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Users comment on their
experience with cups
A woman co-worker suggested I
consolidate your letters and other
reports about menstrual cups; here
they are! They date from the most
recent right below (1998; read
more recent comments in the news
page) to about mid-1996 at the
bottom. See also the MUM series on
the history
of menstrual cups, and the
links to the sites of The
Keeper and Instead
menstrual cups, the ones sold in
the U.S.A. today. You can also see
them compared below, almost at the
bottom of this page,
using photos.
I hope you find this useful!
By the way, my association with
these two companies, Instead and
The Keeper, is this: The Instead
people called me with some
historical questions for their
advertising campaign before they
started to sell the cup, and two
representatives have since visited
this museum. Instead sent me,
free, a large box of the cups,
advertising material, and their
video. I have spoken with Lou
Crawford, the founder and owner of
The Keeper, by phone, and we have
exchanged faxes and letters about
her product. She paid for two ads
in my defunct newsletter,
Catamenia, and has sent me
literature and demonstration
samples of The Keeper. All are
nice people, and I see advantages
to both cups, and disadvantages.
Letters
from you are indented like
this. They are unsolicited.
I hope they help!
My comments
start at the left margin.
These are older
comments, from 1996 through
April 1998. For newer
comments, read the recent news
pages.
E-mail
from Stanford University
discusses menstrual cups:
Thank you for providing such a
treasure trove of information
for women. I really enjoyed
browsing through your site.
As for what I think about Instead
- I love it! I just wish I'd
found out about it sooner. Due
to insertion problems, I cannot
use tampons; and since my
periods always come during
vacations involving swimming, it
was an annoying limitation.
Today was my first time using
Instead, and I still can't
believe how easy it was to
insert. I don't feel it at all
now, and there is no leakage. I
love it! Incidentally, I also
tried The Keeper;
but it was sheer horror to try
to insert it, and I just gave
up. I just wish someone would
make a reusable Instead cup - I
really like the idea of not
contributing to landfill growth.
26 April 1998
"Instead . . . really changed
my life"
Dear Mr. Finley,
I wrote to you a few weeks ago
about my concern that Ultrafem
[see the dress
Ultrafem gave this museum], the
maker of Instead [menstrual
cup, and comments],
was going out of business. Well,
my fears came true. The plant in
Missoula [Missouri] closed
down last week, laying off all
but 6 people. The
stocks are down to ridiculously
low prices because everyone has
sold. I am very sad about this,
because I just discovered
Instead a few months ago and it
really changed my life (it
sounds crazy--but it really did!
About 25% of a woman's life,
between puberty and menopause,
is spent menstruating, and this
product really made that 25%
much, much smoother and more
pleasant.)
I tried The Keeper but it
won't seem to keep in place and
leaks like crazy. Instead was
perfect in every way. Do you
know if it is unsafe to use a
diaphragm as a menstrual cup? [I
hope to put information about
this here soon.] That is perhaps
my only choice left.
I find it distressing that
such an excellent product is
going to become unavailable.
Unless a miracle happens (i.e.
Ultrafem finds a new investor
fast), Instead is gone forever.
"Tipped uterus" and Instead
I tried it [Instead menstrual
cup, and comments],
thought it would be great, but
was unhappy with the product.
After several attempts I still
couldn't figure out how to get
it inserted correctly so that
there would be no leaking or
FLOODING.
I've been told by my
gynecologist that I have a
tipped uterus; I thought maybe
that could be the problem of not
being able to get it to fit.
I called Instead's 800 number
[which no longer exists], asking
if this could be the
problem.They were very vague - I
don't think they knew. If they
are aware that this is a problem
for women with my condition I
think they should note this on
the outside of the package so
that I don't have to waste my
money on their product. [She
probably won't have that
opportunity much longer, since
the company seems to be
failing.]
Thanks, Rachel
23
March 1998
Why Didn't They Refine Instead?
Hi! Love yer page . . .
My aunt received a trial
package of Instead [menstrual
cup] a few months ago and was
less than intrigued. She passed
the package on to me. I tried
it. I don't have a problem with
the insertion/withdrawal
process; I feel very comfortable
with my menstrual blood, and
with my body parts in general.
My
problem with Instead is that
it didn't seem to want to stay
in place. It stayed in
place the first time I used it,
but the second time I used it
kept popping out of place. It
didn't seem all that
comfortable, but I'm wondering
if that's because the
one-size-fits-all thing just
isn't true. Perhaps if
it came in more sizes or
something. I personally think
it's a fabulous concept but
maybe it needs a little more
fine tuning.
I'm sad to hear about the
rumors of the Ultrafem folding.
[I am too. Having a choice is
always better.] If wymyn would
just get in touch with their
bodies and their blood, the
world would be a much better
place [Absolutely!].
23
March 1998
Two Weigh in on The Keeper
and Instead
Menstrual
Cups
Happy users recommend cups:
[User
1.]
I have used The Keeper for
three cycles now. I only wish I
had discovered it years ago. It
takes a bit of practice to
insert and remove, but it's
really not that messy. I'm
thrilled with the thought of a
safer, nonpolluting and less
expensive menstrual product.
While trying to "spread the
word," however, I have been
saddened by the ever-prevalent
negative attitudes about
menstrual blood, finger
insertion, emptying and
removal of a product of this
nature. It is indeed a
shame. Now we have another
innovative company (Ultrafem)
possibly on
the skids because of
attitudes of this type.
Kudos to you, Mr. Finley, for
an informative and entertaining
site that I have made a point of
visiting weekly. Perhaps with
efforts like yours in our midst,
these unfortunate attitudes
about menstruation and our
miraculous human bodies will
steadily dissipate.
Thanks.
[User
2.]
A note on the cup.
I have used the disposable
cups (Instead) for about three
months and I swear by them. I
think they're the greatest thing
since sliced bread! They are so
comfortable when worn properly
that you really have no idea
that they are there. When first
using them, it can be a little
messy, but in a few days you
have the knack of it. And to top
it all off, after using them for
awhile, I find it is much cleaner
than using pads or tampons.
Since the cup catches all the
mess inside of you at the base
of the cervix and there is no
blood outside of the cup, by
placing your index finger around
the rim like a hook they are
easily taken out with no mess.
You also don't have the
"outside" mess that pads or
tampons can leave against your
[pubic] hair.
The first concern I had was, Is it going to
get lost up there? No
way. [There's nowhere for it to
go.] The next concern was, Did I push it
back far enough? You
will know that it is far enough
back because the pink rim will
"catch" right behind your
[pubic] bone and that is what
holds it in place as well. You
can go swimming with them and
wear them longer than a tampon;
they produce no odor, and best
of all, you can have sex while
wearing them. Believe it or not,
neither you nor your partner can
tell when you are wearing the
cup. Well, that's just my
opinion anyway.
