since a tampon is there to absorb the blood from your vagina. But if your tampon is full and you don’t change it, it wont absorb any more blood and then the idea of the tampon is gone. If your tampon is full and you don’t change it then blood will start to leak onto your underwear and onto your pants. This just makes things totally uncomfortable and embarrassing. Tampons are not made to be worn all day. The idea is that you wear them for a few hours and then change into a new one. When the string on your tampon is all the way filled with blood or if it is almost completely filled then you know that it is time to change your tampon. Sometimes you might be on your period and you forget to bring a tampon with you to work, school or wherever. A tip so that you don’t have to wear the same tampon all day is, put a couple extra tampons in your purse or car.

If you leave your tampon in for a whole day it will also begin to smell very badly and that might scare off those cute boys. Especially when wearing a dress or a skirt the smell of your old tampon can be easily smelled by others. Imagine being around someone that smells like an old bloody tampon…doesn’t sound too pleasant huh? So for your own good and in consideration of others, change you tampon regularly.

Do not flush a pad, pantyliner or tampon down the toilet. You might think that that is the cleanest and fastest way to get rid of them, but the truth is that flushing them down the toilet will actually cause more trouble in the end, since they will clog the toilet. Do not flush your used pads, tampons or pantyliners down the toilet in public places such as, school, work, malls, parks or any other place like that. You might think that since it isn’t your home that it doesn’t make a difference, but the truth is that it really does make a difference. Have you ever seen a totally clogged toilet in a public place that completely disgusted you? Well chances are that the reason it is clogged is due to someone flushing down a pad, tampon or pantyliner. Just keep in mind that you are not the only person that will use that toilet on that day and that there are other people out there. Picture this scenario, you have been having a terrible day and you need to go to the bathroom sooooo badly. The only available stall in the bathroom is the completely clogged stall. Now that would totally ruin your day even more, since you now have to go find a new bathroom. Just remember to be considerate of others and think what would I like others to do for me. You will feel a lot better about yourself and your actions if you keep others in mind.

The best way to insert a tampon is when you are relaxed and in a quiet space. Some girls find it eaiser to insert their tampon when one leg is up on the toilet seat and one leg is on the floor. Others might prefer to just spread their legs and then insert the tampon. It is just a matter of preference. Also when you first insert a tampon make sure you try the smallest size first, if you try a big one it might hurt since your vagina isn’t used to having something in it. When inserting a tampon it is best when the blood is flowing a little bit so that the tampon can just smoothly glide up into your vagina. If your blood isn’t flowing that much then it might be a little bit harder to insert the tampon. Also you should insert the tampon all the way and not only half way. You will feel it when the tampon is correctly inserted. If it hurts or feel uncomfortable or if you feel the tampon in your vagina it is not inserted correctly. You should take it out and get a new one and try again.

Getting the tampon inserted correctly might require a few tries. Don’t get upset or annoyed. Remember its best to be relaxed, especially when its your first time. If the tampon isn’t inserted correctly and feels weird but you leave it in, it might pop out or not correctly absorb the blood. Which could lead to embarrassing moments. One more thing to keep in mind is that the string attached to the tampon is meant to hang out a little bit out of your vagina. The string is there for a reason. The string is what you pull when you take out your tampon.

If you want to go swimming you have to wear a tampon and not just a pad or a pantyliner. The reason why you have to wear a tampon is because a tampon is made to absorb the blood before it leaves your body. On the other hand, a pad or pantyliner is made to absorb the blood once it’s already left your vagina. Now when you are in the pool, a tampon does not move around and it still keeps absorbing the blood. A pad or panty liner is made to stick to your underwear or bathing suit, but when you go into water the sticky material that is made to stick onto your underwear and keep the pad or pantyliner in place, becomes unsticky due to the contact with water. Hence what happens is if you go swimming and are wearing a pad or pantyliner, the pad or pantiliner gets unsticky and will fall off your bathing suit and will float in the pool. Now that would be totally embarrassing right? So even if you are scared to use a tampon or you have never used one before, it is the only way you can go swimming at this totally awesome pool party. And don’t be scared to use a tampon.

It is actually very easy to insert a tampon and you will find that tampons are a lot more comfortable than pads. Happy pool parties!