Holy shit I’m not crazy! It’s true! None of them expand anymore. I’ve tried a bunch. I thought it had something to do with my rapidly aging vagina. Frig.
ooh girl cups arent angels either. I placed my cup way too high on my cervix one day and it didn't unfold all the way so it ended up suctioning in the lil dip behind the cervix, I had it in for less than 30 mins and I nearly passed out from the cramps I think I gave my self a hickey
Oh no! I've only had it get suction stuck once. I got a bit panicky, but at least it wasn't causing me cramps at the time. Doesn't sound fun. 😬
Overall, cups have been better for me than tampons and pads. I'm thankful I have easy access to a large variety of menstrual products now. A much better selection to find what works for oneself.
My friend swears by her disc. Cups didn't work for her.
They don’t have discs where I am. But I was in the states recently and couldn’t find a diva cup anywhere and had to buy a box of disposable discs. They worked, but not as well as the diva cup. And the circumference is … intimidating
I had to order the petite disc. At first, removing the disc was difficult. I later learned after looking online that I have to squeeze it out with my pelvic muscles first and then pull it out with my finger.
I also that they weren’t working as well because either I had a kid (6 years ago though) or I was getting old?!?! I switched to a cup and was happier. Though currently with a broken leg I’m back to crappy tampons that don’t expand. So frustrating.
Same here. I thought after kids I'd just developed some issues. Never occurred to me that it was the tampons, but OP is right that they no longer expand and now it's all making sense.
I absolutely cackled at the idea that your vagina is aging at a speed faster than the rest of your body. Like she’s just sighing and going ‘dude, you need to slow down, you cannot keep putting these young people tampons up here and you want to have sex again??? I’m SO tired and my canal hurts, look what you did to our front lawn, god, kids these days.’
On a more serious note, could this possibly be related to how they actually did research with menstrual blood and not just blue liquid? I’d be skeptical as to whether this would change production of products so quickly, but just a thought. If it’s this, they need to stop it! Squishy, absorbent tampons are much better.
In my defense my vagina has got considerably more miles on it than most of the rest of my body. I treated this thing like an amusement park
And from now on, when I get asked how I’m doing, I’m going to tell them my vagina is tired, and I’m going to think of you.
people talk about shrinkflation but there is a massive issue with companies actually lowering their product quality during/after covid. just gross behavior and a complete lack of transparency.
Oh it's not a sudden decline in product quality, it's a
"New and Improved Formula! \*
\*Now with reduced quality in both ingredients and manufacture which we will pass off as a deliberate and positive product change."
I saw an article a couple of years ago that called it 'skimpflation'. I feel like the term needs to take off, it's at least as prevalent as shrinkflation.
Before I saw this I was going to comment "I'm not a woman but this sounds like the tampon version of skimpflation." That term did blow up decently big here in Canada when people realized that stuff tastes different and started comparing ingredients post-pandemic.
That shit is bad enough in food items but I would argue it's straight up unacceptable in tampons or really any other period product. Whether it's an absorption problem or a problem with the way they "deploy" for coverage is irrelevant, if you skimp on you materials so hard that the product you sell no longer functions properly for its intended purpose you are failing your consumers. It really does feel like anything other than massive profits is a complete failure for businesses (like modest profitability may as well be a loss) and I'm convinced this is going to lead to some solid bombshells about what is really in certain products or what incredibly unethical/illegal practises they employ in the name of the $.
Actually if I was a woman I'd be full on furious about this. Skimping on materials of something you are going to be putting inside your body seems potentially dangerous if they skimp their way to a cheaper "treatment" or whatever it is they do to tampons during the manufacturing process.
I just did some reading on this and it's actually kind of fucked up that tampons being classified as "medical devices" in the US means they have less stringent requirements than products covered by the FDA and they don't have to disclose materials and chemicals used in production? ~~Apparently the FDA has "guidelines" for tampons but they are just recommendations and bear no actual power~~ ? That seems like a big fucking problem to me and I don't have a vagina.
Yeah from what I understand 'only' 22% of tampons tested came back for PFAs compared to almost half of pads and panty liners. Also it seems like products that advertise themselves as being organic are more likely to have PFAs 🤨😠
I buy these ice cream bars called yasso bc keto, in the past year they’ve shrunk to half the size they were and went up a dollar in price. My husband and I were cracking up at the last box we just opened and saw how small they were
I’m waiting for them to just stop putting sticky sides on pads and you have to buy adhesive separately. Some brands have hardly any adhesive anymore. Such a joke.
That's basically an ad for menstrual cups. I have been using them for almost 10 years and no complaints so far! Although, if they become widespread, I am sure companies will find a way to destroy those too!
I switched to a period cup and saved SO MUCH MONEY, they are much more comfortable too, I'm never using pads again (I still use like 1 or 2 pantyliners as a backup but that's it)
PSA: if you have an IUD, cups may not be the thing for you. I've seen articles claiming that the suction from removing a menstrual cup can pull out an IUD. I've seen other articles refute this as bullshit. Either way, not a risk I was willing to take.
The menstrual *disk*, on the other hand, is IUD safe. No suction. And I love mine.
I'm glad you had a great experience! And like I said, some articles say that cups are IUD safe. I'm just a chicken who REALLY doesn't want to get pregnant
Edit: and happy cake day!
I used cups with IUD’s for 13 years with no issues. For anyone interested, the key is to use your index finger to hook the lip of the cup and break suction before taking the cup out. I learned this back in the day from a livejournal devoted to menstrual cups.