Lots of luck on the museum!!
[9
March 1998]
Instead: Dead?
But First . . .
A reader writes (see also
some other letters):
Glad to hear about others
reusing Instead [menstrual
cup]. I figured I reused a
diaphragm for years, so how can
they be any different? I just
tried my first box and like
others, I found some leakage
after the 4-6 hours mark and
messy to remove. I rinsed off
and washed with soap and used
each of mine 2-3 times. I will
try them again. Currently they
are on sale at six for $1.00 at
my local Jewl-Osco in Chicago.
I've never seen any ad for them
anywhere.
Fans of the Instead menstrual
cup should buy
as many as they can right now
- there are
signs that the company,
Ultrafem, may fold, or at least
stop selling the cup.
The stock price, listed as Ufem,
has plummeted, the Web site is
inaccessible and the 800 phone
number doesn't work, at least the
last time I tried. I have heard
that some stores have greatly
reduced the price, as in the
letter above; in some cases, they
are giving them away.
A visitor to the museum today
from an advertising agency in New
York said that she had never seen
an ad for the product, just as
with the writer above hadn't, but
had found some, which she has not
yet tried.
If the cup disappears, it would
be the fourth
in the U.S.A. to flop, leaving
only The Keeper, which has existed
since the late 1980s. An
interesting Australian menstrual
cup with an insertion device
failed about 10 years ago. It kept
a woman's fingers away from blood
during insertion.
My feeling is that there simply
aren't enough interested women to
support a large company making
cups, although a small one like
the The Keeper can supply those
willing to insert an object with
their fingers into their vagina a
couple of times a day, empty it,
wash it off, etc.
22
February 1998
1.
I have tried Instead several
times and found that regardless
of my efforts, positioning,
etc., I have had leakage after
just a few hours (less than 4 to
6). I am not someone with a
heavier than average flow so I
don't understand this problem.
Like other users have said, I
have tried to reuse the Instead
with no problems. They are so
sturdy that I would simply wash
them in anti-bacterial soap,
rinse well, and dry. I never
reused them excessively, just 2
or 3 times. I am interested in
trying The Keeper, but the
budget is not allowing the $35
at this time.
Once I do try it, I will
return here and give you my
feedback!
You are welcome to use my
letter, I would be honored, and
you have my permission to use my
age and or name, should you
desire. I am 25.
Should you want further
contributions from me, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
****
2.
I have tried both The Keeper and
Instead, and both have their
drawbacks. Both leak if I have a
full bowel or bladder. I feel
that the Instead cup is easier
to insert, but I hate the idea
of it being non biodegradable.
(I reuse mine also by washing it
when I empty it- I use about 3
or 4 per period). The Instead,
unfortunately, works better for
me than The Keeper because of
Instead's ease of insertion. It
is also more comfortable.
However, I believe in the Keeper
product and its reusability and
because of that am not going to
return it. The best of
both worlds, as some women
have mentioned, would be to
make a diaphragm ( it has a
softer, more comfortable rim
than the Instead) with a
collection device built in,
like the Instead, but is made
out of natural gum rubber like
the Keeper. Is anyone
working on something like this?
[Not that I know of, but someone
should!]
It's great to see a Web site
like this, by the way. Thanks!
3.
I recently purchased Instead. It
was very messy when inserting
and taking it out. It is quite a
problem when changing in public
restrooms. I am very concerned
about it's environmental
effects. Since it is not
biodegradable I feel like i
shouldn't use them. It is very
reliable, though.
4.
Mr. Finley: Firstly, excellent,
excellent Web site. Three cheers
for a man who cares so much
about periods! [!]
Now, I have some comments and
questions about Instead.
Recently I was amazed and
excited to discover it on my
local NYC Rite Aid's shelf. I
immediately bought it and tried
it. Insertion-- no problem (I've
been using o.b. for years.)
Removal? Whoa! My first removal
experience was terrible! I did
so much wrenching around down
there my bladder felt sore
afterward. BUT I did
finally discover the secret!
See, if you just try to hook
it with your finger, it slips
away from you every time,
seeming to go deeper inside.
Easy removal is facilitated by
simply pushing hard as if you
were having a baby! The cup is
thrust forward and the rim
easily accessible to a hooked
fingertip. And out it slides.
Thank God I discovered this
because otherwise I would have
had to take a trip to the
doctor's! Now, I'm totally
devoted to Instead-- I don't
feel it when it's in, no
leakage, and the fact that I can
wear it during sex is totally
amazing.
However, I have growing
concerns about Instead's
manufacturer, Ultrafem, not
staying in business! I
have no FACTS to support this,
but when I
called their 800 number, it
had been disconnected, and
their Web site is no longer
running! Help! I just
discovered this miraculous
product and I'll be terribly
disappointed if they go under,
like all the previous cup
makers. Do you have any
information about this? Do you
know whom I could contact to
find out more? [I am checking on
this.]
I guess I could get the Keeper
if I can no longer get Instead,
but it can't be worn during sex
and I'm not crazy about the idea
of having to clean it.
Thanks! Help spread the word
about Instead!
5.
Hello...
I just wanted to say that I
recently moved to Alabama from
the state of Washington. In
Washington, I bought Instead on
a regular basis, because once I
tried them, I was hooked. They
are great!
I have a small problem,
though. I cannot find them in
any store in my area!!!
I am going to have to get my
sister to buy some in Washington
and mail them to me.
I have discovered, however,
that Insteads can be washed with
warm soapy water and re-used
probably hundreds of times. I
have only two because I was used
to throwing them away. But now I have
been washing and re-using them
because I will not go back to
tampons ever again! LOL
16
February 1998
A Former Midwife
Talks About Menstrual Cups
Hi!
I'm enjoying my journey
through MUM and just read the
entire page of comments on The
Keeper and Instead.
A little herstory: I wore
tampons from my second cycle
(age 14) on. Then when i was 19
I got toxic shock syndrome . . .
so much for tampons! I hated
pads, but was told I had no
other alternative, so for the
next few years I wore and hated
my pads, how they looked, felt,
etc. When I was 22 I gave birth
to my son and put him in cloth
diapers. It started to seem a
little silly to me to use cloth
on him and paper on me, so I
made flannel pads for myself.
When my lactational amenorrhea
stopped, and my flow resumed, I
used the cloth pads. [They were]
more comfortable, and I was glad
I wasn't throwing anything
"away" anymore (the book Whitewash
was a big thing in my life at
the time! [It should be now;
see the first article on the 8
February News page]). But they
were still PADS, bunching,
riding, leaking . . . .
