TAMPON 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM

A tampon is a small cylinder of absorbent material that is inserted inside the vagina to absorb the menstrual flow. 

Attached to every tampon is a string that stays outside the vagina and is used to pull the tampon out. 

Most tampons also come with an applicator or a plastic or cardboard cylinder sometimes with a rounded tip that facilitates handling and insertion.

Tampons come in different sizes and levels of absorbency. 

You should always select the level of absorbency that matches the intensity of your menstrual flow. 

It is also important to replace your tampon as often as the intensity of your flow requires so that it won’t get saturated with blood and lose its capacity to absorb. 

Inserting a new tampon every four to five hours should be enough, but intense flow could require more frequent replacement. 

Always follow the five-hour limit, even if your flow is light, as a tampon worn for too long can start releasing a bad odor and, even worse, allowing bacteria to develop and enter your body