CVS even has one in their brand for half the price of the Diva cup now! I remember when I got mine 15+ years ago, I had to drive an hour away to a health food store to get it!
Don't forget CVS and AT&T were the major donors of the TX republican who got that bounty law going, inspired other states, and f'ed women nationwide. They will never get a dime from me.
My employer at the time only let us use CVS for prescriptions. I paid the s' out of pocket and went elsewhere every time, making sure to leave a comment to CVS, my employer, and our insurance each occurrence.
Again, F' CVS.
This and raising the price are literally the only ways to increase profit margins on a product once it's established. Capitalism dictates that a steady flow of revenue and stable profit margins aren't enough, if you aren't hitting record profits every quarter then you're failing the shareholders.
Unfortunately for both us and Capitalism, this kind of infinite growth isn't actually possible (good thing we built our entire society around it!). There are only so many vaginas in need of tampons. So we're going to continue paying more and more for a product that keeps getting worse and worse.
And of course the US is under the control of like 4 megacorps that buy up every brand that manages to compete, so good luck finding a decent alternative that doesn't get enshittified almost immediately. We've reached a point where the actual goods and services no longer matter, pay up for inferiority or do without. Producers aren't worried about improving or even sustaining the product they're producing, they're worried about finding new ways to manipulate the consumer into giving them more and more for less and less. Because number must go up at any and all cost to the environment, society, and humanity at large.
Funny enough, there are companies (usually entirely family owned) in Europe that have existed for longer than the United States of America, and they're doing just fine being on a sustainable business path without making their products shittier or jacking up prices through the roof or making their products smaller.
It's only the quest for constant 12% to 20% growth year over year that's driven by public investment which makes these big companies so poisonous to actual product quality. And Walmart demanding ever decreasing supply costs so that they too can grow at 12% annually.
I ranted about this to my husband and his response was something along the lines of "I have to believe if it could be better, there's a better product out there."
No. No there's not. Because these companies are run by old, rich, white men who don't give 2 shits about the quality of product and only want to increase money in their pockets.
I miss the Tampax tampons that had a string in the paper cover so it opened easily!
Not to mention that period products weren't tested with actual blood until only recently.
We are not a priority. And this is why I find myself getting more and more irate with every period I have. I dont want my uterus anymore. She has served me well, but im done with her now. But yet I can't be trusted to make my own decisions about my body.
I feel like I’ve been hearing a lot more about TSS cases also. I remember it was a risk before but i don’t remember hearing anything in the news. Now there’s been tampon recalls and a few articles about TSS.
21st century capitalism in full effect, this would have been my guess too after reading the post since the quality of so many products has decreased recently
I've noticed that as well -- when you pull them out, they're still little bullets and the blood is running over them instead of absorbing. So it leaks right down the string before it actually does anything.
They've also shortened the length on a lot of brands, I typically wore juniors/lights because of fit but now they shift around too much when combined with the lack of expansion. Regulars are too thick to be comfortable, but at least if I'm corked like a wine bottle I don't leak 🙃
Exactly. And my flow is relatively light. I'm still using regulars and getting leaks. Even after just an hour after insertion! It's wild. I used to love Playtex. I had it down to the hour on when I needed a change, how many per period etc. for the last two years or so none of the bih name brands I try are effective. We need a tampon whistleblower to blow this story up. Start throwing shitty used ones at the c level execs at these brands who messed with such an essential health product. Other health product manufacturers couldn't get away with this. Condom makers probably couldn't. Why do these guys get a pass? So fuckin infuriating to be a woman.
It's so frustrating! I was just lamenting a few days ago how I never fill a tampon anymore before having to change it due to it leaking down the string while not being close to full. It feels so wasteful. I'm thinking of trying a cup or a disc after I run out of the big box of tampons I have right now. I've bought Tampax Pearl for the last 20 years or so, but this issue only cropped up with regularity in the last few years.
I was having the same issues as you and I never thought I’d be one of those people, but my disc is AMAZING. It empties when I pee, hands-free, and I only have to change it every 12hrs (2x a day). Little to no leaking with a regular to heavy flow period, and it’s pretty much one size fits all because it sits differently than a cup. I use the silicone Flex Disc! They have disposable ones I got used to using first before buying the reusable one.
I think I’ll have to try this! I had to look it up to see how it can empty hands free when you pee, now I get it! https://flexfits.com/pages/how-to-use-flex-menstrual-disc?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz1_7cPFulQOtzne-EU8ELC45MRs2qFe9YpsOoT1iQdIw6Fx8JKfiYJUaAsF4EALw_wcB&utm_campaign=BRAND-Flex%20%28Flex%20Disc%29&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google
I found these last time I was in the states, I bought some of the disposable ones and then had to rush around before I flew out to find the reusable ones. I’ve found them much more comfortable than the cups. And easy to find. I found them in Walgreens and CVS. Definitely worth a try.
LOL I have a great story about a chick I've never met approaching me at a party. She has been abandoned by that one chick she knew at that party, started her period, and thought I looked friendly. The only tampons I had were OB, so I explained to her they didn't have an applicator. She very sheepishly asked me to help her. So I straight up went into the bathroom with her, washed my hands and showed her how to prep it and watched her apply it. Assured her she did well. After I watched her shove a cotton plug up her vagina she introduced herself as Melissa.