Then I discovered The Keeper.
Wow! I was thrilled! From my
first cycle with The Keeper I
was amazed. I've never once had
a leak and rarely had a "mess"
to deal with. I find that I
rarely need to empty it in a
public restroom because I can go
at least 12 hours at a time with
it. In fact, here's a story
about my very first day
wearing The Keeper.
I received my Keeper in the
mail and was very excited about
using it. Two weeks later, my
period started and I put my
Keeper in, about 11 pm. I went
to bed a little later and was
awakened at about 3-4 am by the
pager (I was a midwife -- now
"retired"). A client, who lived
almost 100 miles away, was in
labor. I got up, dressed, and
headed for her house. I
completely forgot about my
period and my Keeper! I attended
the birth, and just before the
baby was born my pager started
going off. I couldn't get to it
at the time, and about an hour
later I finally checked the
pager and found it was a "911"
page from the hospital where my
husband works. When I called, they told me
he had been admitted with
chest pains and was in ICU
[intensive care unit] for
monitoring. It was
another several hours before I
could leave the home of my
client, and there was an awful
thunderstorm which kept me
driving 30-40 mph all the way
home. I finally got to the
hospital to see my husband at 11
pm -- 24
hours after I first put The
Keeper in -- and in the
bathroom realized I was wearing
The Keeper. I emptied it -- it
was FULL and a huge gush of
blood came out from behind it
too! But it DID NOT LEAK!!!!
I have worn The Keeper now for
about 20 months. I have tried
Instead a few times (and keep
some on hand because I like
having them for times when I
want to have intercourse
during my period) but
it was less reliable for
leakproofness and harder to
insert correctly and to remove.
I have worn my Keeper through
four miscarriages as well.
I haven't had any of the
problems that a lot of people
have had with The Keeper, nor
has it irritated my latex
allergy! The only problem I've
had with it is that I finished a
miscarriage the same day my dog
had a litter of puppies. I
wasn't sure that I was done
bleeding, so I rinsed out my
Keeper and left it sitting on
the bathroom sink. My dog was in
the bathroom with the puppies.
When I came in a couple of
hours later, The Keeper was
chewed into a million little
pieces! :^ My own
fault, of course!
I love my Keeper and wouldn't
trade it for the world. However,
I also don't use it constantly
most cycles (though I have,
without problems) because I like
to be able to feel my
blood flowing. I have made
myself a large flannel pad to
sit on (imagine those awful
paper "blue pads" from the
hospital, only in soft comfy
cotton flannel) and while I'm
at home during my periods I
sit on that and let my blood
flow.
Maka Laughingwolf, domestic
goddess in Fort Sill,
Oklahoma, USA
Life-after-lifepartner to
Greywolf, RN, pagan,
vegetarian, moon-honoring,
unassisted-birthing,
extended-breast-feeding,
un-circumcising,
non-vaccinating,
cloth-diapering,
family-sleeping, un-schooling,
stay-at-home-mom to ds Daystar
(6/23/91) and many babies
never held in arms and
work-at-home touch therapist
& reiki master.
If a child is breathing,
s/he's learning!
We are each given a block
of marble when we begin a
lifetime, and the tools to
shape it into structure. We
can drag it behind us
untouched, we can pound it to
gravel, we can shape it into
glory. (Richard Bach)
Instead
Likes Instead!
Someone whose return e-mail
address contains the words Ultra
Fem - the company that makes the
Instead menstrual cup - snuck
this one to me:
I LOVE it [Instead]! As a
barrel-racing, horsy person, the
Instead makes my long hours in
the saddle more easy to bear, no
soreness, no changing behind a
tree on a trail ride. I tried
the others, Keeper
and Tassaway,
too hard to insert, but INSTEAD
is great!
And Speaking of The Keeper,
as this jubilant does:
Hi!
I received my Keeper in the
mail a month ago and just
recently got to try it!!! I'm so
proud of my Keeper. The first
day I used it I announced it to
the whole cafeteria at breakfast
in my high school. [The woman is
mad!] I was/am really
excited about these new
innovations.
After I finished a whole cycle
I told everyone in my gay pride
group about The Keeper and
grossed them all out. Haha...
oh, well.
See, I love getting my period.
I can't explain it, but thanx
fer talking bout The Keeper on
yer site. This is my fave Web
site and I visit it often. Keep
up the good work!!!
As the editor, I should have
[sic] ed right and left,
but you would not have enjoyed
it as much!
She Rants!
The following e-mail is more
a general discussion, but it
does include cups. Go to the
ones following for actual
experiences with cups.
Thank you for the museum and
the site! I found it (this site)
via the BUST
[magazine] webpage
(www.bust.com).
Now on to my feminist rant!
I've never tried any (either?)
of the [menstrual] cups but I
think I learned a lot from
reading others' comments. Of
course, I wish we could take
care of our planet a little
better. The issue of cups being
messy/public restrooms is a
justifiable concern, (especially
under your nails - I know what
this is like and this was the
first thought I had when reading
about the "dirty" issue), but
women's fear of their own
body/blood made me have fear -
and anger. I can't help but
think: Why don't men have this
problem? They are always making
references to their own bodies
and women's too. If you can't
live with your own blood, what
can you live with? The blood IS
the life, of you and fetuses.
BUT if there are bacteria in
that blood, I wonder how good it
is to let it sit and fester -
way up inside of your body?
(Just a thought). But I do think
that The Keeper sounds very
good.
My main concern is just what
the student of Chinese medicine
pointed out. I think that having
something pressing up on an
internal body part, possibly
rubbing with your movements (but
I wouldn't know), crippling
circulation and oxygen flow is
really very scary and I'm
surprised that this doesn't
concern anyone, apparently. Not
to mention my dismay at hearing
about one of these gizmos
CUTTING! Think of what would
happen if a, let's see, a condom
or a jock strap (?), or
something, cut a men's penis!
The "stronger sex" would be in a
hospital for a month for
reconstructive surgery!
What I've been thinking
throughout every post, is just
how much history there ISN'T to
this issue of bleeding once a
month by every woman, for how
many centuries (how many months
is that?)! I don't want to sound
like I think that menstration is
a problem (I love it for being
something that only women can
experience and it is great for
that!) but, yes, it is
inconvenient and messy, etc.,
and in my tender 18 years, I am
of the opinion that if it were a
man's problem, it would have a
fuller history, and be
celebrated -- (as it is here!)
not a taboo subject...that is
viewed as "unclean" and
everything else - you know the
story. I might even get
ridiculous, as is my style, and
think that the (few) instruments
we have, which cause toxic
shock, bladder infections, that
cut, suction, pull, etc., are
really a conspiracy thought up
by "the man"! (Don't ask)
Maybe we should go back to
rolling up cloth and let those
men stop collecting our money
and if they don't like how big
pads look, they can shove it -
somewhere else! : )
"In with anger, out with
love"!