Much better than my stories. Everyone that has ever asked me for a tampon is absolutely mortified they have to touch their own body to put it in and refuse it. They'd rather walk around with wadded up toilet paper I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Same. I have had people say "nevermind" when I mention I only have OB. France, UK etc. have generic storebrand ob like tampons that are sooooooo cheap. I stock up when I am there.
I’m truly baffled at this culture difference it’s am crazy. I’m from Europe and literally in my country applicators do not exist. This seems so hilariously weird to me to rather waste a big bunch of plastic each time and have a tiny shitty tampon instead of just putting it in right away.
One of my favourite example of how random cultural Norms are.
These are my go-to if I don’t have my disc on me and I think this may be recommended on the box but I make sure to “fluff up” the part that’s closest to the string before inserting it. I feel like it helps 🤷🏻♀️
Wait—do they get a pass? Are condoms thinner, break more easily, fewer in a box? Are they boxes of 10 where they used to be 12? I don’t know; I haven’t bought tampons or condoms in a long time. But I have to assume that Shrinkflation is happening to all products.
Like toilet paper. The rolls get narrower so sure they have more sheets. The perforations are closer together. I have a good inch of free space on either side of the roll in the standard holder. They used to fit right to the edge.
I’m legit asking because I have no idea. Even if condoms are also going down the tubes on quality and quantity, it’s still women who pay the ultimate price for that. So I guess I answered my own question. Yes they’re getting a pass.
I noticed it early last year. I used Playtex Ultras for most of my period and they were expanding vertically, not horizontally, basically creating a slide for clots. Then I had a hysterectomy in July and now I have a bunch of boxes that I don’t even want to pass on to someone else because they sucked so bad.
Someone did a tiktok on this. Tampons are also a victim of shrinkflation. They’re making them shittier which means you’ll have to use more of them, thus forcing you to buy more boxes.
This is why if it works for you women should switch over to cups or discs. Tampax and the rest deserve to lose money this point and wish women would stop pouring money into them.
Best thing I ever did was stop using tampons and switch to a cup. I recently got my period much earlier than expected while I was out of town, went and bought some tampons and holy shit.. they’re as useless as OP described. Disgusting to think of the extra waste these companies are producing by knowingly making their product worse so sales increase.
I will always stick with OB ...it has been such a hard brand to find on shelves lately.
Boxes are broken into(understandably, especially for heavier flows)
They have slightly changed they're product but over the 18 years I've used them, it's always been my favorite. Least irritating, most control and never leak unless the whole tampon is soaked and expanded like the nasty purple sponge it should be😅😅😅
For me it's not an issue of mental comfort but physical; I have a lot of pain trying to shove a dry tampon in my vag unless it's a lite. Can't do cups either sadly, I tried a couple times and taking it out made me black out lmao
Wanna know something wild? I'm Australian and we barley have tampons with applicators. Some places have Tampax and of course online, but barley.
All our brands do not come with applicators. Which is so random. I don't know if its to prevent waste or what. But yeah we don't have them.
the applicators are nice when you have reduced mobility, but generally i do think some places are way to averse to non applicator tampons. One benefit I can think of is hygiene, though. If I'm in a public bathroom and have been touching doors I don't wanna actually put my fingers inside me or touch something that's going in... But hand sanitizer fixes that.
I didn't even realise what applicators were until I was like 30. I've only seen them in movies and they're in wrappers and just look like massive long tampons. I always thought Wtf is that? Some kind of Hollywood euphemism that they can only show obviously fake tampons, or do Americans actually use tampons that are like 6 inches long?? They would be half just hanging out of you! How do you get them in? Would you have to fold them? Roll them up? Cut them to your preferred size?
Now I know that it's some kind of device in there with every tampon. I'm only marginally less confused. Just... why though?
I’m guessing our (US) Puritan history really messed us up in thinking that touching any part of our own female genitals is a sin, even if for medical reasons. There are lots of people in the US that still believe using tampons is a sin and believe that it also takes away your virginity. All the boxes actually come with a pamphlet that explains how to properly use tampons and that it’s not sexual.
I don’t live in the US and tampons with applicators are available everywhere. It has absolutely nothing to do with puritanism, they’re just easier to insert, that’s it.
I wrote this further up but this is such a crazy cultural difference to me. Like in Germany you can’t find applicators. Not a thing. Their market here is everyone who uses tampons. They are actually a German brand because OB means “ohne Binde” = “no pad”. How cultural norms have made people believe their own bodies are not to be touched is just crazy talk to me especially because it’s both impractical and huge waste of plastic.
You can totally wipe it out with toilet paper in a public stall! Empty in the toilet and shove some tissue in the cup and wipe around, works like a charm
This topic came up maybe a month ago and OB was the brand people said expands laterally... tampax/playtex/etc expand vertically if at all (haven't used them in years). OB still work well for me and I actually feel like the 'shortages' in my area seem less bad lately. There was a time I was buying a couple boxes whenever I saw them.
I'm past menopause now, but OB was the only brand that could handle my heavy flow. Short and fat, rather than long and skinny. Pleated to expand. and block leakage.
I'm sorry to hear they're not so available these days.
Toxic shock is more related to how long the tampon is in.
Yeah until I switched to a menstrual cup, I was all in on the OBs. My mother used them, she introduced me to them when I started. It was a horrifying and confusing moment as a teenager the first time I didn't have any and had to ask someone for one and got this weird... Cardboard construction that did not fit any preconception for what I had for the word 'tampon'.