I love you all! and thanks
again! Take pride in your
period. It's a symbol (nothing
against post-menapausal women -
that's a whole other subject!).
Readers
Talk More About Instead and
Keeper Menstrual Cups (January
1998)
Here's a point for Instead:
I have tried The Keeper and
Instead. No matter what I do
with the Keeper, it is painful
to insert, nearly impossible to
rotate, which probably leads to
the next problem - it leaks. I
will be returning it.
Although Instead is more
expensive and is not
biodegradable, I tried it and it
is absolutely wonderful. A cinch
to insert, doesn't leak, can't
feel it . . . .
I wish I had the capability of
crossing the design of Instead
with the material the Keeper is
made of - the best of both
worlds would truly be the answer
(or at least another option!).
And another for The Keeper:
A few months ago I ordered a
Keeper and I was ecstatic about
finding something that was not
harmful to the environment and
not a danger to my health.
Because I am one of the
unfortunate women out there that
has difficulty wearing tampons
it took me a few weeks to be
able to insert it. When I
finally managed to insert it I
thought I had dropped it because
I could not feel it inside my
body. When I reached down and
felt the tab I got so excited I
ran downstairs in my pjs' to
tell my mother [!]. The only
downside to the Keeper is that
it is a bit messy and I usually
have to wear a panty liner the
first few days depending on how
heavy my flow is. I have only
had it for a few months and I am
sure after a bit more practice
I'll have the problem stopped.
Best of luck to all those future
Keeper users and a hearty hurray
to those who have it already!
And, again, for Instead:
Dear Mr. Finley,
I stumbled onto your site . .
. and . . . I hope your site is
on the up and up, because I
found it interesting.
About the new cup, Instead: I
recently discovered it in
Walgreen's in San Francisco. I
bought it because it intrigued
me. I had never seen a menstrual
cup before, although I have read
about them. I live in Florida
and had never seen it on the
market here.
Instead was interesting. It
did exactly as promised. There
was no pain or sensation of
being there when properly
inserted. However it DOES TAKE
AWHILE to insert properly when
you first start out. And there
is a little PANIC trying to
remove it the first few times.
However, overall, I was pleased.
I'm going to keep practicing.
Instead is Too Slippery
A nurse practitioner e-mailed
in December 1997:
I was delighted to discover
your Web site today, and I plan
to revisit soon.
About Instead -- I was
thrilled to see it advertised
(it IS available on the East
Coast), and couldn't wait to try
it. Boy, was I disappointed!
First of all, it leaked.
Secondly, I had a lot of trouble
getting it out (and, yes, it was
quite messy), and was able to do
so only with the help of a
rubber glove, which provided a
better grip. It was too slippery
otherwise. I must add that I am
a nurse practitioner in women's
health care, and therefore have
a lot of experience with fitting
women with diaphragms, so I am
certainly experienced in the
necessary technique.
The Beat Goes On: Instead vs. The
Keeper
The telegraph key tapped this
missive seconds ago:
My experience with Instead was
not a positive one, although I
applaud the product and their
marketing strategies, assuming
that it must work OK for some
folks. I experienced major
leaking that seemed to be
precipitated by just about
anything (a full bladder, gas,
an awkward sitting position,
etc). I believe Instead was
inserted properly because
everything would be fine for the
first couple of hours. The
non-biodegradability is a tough
issue for me to accept, also.
My experience with The Keeper
thus far (one cycle) has been a
positive one. Insertion was not
difficult. I had to shorten the
"tail" considerably for comfort.
Clearly, I need to develop
better removal skills, but it
was not too messy even as a
novice. I had a small leaking
incident once, but I had
neglected to partially rotate
the cup to develop a seal. I
intend to continue using The
Keeper.
Heavy Bleeding: Instead,
No Hysterectomy
I received these comments in
December 1997 about the
menstrual cup Instead:
I've been struggling with the
problem of inadequate products
for years, having had massive
fibroid tumors that went
undiagnosed for way too long. I
had surgery (a myomectomy) but
refused a hysterectomy, but
since they were unable to remove
all of my tumors, I still
experience pretty awful
symptoms, among them incredibly
heavy, and fairly unpredictable,
bleeding. I've been stranded in
the Port Authority bathroom on
Christmas Eve, I've been unable
to leave the stage after
performances, and inconvenienced
hundreds of other times because
what I was using failed.
And that's exactly what you
don't need to deal with when
you're not feeling well to begin
with . . . .I even had to pretty
much give up bicycling because I
just couldn't be out on the road
away from a bathroom for long.
My life
is DRASTICALLY different since
I discovered Instead on my
store's shelf recently. Yeah,
it's messy to remove. So what?
It's way better than running to
the bathroom at my office
sometimes every five or ten
minutes! And blood washes off
your hands way easier than off
of your car upholstery, clothing
and other folks' furniture.
Anyway, as long as you're
careful and kind of tip the cup
upward a bit as you remove
(rather than holding it level as
suggested), it seems you can get
better control and not squeeze
it so much, which is what causes
mishaps.
Anyway, I can't imagine that
the benefits don't outweigh any
messiness. And it's true: I was
on the verge of considering
going ahead with a hysterectomy,
just because I couldn't get
through a day at work, or
because it'd take me hours to
drive somewhere because I'd have
to keep pulling over in search
of an emergency bathroom stop.
I think now I can live with
these guys!
The Keeper v. Instead, etc.
Some recent (November 1997)
e-mail in the ongoing discussion
of cups:
I tried everything, pads,
tampons, Instead & currently
own a Keeper which I'm delighted
with. When I used Instead I
could feel it, no matter how I
adjusted it and worst of all, I
had more leakage problems with
Instead. Plus I found Instead to
be extremely messy, more so then
The Keeper.
The Keeper is great! No
leakage at night! For me this is
a blessing. No matter what I
wore I normally had leakage
problems at night. Not with the
Keeper! No more maxi's with
panties! With the Keeper I
appreciate the fact that it is
extremely inexpensive, when the
cost is averaged over 10 years.
I am not putting dioxins or
toxins into my body, it's super
convenient, your wear it, you
don't need to bring extra
things. Women need to get over
their own personal biases
against menstrual blood.
Hello, I like your site. A few
comments about The Keeper and
other "suction" devices like the
cervical cap, etc.
I am a student of Chinese
Medicine and over the years of
training have discovered that
stagnation is a key factor in
many diseases relating to
women's cycles. I used to use a
cervical cap and after a visit
to the doctor for a Pap test she
commented on how the cervix
appeared as thought it had a
bruise or hickey on it. We
agreed it was from the use of
the cap. After later thinking
about it, I began to realize
that healthy tissue needs oxygen
and blood to flow freely around
it and that the use of these
products may have its pros, its
also has strong cons. These may
not show up immediately but on
the long term use of these
products I predict stagnation
(Chinese term) problems
occurring in women using these
products. Stagnation causes
pain, cramps, clots, bloating,
etc., during the cycle. Just
another view point to consider.
You may like to visit my home
page - I sell a RED tonic to
help with the moon time problems
of women.
Compassion and Awareness to
all.
Vera Zyla China Tonics
(604)538-9682 E-mail:
chinat@istar.ca
Pms, Arthritis, Hay fever and
Menopause tonics available at: http://home.istar.ca/~chinat/
I've been using Instead now
for my second period. As I used
o.b. tampons, the insertion
didn't bother me. However, I did
have one night of leakage, but
as the flow was heavier the
third night and no leakage, I
must not have had it positioned
correctly. I do have a problem
with having leakage or having to
empty and re-insert Instead
after a bowl movement . . . any
one else have this problem?
I don't think I'd want a
Keeper because one couldn't use
it during intercourse, and as I
spot for days and days past day
six, (and I dislike washing
bedding) this is a real
advantage for me and my husband.
Can't The Keeper be made more
like Instead, reusable and
without the tail? Then I'd
probably buy one.
Thanks for all the info.
Cups Are "Totally Impractical"
You're not "getting" it about
menstrual cups.
Think about them practically--
particularly in a public
bathroom, for example at the
office, you'd have to take the
thing out, stuff toilet paper in
your underwear, get dressed,
rinse the cup, get undressed
again . . . it's totally
impractical. There are exactly
zero bathrooms that I use
regularly where I can reach the
sink from the toilet.
Besides, if you have longer
fingernails, the blood would
pool under them-- and it's a
bitch to try to wash all of it
off so that it doesn't show.
Yes to
Instead, No to The Keeper
Hi. Thought I'd give my $.02
worth about Instead, as I have
just used it for the first time
(and I live in NY, so it's here
on the East Coast!)
First, I'd like to state that
I am unhappy about the
non-biodegradeability of Instead
[menstrual cup]. I sent for and
tried the Keeper, thinking this
was the perfect device for me,
both physically and ethically. I
was much dismayed to find that I
could not wear it comfortably.
It was just too long, and even
after snipping off some of the
tail (quite a lot, actually) as
instructed, it still was too
long. (I ordered the
after-childbirth size, as I've
had two, all natural.) I
reluctantly sent it back, and
received a prompt refund.
However, as a menstruation
device, Instead was great. It
fit me, diameter-wise, although
I'm sure it won't fit everyone.
I partially assuaged my guilt
over the throwaway issue by
using a single cup for one whole
period. I just took it out and
washed it every twelve hours. I
could not see using a new cup
every twelve hours--the things
are just too sturdy. This would
be difficult in public
restrooms, however.
So, that's my Instead
testimonial. Your site is great,
by the way.
She Reuses
the Menstrual Cup Instead
I just spent a evening
browsing your site. Wonderful, I
learned more in two hours than I
ever discussed with friends.
Anyway, I wanted to let you
know that the Instead seems to
be reusable. I've been able to
wash it with soap, dry and
reinsert. I've only reused the
same cup twice before throwing
it away. No ill effect yet. Yes,
it is "grot". I know Instead is
not approved for reuse, but it's
not advised against it either.
She Tried the Menstrual Cup
Instead, But . .
An allergic
reaction may explain
this problem in an e-mail I
received recently:
I tried the Instead cup about
six months ago and found it very
comfortable, but a bit messy.
With a little practice (standing
over the bathtub) I was able to
remove it without too many
problems. On the other hand, my
body seemed to have a problem
with it. After about two hours
of being in, my genitals
would start to swell up on the
inside and out, as if
I were completely engorged or
something (it reminded me of
when I was pregnant). It then
became very difficult and
painful to remove and almost
impossible to put a new one in.
I'm tempted to try it again to
see if my body will still react
that way. I really like the cup,
I only wish I could use it.
Ripping
Pads and Tampons, but Praising
Cups and Diaphragms
Modesty
almost prevented me from
showing you the first
paragraph of this e-mail I
recently received, and other
parts, but, what the heck, I
should enjoy this while I can:
First,
congrats for being a man with
a brain. I was surprised
(happily) when I found out
that the Curator of MUM was a
male-person. But then when I
began reading and looking
around I decided you were
really all right, and actually
totally cool.
Now I have
some general comments on
menstruation and my
experiences. I just had my
40th birthday last month and
as far as commercial pads and
tampons are concerned, I've
tried them all: pads with
belts, pads that stick to your
underwear, pads with wings,
long pads, short pads,
reusable cloth pads, etc, etc.
Ladies and gentleman, the
truth is: pads shift, bunch,
and leak. Pad technology has
reached its peak; nothing can
be done to a pad that keeps it
from leaking. As for tampons,
the ones made by the big
commercial companies are full
of chemicals and materials
that at the least aren't good
for you, and at the worst may
kill you. One-hundred-percent
cotton tampons are safer from
a health and environmental
perspective, but they are
crumbly and they need to be
watched more carefully and
changed more often as they are
not chemically enhanced to be
extra absorbent. On my heavy
days the most absorbent don't
get me through the night.
Perhaps I was
blessed with a
wiser-than-usual mother, or
perhaps I just have a very
strong sense of self and body,
but my attitudes about
menstrual blood have never
been "shameful" or "unclean"
or any of those things. Also I
was lucky to learn about
Native American women's
attitudes and practices about
menstruation in my early 20's
and they made infinitely more
sense to me than the stuff
pushed by Madison Avenue about
menstruation.
Recently,
through the MUM site, I found
the Keeper menstrual cup - I
wish I'd found it years ago!
Leaks don't bother me from an
"unclean" perspective, but
stained and therefore ruined
clothes do bother my wallet.
And we don't live in an age or
culture where we can separate
ourselves during our menses
like the Native American women
could. The Keeper is the most
leakproof thing I've ever
used, and no matter how heavy
my flow the most I've had to
empty it is three times per
day.