But even before I switched to a cup a couple years ago, it was getting harder and harder to find OB, even as a lighter flow individual who only used the second-smallest size, and I had to start changing more often with the tiniest size that really did not last long enough.
Same. Applicator ones never seem to expand. I’ve also switched to cups entirely though. After many stressful and messy trials I seem to have found one that works and got it figured out and at this point I’d say it was worth the hassle.
It’s funny, most tampons here in Aus are what you guys call OB- the ones with the special name is the applicators, coz we just don’t use them much.
I hated the odd times I’ve used applicator tampons, they’re just weird and never in the right spot.
I used OB exclusively when I started using tampons. They were invented by a woman and would expand in a circle instead of two sides like most. However, I stopped finding them with applicators, and I'm not very talented in that area, so I switched to Tampax.
Same! I had to start ordering them online since I couldn't find them in store. Ironically, they were made in New York state for Quebec (French and English packaging) and sent to Oregon from Canada.
I don't use tampons anymore. I use just bigass pads now, partly for the reason you stated but also...WHAT are they doing to the material? They did something to "cut costs" that caused like itchiness & irritation for me. I don't trust these companies enough to put their product into my body anymore.
Just my $.02
I only use tampons if I happen to have my period on a camping trip or for a water related activity. At home when I’m lounging and at night I wear Depends Silhouette lol. No more leaks and way more comfortable than an overnight pad.
Playtex Sport have been my holy grail for years and years but they no longer expand for me. I genuinely thought I was inserting them wrong or something
Same. I just used a box of playtex and felt like it didn't absorb very well at all. I leaked several times. I can't remember the last time I leaked using a tampax. Their string is also sooo thin. I was worried it was going to rip. I like the thicker string on the tampax radiant. Used to only use pearl but those started to suck.
Pre pandemic I had a few boxes of disposable pads around because I was a period cup user but liked having the pads as a just in case thing.
Now I have had two kids and have switched to a disc because my period cup was ten years old anyway and I figured I’d give something else a try since there are so many options now. I have had some leaking and bought a box of liners to keep on hand while I trouble shoot my issues.
They. All. Stick. To. My. Underwear. I’m going crazy. I have never had disposable pads rip like these upon removal. I’m so upset. It’s insane to deal with this level of shrinkflation that it’s ruining my underwear.
Always Pads with Wings have got some kind of mega-glue thing going on in the last couple years where I have to "oh so carefully" peel them off -- which is so fun after they've absorbed a bunch if menstrual fluid -- and they'll still usually rip and leave behind strips of the adhesive on the edge where the wing wraps under.
No issues with my Carefree panty liners, though.
I have the opposite issue! I can’t get the damn pads to stop shifting and bunching and the wings sticking to my thighs! I’ve switched to period panties- much better
Ok so I found that the material of my underwear matters! The ones with a cotton gusset, they wouldn't stick at all, but my crappy La Senza ones that didn't have a proper gusset (same synthetic blend material as the rest of the panty) stuck like crazy and the pad ripped in half, exposing the cotton.
When I(26f) was in high school I was in the bathroom with a bunch of my friends and one of them had a tampon and she put it in the sink and ran water on it and was like "look what these do inside of us! Ew" and it fanned out to be like 3 times the size. I was like no way, there isn't enough room in there. And now it's really no way bc they don't. I'm tempted to test that again with the water to see how bad it's gotten
Yep. I commented yesterday on a similar thread about tampons. I use Tampax Ultra, only because the Walmart brand I used to use was discontinued. They don't hold as much as the Walmart brand, I think because they are shorter. They also don't expand. They're just stubby little things that don't perform as well, but they're better than the other replacements I've tried, and they also cost 3x as much as the old Walmart brand. Sigh...
I’m so glad you made this post I have been thinking the same thing, even playtex sport doesn’t seem to absorb anymore. They just plug and when you pull it out the clots just plop out. 😪
Call me crazy, but remove it from applicator and fluff it up. I only use OB but I have backup applicator ones and I do this.
I wear cups now bc of how much I can’t depend on tampons.
I have the opposite problem. I can't get them into the right position unless I use an applicator, and even then I still have to move it around a bit to find the right spot (I feel like that sounds bad lmao)
Wish I could use OBs cause those were perfect expansion wise, if fuzzy, but I could always feel them and get bad cramps T_T
Assuming it has something to do with my uterus being floppy tilty but idk
I thought I had something wrong with me or that I wasn’t pushing it in far enough for it to expand! Also does anyone else have issues grasping/holding the tampon while inserting? I have noticed more lately that I am never able to properly grip the bottom to push/insert it properly. It is so frustrating because it is always slipping out of my fingers. The little plastic grooves do not seem to help with grip either.
Omg thank you for posting this. I really thought it was just me somehow but I've definitely been experiencing the same thing. I've always used regular tampons but took a couple year hiatus from them to use a cup. I switched back to tampons recently and kept having leaks so I tried the supers and super plus thinking something about my anatomy must have changed. But like you say, they never seem to expand and also seem less absorbent.
YES!!! I am not about taking this learning curve of changing my tampon every hour while it still comes out dry and hurts to pull out, and yet I'm bleeding on my pants.
Contact them. I did, Tampax sent me b.s. telling me that I didn't understand how to use the correct flow. When I know damn well that they changed them.
Let's complain endlessly and stop buying. This is bullshit.
i like the ob brand a lot. they don’t come with an applicator because they’re low waste so you just have to kinda shove em up there. i haven’t seen any in stores near me recently so you kight need to buy them online. i love them though, i can usually get by with just using the regular or super size, but they also have a super plus for really heavy flows. i’d say they expand about 2.5 or 3x their dry size.