Some of the
writings at [this] MUM [site]
say that previous menstrual
cups have failed because women
find them "messy" to insert
and remove, and they have to
put their fingers inside
themselves. I do not
understand this attitude at
all. I guess Madison Avenue
and cultural conditioning run
very deep indeed. Women put
plastic douche nozzles,
chemical-laced tampons, not to
mention the penises of some
men, into their vaginas
without a second thought, and
then balk at putting their own
fingers inside themselves? How
can menstrual blood be
"unclean" or "dirty"? That is
where a baby would grow if
fertilization had taken
place...common sense tells you
it could not be "dirty." As
the Native Americans so wisely
say, we (women and men) would
all be wise to remember that
it was this same blood that
nourished and protected us in
the womb.
And finally,
Mr. Finley, I have something
for you that I didn't see
anywhere in MUM. After I told
a friend of mine about MUM and
she looked around at your
site, she homed in on the
information on Instead. She
tells me she knows where the
idea for Instead really came
from. Women dancers and
athletes have used diaphragms
(the kind used for
contraception) as a menstrual
cup for years. [An
American actress invented
the cup in the 1930s - Harry
Finley.] She has been
using her diaphragm this way
for nearly twenty years; she
found out about it from her
college coach. She says it has
all the same advantages of the
Keeper and Instead, with the
added advantages that it CAN
be used for contraception. It
can be sized to accommodate
changes after having children,
but it isn't disposable and so
causes no pollution or
environmental concerns like
Instead. She tells me she has
known many women who use their
diaphragms this way.
Thanks for
your great site. I imagine you
get a lot of flack about it
and a lot of insults too;
you're a brave man to venture
into this area. I will add a
link to MUM on my page of
links for women and my general
links page.
She MUST
Use Instead for Her
Health!
A reader from New York City
comments about how the Instead
menstrual
cup is the only thing
she can use:
Instead is currently the ONLY
menstrual protection that I can
use. I underwent recurrent urinary tract
infections for a year
triggered by pad use (those
nasty perforated plastic liners
that always feel wet to the
touch are great breeding grounds
for bacteria, especially
"Always"). A latex allergy means
that the "Keeper" is out of the
question. Tampons are
undescribably painful to use. Instead is
messy (it helps to have a
non-latex glove on the
withdrawing hand and then
invert it over the whole
thing) but it is extremely
comfortable and toxic-shock
free. The benefits
outweigh the problems. I
wouldn't use anything else.
Using Instead is very much like
using a diaphragm, which is
equally messy but much used.
Trying to Remove Instead
I . . . noticed that you
mentioned the Instead product
[in this Web site], so I thought
I'd throw in my two cents since
I've had some experience with
it.
I'm not sure if I'm just
defective or what, but I had a
serious problem with the
product. I had absolutely no
problem with how I had to get it
in, but no matter how much I
tried, I
couldn't break the suction to
get it back [out]. I
ended up at the gynecologist's
office to have it removed, which
you can imagine was intensely
embarrassing. It may be just me,
but possibly something you'd
want to mention.
Compare
Tassaway, The Keeper and Instead Menstrual
Cups
I was able to
find information about the Keeper, and I just received
mine last week.
I have been
looking for a product like
this for a long time. I
remember the Tassaway from the
seventies. I tried it once,
but couldn't seem to get the
hang of it at all. The "sharp
edges of the protruding rings
around the cup," as you put
it, made it difficult to
insert. I was a teenager at
the time and was easily
discouraged by my one failed
experiment with Tassaway.
By comparison, the
natural rubber of the Keeper
has no sharp edges and feels
softer than I remember
Tassaway being, and it is
softer than the plastic ring
of Instead.
I was excited
when I first heard about the Instead cup on television
infomercials. However, I
cannot use the Instead cup
because I use an IUD for birth
control.
Because the Instead cup sits
over the cervix, IUD users are
advised not to use Instead
because there is a chance one
could dislodge the IUD while
inserting or removing Instead
by catching or pulling on the
tail of the IUD that trails
out of the cervix. This is
noted on the package (read the
fine print) and at the very
end of the Instead
instructions. I don't recall
any disclaimer about IUD users
in the infomercial, however.
(I could be wrong; it's been a
long time since I saw the
infomercial.)
I bought a box
($2.99 for six) before I figured
this out. [See
the item above about P&G
where I discuss how much money
a store makes from selling
Instead compared with other
products.] This
contraindication for Instead
use seems to not get much
press; perhaps there aren't
that many IUD users? One also
wonders how
healthy it is to scrape or
drag the hard rim of the
Instead cup over the cervix,
even without an IUD. Although the
plastic ring is flexible, the
edge of the inside diameter of
the ring is formed with a 90
degree square angle, not like
the rounded edges of the
outside of the ring. Someone
who has actually used Instead
may be able to tell you if
that causes a problem or not. [Anyone
want to comment?] (The
inner edge of the Instead ring
is not visible in your
diagram.)
Instead seems
to be stocked in all the drug
and grocery stores around here
(Santa Clara Valley, aka
Silicon Valley, about 50 miles
south of San Francisco in
California). I first saw the
infomercials about 6 months
ago, but the product has only
shown up on store shelves in
the last month or so.
Instead Claims It's the First - Again
The Instead (see
letter right above) people claim
in recent news releases that the
advertising for their product
has the highest recall value of
any new product in menstrual
hygiene in history, and that a
very high rate of women actually
try their menstrual cup.
According to AC
Nielson figures, its dollar
share in the Pacific Northwest
for the tampon market in
drugstores and supermarkets was
5.3 in early March, compared
with 47.5 for Tampax, 15.8 for
Playtex, 15.5 for o.b., and 9.5
for Kotex.
Instead is
available as of 1 April in all
of the western states, and the
company claims it is used by 4%
of all menstruating women in the
Pacific Northwest.
At the bottom of
each release is a disclaimer:
"The statements contained in
this release which are not
historical facts are
forward-looking statements that
involve risks and
uncertainties." Does
this relieve them of the
responsibility from claiming
again and again that Instead is
the "first real innovation in
feminine protection in 60
years"?
There
were several
cups
(including one making a similar
claim) made
before Instead, and I wish
Instead would stop repeating
that claim.
A Happy Keeper
Menstrual Cup User
I've used my
Keeper for about a year now
and I'm very pleased with it.
I find it comfortable,
convenient, and it saves me a
lot of money! It's especially
great for traveling--I took mine to the
Sudan with me, where I was
living in a rural village with
no plumbing or conveniences
like drugstores. I wore it on
a 10-hour drive across the
desert where it would have
been impossible to stop or
find a place to change a
tampon or pad, and it saved me
from having to carry around
several months worth of
menstrual products wherever I
traveled. I love it!
An Australian
Comments on The
Keeper and Sponges
Hi, stumbled
across the MUM page, and noted
with interest an article about
the Keeper and other menstrual
cups. I bought one when in
Canada several years ago, and
was disappointed with it.
Great idea, and I was
confident of it's working,
giving my experiences with
diaphragms some years ago.
Despite following all
instructions (e.g., once in
place, give it a quarter turn
to get a proper seal) it
consistently leaked. I also
did find it hard to insert
(despite having been a dab
hand with the diaphragm) and
suffered from small cuts/tears
which of course are painful.
Interested in seeing more
information.
Actually, I
used a sponge for a good six
months - natural sea sponge,
back in uni days when I had
lots of time to lock myself in
the bathroom every single
hour. Found that more
comfortable and easier. Just
hard to find very dense
natural sponges without holes.
A Friend of MUM Talks About The
Keeper
OK, well here
are my thoughts after my FIRST
48 hours as a Keeper user.
As some
background info, let me tell
you that I was SO excited to
FINALLY have one! My
ex-girlfriend and I were
obsessed with The Keeper for a
while, but only in theory,
'cuz neither of us were sure
if we were REALLY ready to
take that $35 plunge. But . .
. my Keeper came knocking at
my door last week!
Well, I've
exclusively used
non-applicator tampons since
my second period,which was
almost a decade ago, plus I am
not a stranger to the vagina,
so I assumed that I would have
no problem inserting one.
Well, I did and I didn't. . .
. I THOUGHT that I had it in
right, but it was leaking all
over the place last night, so
I can only assume that I had
it at a wrong angle, or
something. Something that was
particularly fun about the
insertion process was that you
have to kinda fold it up to
insert, and the first time
that it went POP! inside of
me, well, that was kind of a
weird feeling!
Another issue
that I had was that the "tail"
of it was a little long -
maybe I have a short vagina,
or something - and it was,
like, external, and my legs
kept getting tangled up in it
as I was walking around.
Seriously, I could notice it
when I sat down in certain
positions, and maybe the fact
that I was having this issue
pushed it into the wrong
position and, hence, I was
Leak Girl. Finally
brain-surgeon me realized that
I could trim it to a better
length, and I've had a much
better time since I did that!
Something else
that I didn't expect was all
of that suction! Last night,
when I was trying to take it
out at one point, it was
actually a bit painful! Or
maybe I'm just a wuss. That
was the only time that taking
it out actually hurt, but
still, I can see that the
whole suction thing will take
some getting used to!
However, today
was a shiny, happy, Keeper
day! I woke up to find that I
did NOT make myself another
pair of period underwear
during the night! My Keeper
and I had a lovely shower
together! And I wore it for 9
hours straight on my heaviest
day and, thankfully, my cup
had NOT runneth over! The only
complaint that I had about the
Keeper today is that I wish
that it was available in
fashion colors; I'd prefer a
bright purple to that dingy
brown any day!
Also, today I
decided to tell my assistant
about the Keeper. Well, let's
just say that she was, ummmm,
I guess "appalled" would be
the right word. For one thing,
even the thought of tampons
freaked her out - she's afraid
that they're going to get lost
- I was like, "HELLO? Where
are they going to go?!?!? It's
not like they're going to hop
on a bus to Vegas!!!"
Conceded: the Menstrual Cup Instead
is Messy
A recent visitor
to the museum from Bozell
Worldwide Advertising in New York, which
makes the ads for Instead menstrual cup, agreed
with me that using the cup can
be a messy experience. The
company does not deny this. She said Ultrafem,
which makes Instead, encourages
users to carefully read the
instructions, and as with
tampons, practice really helps.
An Instead user
herself, she said the huge
advantage of being able to keep
the cup in all day, and during
sex far
outweighs the faults, which
include its one-time
use. And
she kindly donated a box of the
cups to the museum.
Studies
have shown that cups in general
are safer than tampons and pads.
The visitor's
companion was a man who worked
for Procter & Gamble, of Rely tampon infamy (Rely
was a tampon involved in the toxic
shock terror in 1979-80). He
admitted he was skeptical about
the museum before arriving -
most people are - but soon told
me he had never thought
menstruation could be this
interesting, or that it embraced
such a wide range of topics.
By the way, men as
bodyguards
have accompanied female visitors
to the museum since its founding
over two years ago; I can
understand this. The
sooner MUM sits in a public
place the better!
The couple was
black, which is very unusual.
Probably 95% of visitors are
white women with an often
reluctant male.
"I Wish I
Had Discovered [The Keeper] When
I Was a Teenager."
I use The
Keeper and find no to
little mess on my hands when
emptying out its contents and
replacing it. Think about it.
The menstrual flow is kept
inside the cup. When you take
the cup out, your fingers are
not in contact with that
fluid. You empty it, wipe it
and reinsert it. Again, no
contact with the fluid. I
think it is the greatest thing
a woman can use. I am not
inconvenienced with leakage
like a tampon, frequent
changes of tampons, a string
to contend with, or running
out of tampons. I
run long distance with The
Keeper and forget that I even
have a period. I wish I had
discovered this when I was a
teenager.
I have told a
few of my friends about your
page, which is entertaining
and informative, and I
appreciate your gender
limitation awareness on this subject
[The founder of MUM and writer
of this Web page is a guy, just
a guy,
folks, and aware
of the irony]. It makes you more
credible recognizing that.
Good for you!
Here's One for the Keeper!
Well, I just
finished writing to the
wonderful creators of the
Keeper to let them know that I
think it's GREAT!!!
Yes, it does
take some practice... don't
you remember inserting your
first tampon? Instructions in
one hand . . . tampon in the
other . . . a mix of emotions
ranging from excitement to
fear . . . well, it may be
something along the same
lines.
The Keeper is
an excellent alternative to
through-away products that are
widely used . . . and although
it may not be used in great
numbers, I wouldn't hesitate
to say that control over
women's bodies and lack of
education is based on
corporate interest, after all
. . . isn't that how it works
for everything else?
If you have
any more questions feel free
to write to me at
NM_BINI@ALCOR.CONCORDIA.CA and
remember . . . there's nothing
eeeeuuuuuhhhh! about
menstruation . . . after all,
it`s your body, get used to
it!
Two Users
Comment on the Menstrual Cup
Instead
PRO
(mostly): "Right now I am
sitting here browsing the MUM
and not worrying at all about
the Instead that is all snug
and warm inside me. I am a
major advocate for Instead. I
think any woman who uses o.b.
would not have a problem, but
there are many out there who
can't even use an
applicator-less pon, let alone
put (oh dread) a cup in
oneself. The only problems I
have found are: if I wear one
for more than 4-6 hours the
blood smell is super intense
when I take it out. And the
other one is I can't "relieve
my bowels" without major
leaking. But I think it is
still worth it. I also get
really bad cramps when I use
tampons; with Instead they are
much less active. Finally I
have been able to babble about
Instead to someone who seems
to like them; I thought I was
the only one!!! One more
thing: there is something
about the name that I don't
really like."