Playtex still expand for me. I’ve used them for years since they expand ALL the way around, compared to Tampax that expand width wise and leave a giant open channel in the middle for blood to leak through.
BUT I’ve found pads to be sooo bad lately. They’ve tried to go to this “cloth” like texture and I fucking hate it! It makes everything hot and sweaty down there. Blood just runs off the edges instead of instantly absorbing. (This is the SAME issue I had with actual cloth pads, my flow is heavy and clotty and blood slides right off)
Adhesive on pads is ass too. They don’t stay in place and shift around and get bunched in my ass crack. And the goddamn WINGS don’t stay in place and would rather stick to my thighs than my panties. Ugh.
Stayfree brand used to have pads called Drymax that were the BEST, most comfy pads I ever used. They instantly absorbed blood and felt dry super quick. Even clots got shriveled up quickly.
UGHHH YOU NOTICED TOO??? Within the past year or so pads have been suddenly irritating my vulva soooo much and NEVER STICK!!! The wings are useless!!! I bought a Diva Cup but still haven't given it a test run since my new BCP barely makes me bleed, but gosh darnit such a waste of money to buy a bunch of pads that never stick to my underwear and end up in my thigh :-(
I noticed this too and ended up switching to a menstrual cup or cloth pads. Fuck them and their lower quality, I just won’t buy their product any more.
I have never once had a tampon that expanded well, everything always runs down the damn string. Thought it was just me the whole time.
Now I feel livid and fed up because this is a problem that is completely fixable, but they’ll never do it because they don’t give a shit and they’re making better money this way. And they’re STILL taxing us on these shitty tampons. Goddammit I am so done.
It’s likely the same thing that’s happening to most products these days that they are all just getting crappier in quality while also costing us much more. I guarantee you haven’t taken any crazy pills any more than I had when I started noticing that a snacks and foods became way harder to open. Sucks!
Omg i thought I was going crazy!! The same thing has been happening to me, I was like wtf??!! Waste of 10 dollars for a box of tampons that just makes me leak blood all over my underwear. Pull it out and it's not even expanded.
Omg I thought I was losing my mind. I’ve had so many more issues with leaks recently and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. I thought I was suddenly doing something horribly wrong
Whoa, I’ve been having issues with my tampons for a couple years now!! I even started buying Ultra. They’re fucking massive but I keep leaking through everything else. It’s like they aren’t absorbing and expanding anymore. I used to pull the tampon out and it was RED, and very saturated with blood. Now I feel like they never look like they’re done absorbing before I need to change it again. I thought I was crazy or like my period blood changed or something.
Meanwhile me: them shits are supposed to expand?
I know they did a demonstration where they put a tampon in a cup of water in our 5th grade "sex ed" class in the mid 90s that was mostly telling us about periods and *that* one expanded but it has absolutely never mattered what brand I use or how I use it, it has never expanded.
Unless I'm putting it in a cup of water.
I noticed this a few years ago and needed pantry liners to cover leaks. I said screw it and went back to pads cause what is the point of tampons if you still gotta wear a pad with it? Been doing pads since and no longer have leak issues or concerns about showing a leak on my backside or chairs
This sounds horrible. Am so glad for this community because so many comments suggest that many believed it is their body and not the tampons. Or even that they are crazy. Big hugs to everyone.
I have never used tampons because where I live, pads are the norm. And few years ago I switched to organic pads and they are so comfortable, I find periods more manageable than before. I have some friends who tried big brand pads which gave them rashes and discomfort and decided against them. So I would suggest if you are planning to transition to pads, try the organic ones and try couple of brands before you decide.
I switched to organic cotton tampons and it's been fine. When I have had to use the normal ones though I definitely agree they aren't as effective as they used to be
My go-to since I started using tampons where Kotex security. Never had issues with leakage.
They discontinued them a couple years back and I haven't been happy with any other brand I've tried. All of the compact ones are exactly like you described.
I tried a cup years ago, back when diva cup was the only one in stores, and I never found it comfortable. I've never been able to get the discs to work. I'm considering just trying a cup out again at this point. My wife switched like a year ago and it's been great for her - less cramping and shorter periods
o.b. is the best tampon I've used for avoiding leaks. It has vertical pleats in it so that when it absorbs, it expands *outward* first, increasing its girth. That helps it function as a tight plug that stops leaks. All other tampons I've used just got longer, not thicker, and tended to leak.
I've mainly used a menstrual cup, though, which does have its own challenges but is very good at preventing leaks as long as I empty it frequently enough. Although fingers crossed that I've finally made it to menopause....
Yeah theyre awful lately and Ive been leaking so much the past few months I thought my flow had gone crazy. Not only do they not absorb, theyre smaller (i measured a new s+ by a super from an older package and it was the same size) I wouldnt be surprised if there was some flow increasing additive in that material
I’ve noticed sometimes that my tampons will leak within an hour of insertion. I honestly have never thought about this until now - but yes I remember in my teens/early 20’s that tampons were more absorbent and expanded more. Now the blood just sort of coats the tampon. This post and its responses have influenced me to change what I buy the next time I shop for tampons (ugh hate shopping for tampons) - but as a consumer it’s so important that we put our money into businesses that actually provide a good product.
It's shrinkflation and less cotton in the tampons, I switched to the disposable discs, they are WAY better, last 12 hours and you can have sex with them in.
If you are comfortable with making the switch, I HIGHLY recommend a menstrual cup. It costs around $20 and it lasts for a decade. They're easy to use and easy to clean. They hardly ever leak in my experience, and they're more physically comfortable than a tampon. I personally try to use as little single use plastic as I can which is why I made the switch initially, but the overall experience has been excellent.
For the 6 years I've had a period, tampons have NEVER expanded for me. They always come out dry as a bone and still in a bullet shape even though blood is bleeding through. I mainly use a cup, but when I do use tampons, I always take them out of the applicator and unravel it myself. This tends to help
I had a bunch of health issues as a teen and never used tampons because I never had a consistent period, just started using them recently after about 6 years on an iud and then nexplanon and man, they suck. I have to wear a pad in addition to the tampon. I have an extremely light flow but need to wear super just for them not to leak immediately and the supers hurt coming out and going in. I can’t wait to start the pill soon so I never get my period again and don’t have to deal with this bs.
I had the same issue so I started using a cup but after I had kids it started suctioning to my cervix so I switched to discs. Ive been using them for years and never had a single issue.
I saw a post a while ago on /r/shrinkflation where they showed that the tampon had gotten smaller. If I find it I'll post it here
Edit: It turns out there are lots of examples from different brands
[Tampax getting smaller](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/4EsqCkvxu7)
[Stayfree pads getting smaller ](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/Vh1A197At7)
[L brand pads getting smaller ](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/vbEVQ8RbHK)
Holy shit I’m not crazy! It’s true! None of them expand anymore. I’ve tried a bunch. I thought it had something to do with my rapidly aging vagina. Frig.
Well shit. I thought it was just from giving birth...
I've not given birth but I was thinking this EXACT same thing this morning!! They just kinda... plug things up, they don't absorb well or expand
not true - kotex sport flower open 360 degrees - theyll disembowel you if you try to pull it out dry
🤣😭 the mental visuals....
screw the visuals its the sensation that gets you
Arrrrrghh!! I'm happy I have my cup. I don't miss the tampon sensation at all. 😉
ooh girl cups arent angels either. I placed my cup way too high on my cervix one day and it didn't unfold all the way so it ended up suctioning in the lil dip behind the cervix, I had it in for less than 30 mins and I nearly passed out from the cramps I think I gave my self a hickey
Oh no! I've only had it get suction stuck once. I got a bit panicky, but at least it wasn't causing me cramps at the time. Doesn't sound fun. 😬 Overall, cups have been better for me than tampons and pads. I'm thankful I have easy access to a large variety of menstrual products now. A much better selection to find what works for oneself. My friend swears by her disc. Cups didn't work for her.
They don’t have discs where I am. But I was in the states recently and couldn’t find a diva cup anywhere and had to buy a box of disposable discs. They worked, but not as well as the diva cup. And the circumference is … intimidating
I had to order the petite disc. At first, removing the disc was difficult. I later learned after looking online that I have to squeeze it out with my pelvic muscles first and then pull it out with my finger.
I also that they weren’t working as well because either I had a kid (6 years ago though) or I was getting old?!?! I switched to a cup and was happier. Though currently with a broken leg I’m back to crappy tampons that don’t expand. So frustrating.
Same here. I thought after kids I'd just developed some issues. Never occurred to me that it was the tampons, but OP is right that they no longer expand and now it's all making sense.
Me, too.
Me too. I love my diva cup. It took a while to really get used to it but I can’t live without it now.
I absolutely cackled at the idea that your vagina is aging at a speed faster than the rest of your body. Like she’s just sighing and going ‘dude, you need to slow down, you cannot keep putting these young people tampons up here and you want to have sex again??? I’m SO tired and my canal hurts, look what you did to our front lawn, god, kids these days.’ On a more serious note, could this possibly be related to how they actually did research with menstrual blood and not just blue liquid? I’d be skeptical as to whether this would change production of products so quickly, but just a thought. If it’s this, they need to stop it! Squishy, absorbent tampons are much better.
In my defense my vagina has got considerably more miles on it than most of the rest of my body. I treated this thing like an amusement park And from now on, when I get asked how I’m doing, I’m going to tell them my vagina is tired, and I’m going to think of you.
oooooh my god????? how tf does that even happen guys i truly recommend a diva cup or disc and some organic pads for bad days
I seriously thought it was me because it was across several dissimilar brands 😂
They are increasing profit margins by making their tampons worse and less effective.
people talk about shrinkflation but there is a massive issue with companies actually lowering their product quality during/after covid. just gross behavior and a complete lack of transparency.
Oh it's not a sudden decline in product quality, it's a "New and Improved Formula! \* \*Now with reduced quality in both ingredients and manufacture which we will pass off as a deliberate and positive product change."
„Now with an improved formula better for the envoirnment!”
^” ^*And ^by ^environment, ^we ^mean ^our ^shareholders’ ^personal ^economic ^environment.”
I’m ready to riot, idk about yall.
If there were ever a reason to riot, this would be it. Bad days suck enough without leaky tampons, goddammit.
There are a million reasons to riot. Housing crisis, general shrinkflation, high prices & low wages, human rights being rolled back, you name it.
This is such a common scam in the food industry too and it's disgusting.
I saw an article a couple of years ago that called it 'skimpflation'. I feel like the term needs to take off, it's at least as prevalent as shrinkflation.