An industry
source told your MUM
director - me - that the
Instead people started
marketing the cup on the
Pacific coast of the U.S.A.
because a larger percentage
of women there than
elsewhere in America use
o.b. tampons, which have no
applicators and must be
inserted with the fingers,
just as Instead must be.
I do favor a
menstrual cup, but one more
like The
Keeper, which can be
used for a decade or more,
according to the company.
But hey! I'm just a guy,
as has been gleefully
pointed out to me on several
occasions. I am
humble about the question of
what women should use, and very
humble about being a guy. I
can only present as many
facts as I can; you choose.
CON: "The ones I tried
didn't fit and leaked . . .
and I can't imagine trying to
change one in a public
restroom because of the mess
on my hands."
I thank a
securities analyst for this
information from Bloomberg
Business News (20 Nov 96):
Ultrafem, the maker of the new
menstrual cup Instead, now says
the Food and Drug Administration
has approved Instead's use
for up to 12 hours in the
vagina. The FDA had
initially approved it for only
eight hours, but the company put
12 on the packages.
Susan Antilla
also writes in the article that
"There's a reason women
haven't switched in droves to
the menstrual cup. And that
reason isn't because it's so
tidy to use." (Italics
added). This is the problem I
have mentioned before. If it were designed to
be used again, like The
Keeper cup, I might
recommend it, but the Keeper
itself has sold so few (around
15,000) since it started in the
late 1980's that it is not
trackable by Information
Resources, a Chicago-based
marketing research firm. Why?
Probably because of a generic
messiness and inconvenience in
inserting and withdrawing the
device with your fingers.
Not many women want to deal with
it. But even a cup with an
insertion device marketed in
Australia, Gynaeseal,
flopped in the past few years.
The Bloomberg
article mentions that Instead is
one size only (The Keeper has
two sizes, for women who have
and have not had children), and
will not fit everybody, unlike a
diaphragm, which is fitted
individually. This causes
leakage in some women, one of
the vexing problems women have
with any menstrual product.
I must mention
that Ms. Antilla interviewed me
by phone for the article. She
was dumbfounded that there was
actually such a thing as MUM (I
can't believe it either,
actually) and frisked me
for some information on the
history of menstrual cups, which
I surrendered.
But try
Instead out. Call 1-800-INSTEAD
for a sample, and see it on
the Web: www.instead.com
By the way,
Michael Bloomberg, who founded
and runs the aforementioned
Bloomberg Business News, is a
college classmate of mine. Hm,
if this billionaire - he
really is! - could help
support his and your
Museum of Menstruation . . . .
Instead Bent
the Rules!
A securities
analyst kindly sent me
information about Instead, the
new menstrual cup, which
indicates that the parent
company (Ultrafem) advertised
that the total time a woman came
safely wear it as 12 hours, not
the eight that the Food
and Drug Administration
approved. And the company
altered the composition of the
product after the FDA approved
it. It's not clear that either
change will harm the wearer, and
I believe the FDA and Ultrafem
are discussing the changes.
Ultrafem based its increased
length of usage on tests showing
that the bacterial count in the
menstrual blood in the cup did
not increase when retained four
more hours.
Another securities report calls
holding shares in Ultrafem
"risky," because of doubts that
enough women will want to deal
with the insertion and removal
process, leaking, as well as
other reasons. Education is the
key, the report says, and I
agree.
A similar product, Gynaeseal
in Australia - it even had
(has?) an insertion device -
failed recently because of a
"total lack of interest" on the
part of the Australian public
and government. I thank Megan
Hicks of the Powerhouse Museum
in Sydney, Australia, for this
information.
I work in a federal government
office, and two weeks ago I
distributed six Instead cups to
interested co-workers. The one
report I have so far gotten back
is negative. The tester simply
didn't like the insertion and
withdrawal process.
But there may be enough
interested women to make the
product viable.
Menstrual Cups
May Do the Best Job - If Women
Can Overcome Negative
Attitudes!
As discussed
earlier, Ultrafem just started
marketing Instead
(picture below) in the western
part of the U.S.A. (Or buy by
telephone: 1-800-INSTEAD). It's
a disposable menstrual cup which
costs less than 40
cents.
Women have been able to buy a
re-usable cup since the 1980s, The Keeper (see also MenstrualCentral)
(below), from a company in Ohio.
|
 Where
Instead sits (from the Instead
instructions, with added color).
Ring is dark red, pouch is
lighter color.
The Instead people
say women can keep the cup in
about twice as long as
they would a tampon, up to 12
hours on light days. And
users can wear the cup during
sexual intercourse for
blood-free sex. As also
mentioned below, cups are
probably the safest of
all menstrual protection
devices.
But many women are reluctant to
insert their fingers into their
vaginas, especially during
menstruation, and this may pose
a problem for wide acceptance.
And there is the disposability
factor - this is not
biodegradable material.
Finally, apart from the great
merits of the product, I must
mention again that menstrual
cups have been around for
decades (see the item below).
The old Tassette and Tassaway
cups were advertised in
mainstream, national magazines
like Bazaar, even if The Keeper
is less widely advertised (it
deserves better). Advertising
folks are not telling the truth
when they claim that - as
Padette also does in the next
item down - Instead is the first
really new thing in menstrual
protection in 60 years.
There is a
recent New Yorker magazine
cartoon showing a line of public
relations people in front of the
door to PR hell. Above the door
a sign reads (approximately,
anyway), "Abandon All Hype,
Ye Who Enter Here." I
wish.
The New Cup is Not That
New!
A reporter for
The Seattle Times called MUM and
said that the press release for
Instead, the new menstrual cup
(see our item below from
a few weeks ago, Try Out a New
Menstrual This Fall), stated
that it's the first new thing in
menstrual hygiene in 60 years.
Not true, if it means cups
are new. They've been around
commercially since the late
1950's, and there's another one
available right now, The
Keeper, a re-usable one,
which is pretty cheap compared
to what the reporter said the
new one costs.
Tampax claimed to be a new
concept in 1936, whereas
commercial tampons had existed
years before that (see
exhibit news several items
below). What was new was
the applicator, truly a good
idea for many women. Yes, I know
about the disposal problems,
something we are still grappling
with, as women will with the
non-degradable, non-reusable
Instead.
© 1997-2006 Harry Finley. It is
illegal to reproduce or distribute
any of the work on this Web site
in any manner or medium without
written permission of the author.
Please report suspected violations
to hfinley@mum.org
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