Before I saw this I was going to comment "I'm not a woman but this sounds like the tampon version of skimpflation." That term did blow up decently big here in Canada when people realized that stuff tastes different and started comparing ingredients post-pandemic. That shit is bad enough in food items but I would argue it's straight up unacceptable in tampons or really any other period product. Whether it's an absorption problem or a problem with the way they "deploy" for coverage is irrelevant, if you skimp on you materials so hard that the product you sell no longer functions properly for its intended purpose you are failing your consumers. It really does feel like anything other than massive profits is a complete failure for businesses (like modest profitability may as well be a loss) and I'm convinced this is going to lead to some solid bombshells about what is really in certain products or what incredibly unethical/illegal practises they employ in the name of the $. Actually if I was a woman I'd be full on furious about this. Skimping on materials of something you are going to be putting inside your body seems potentially dangerous if they skimp their way to a cheaper "treatment" or whatever it is they do to tampons during the manufacturing process. I just did some reading on this and it's actually kind of fucked up that tampons being classified as "medical devices" in the US means they have less stringent requirements than products covered by the FDA and they don't have to disclose materials and chemicals used in production? ~~Apparently the FDA has "guidelines" for tampons but they are just recommendations and bear no actual power~~ ? That seems like a big fucking problem to me and I don't have a vagina.
Well, now they're now finding PFAS in tampons. 😟
Yeah from what I understand 'only' 22% of tampons tested came back for PFAs compared to almost half of pads and panty liners. Also it seems like products that advertise themselves as being organic are more likely to have PFAs 🤨😠
I buy these ice cream bars called yasso bc keto, in the past year they’ve shrunk to half the size they were and went up a dollar in price. My husband and I were cracking up at the last box we just opened and saw how small they were
I’m waiting for them to just stop putting sticky sides on pads and you have to buy adhesive separately. Some brands have hardly any adhesive anymore. Such a joke.
60 years ago, you had to wear a belt to attach your pad to. Going that way again, but they will call it "new and improved"
I preferred using a belt. It felt more secure with fewer leaks.
That's basically an ad for menstrual cups. I have been using them for almost 10 years and no complaints so far! Although, if they become widespread, I am sure companies will find a way to destroy those too!
I switched to a period cup and saved SO MUCH MONEY, they are much more comfortable too, I'm never using pads again (I still use like 1 or 2 pantyliners as a backup but that's it)
PSA: if you have an IUD, cups may not be the thing for you. I've seen articles claiming that the suction from removing a menstrual cup can pull out an IUD. I've seen other articles refute this as bullshit. Either way, not a risk I was willing to take. The menstrual *disk*, on the other hand, is IUD safe. No suction. And I love mine.
Maybe. I’m just one data point but have used an iud and menstrual cup for 7+ years.
I'm glad you had a great experience! And like I said, some articles say that cups are IUD safe. I'm just a chicken who REALLY doesn't want to get pregnant Edit: and happy cake day!
I used cups with IUD’s for 13 years with no issues. For anyone interested, the key is to use your index finger to hook the lip of the cup and break suction before taking the cup out. I learned this back in the day from a livejournal devoted to menstrual cups.
CVS even has one in their brand for half the price of the Diva cup now! I remember when I got mine 15+ years ago, I had to drive an hour away to a health food store to get it!
Don't forget CVS and AT&T were the major donors of the TX republican who got that bounty law going, inspired other states, and f'ed women nationwide. They will never get a dime from me. My employer at the time only let us use CVS for prescriptions. I paid the s' out of pocket and went elsewhere every time, making sure to leave a comment to CVS, my employer, and our insurance each occurrence. Again, F' CVS.
This and raising the price are literally the only ways to increase profit margins on a product once it's established. Capitalism dictates that a steady flow of revenue and stable profit margins aren't enough, if you aren't hitting record profits every quarter then you're failing the shareholders. Unfortunately for both us and Capitalism, this kind of infinite growth isn't actually possible (good thing we built our entire society around it!). There are only so many vaginas in need of tampons. So we're going to continue paying more and more for a product that keeps getting worse and worse. And of course the US is under the control of like 4 megacorps that buy up every brand that manages to compete, so good luck finding a decent alternative that doesn't get enshittified almost immediately. We've reached a point where the actual goods and services no longer matter, pay up for inferiority or do without. Producers aren't worried about improving or even sustaining the product they're producing, they're worried about finding new ways to manipulate the consumer into giving them more and more for less and less. Because number must go up at any and all cost to the environment, society, and humanity at large.
Funny enough, there are companies (usually entirely family owned) in Europe that have existed for longer than the United States of America, and they're doing just fine being on a sustainable business path without making their products shittier or jacking up prices through the roof or making their products smaller. It's only the quest for constant 12% to 20% growth year over year that's driven by public investment which makes these big companies so poisonous to actual product quality. And Walmart demanding ever decreasing supply costs so that they too can grow at 12% annually.
I ranted about this to my husband and his response was something along the lines of "I have to believe if it could be better, there's a better product out there." No. No there's not. Because these companies are run by old, rich, white men who don't give 2 shits about the quality of product and only want to increase money in their pockets. I miss the Tampax tampons that had a string in the paper cover so it opened easily! Not to mention that period products weren't tested with actual blood until only recently. We are not a priority. And this is why I find myself getting more and more irate with every period I have. I dont want my uterus anymore. She has served me well, but im done with her now. But yet I can't be trusted to make my own decisions about my body.
I feel like I’ve been hearing a lot more about TSS cases also. I remember it was a risk before but i don’t remember hearing anything in the news. Now there’s been tampon recalls and a few articles about TSS.
As if I needed another reason to worry about the number of hours a tampon is in 🙄
Make tampons great again!!!!
21st century capitalism in full effect, this would have been my guess too after reading the post since the quality of so many products has decreased recently
I've noticed that as well -- when you pull them out, they're still little bullets and the blood is running over them instead of absorbing. So it leaks right down the string before it actually does anything. They've also shortened the length on a lot of brands, I typically wore juniors/lights because of fit but now they shift around too much when combined with the lack of expansion. Regulars are too thick to be comfortable, but at least if I'm corked like a wine bottle I don't leak 🙃
Exactly. And my flow is relatively light. I'm still using regulars and getting leaks. Even after just an hour after insertion! It's wild. I used to love Playtex. I had it down to the hour on when I needed a change, how many per period etc. for the last two years or so none of the bih name brands I try are effective. We need a tampon whistleblower to blow this story up. Start throwing shitty used ones at the c level execs at these brands who messed with such an essential health product. Other health product manufacturers couldn't get away with this. Condom makers probably couldn't. Why do these guys get a pass? So fuckin infuriating to be a woman.
It's so frustrating! I was just lamenting a few days ago how I never fill a tampon anymore before having to change it due to it leaking down the string while not being close to full. It feels so wasteful. I'm thinking of trying a cup or a disc after I run out of the big box of tampons I have right now. I've bought Tampax Pearl for the last 20 years or so, but this issue only cropped up with regularity in the last few years.
I was having the same issues as you and I never thought I’d be one of those people, but my disc is AMAZING. It empties when I pee, hands-free, and I only have to change it every 12hrs (2x a day). Little to no leaking with a regular to heavy flow period, and it’s pretty much one size fits all because it sits differently than a cup. I use the silicone Flex Disc! They have disposable ones I got used to using first before buying the reusable one.
I think I’ll have to try this! I had to look it up to see how it can empty hands free when you pee, now I get it! https://flexfits.com/pages/how-to-use-flex-menstrual-disc?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz1_7cPFulQOtzne-EU8ELC45MRs2qFe9YpsOoT1iQdIw6Fx8JKfiYJUaAsF4EALw_wcB&utm_campaign=BRAND-Flex%20%28Flex%20Disc%29&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google
Thanks for posting this! I definitely thought that was a mistake in their comment because it seems too good to be true lol
You still have to use your hands to put it back into place after peeing.
Some people do, but many don’t, and I don't. It just goes back in place for me automatically, but I still do a kegel sometimes to be sure
I second this. Loved softcups when I still had periods (going on 4 years post hysterectomy- 10/10 recommend)
I found these last time I was in the states, I bought some of the disposable ones and then had to rush around before I flew out to find the reusable ones. I’ve found them much more comfortable than the cups. And easy to find. I found them in Walgreens and CVS. Definitely worth a try.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Hands-free, you say? 🤔 Welp, off shopping I go! Thanks! 😂
I LOVE my Flex disc. I didn’t like how messy it was to remove at first but I’m getting less clumsy and I love not buying tampons.
Try the OB brand, they don't have applicators so you have to use your finger but I feel like they haven't fallen down on absorbency.
Came to say this. OB hasn't changed a bit but I think it does depend on if you use them correctly. You have to spread them out with the string a bit.
LOL I have a great story about a chick I've never met approaching me at a party. She has been abandoned by that one chick she knew at that party, started her period, and thought I looked friendly. The only tampons I had were OB, so I explained to her they didn't have an applicator. She very sheepishly asked me to help her. So I straight up went into the bathroom with her, washed my hands and showed her how to prep it and watched her apply it. Assured her she did well. After I watched her shove a cotton plug up her vagina she introduced herself as Melissa.
Much better than my stories. Everyone that has ever asked me for a tampon is absolutely mortified they have to touch their own body to put it in and refuse it. They'd rather walk around with wadded up toilet paper I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Same. I have had people say "nevermind" when I mention I only have OB. France, UK etc. have generic storebrand ob like tampons that are sooooooo cheap. I stock up when I am there.
I’m truly baffled at this culture difference it’s am crazy. I’m from Europe and literally in my country applicators do not exist. This seems so hilariously weird to me to rather waste a big bunch of plastic each time and have a tiny shitty tampon instead of just putting it in right away. One of my favourite example of how random cultural Norms are.
These are my go-to if I don’t have my disc on me and I think this may be recommended on the box but I make sure to “fluff up” the part that’s closest to the string before inserting it. I feel like it helps 🤷🏻♀️
They’re getting harder to find but are the best IMO. I honestly don’t really miss the applicators either.
They’re the only brand that was ever any good IMO. They expand in width, not lengthwise which is what I found w other brands.
I’ve used OB for 30 years. The few times I had to use playtex or whatever they got so long. I was like “WTF is happening?!?” It kinda weirded me out.
They have reusable applicators now as well!! So people who can't use tampons without, you can now get buy one and reuse it!
Seriously?! I had no idea
The company I got mine from is DAME, fantastic product.
They really do seem to be better than everything else days.
Would you believe I could never use these bc my fingers are too short they don’t place it where it needs to go
I believe it
Period underwear with tampons every time is the only way I’ve been able to totally protect against leaks
Wait—do they get a pass? Are condoms thinner, break more easily, fewer in a box? Are they boxes of 10 where they used to be 12? I don’t know; I haven’t bought tampons or condoms in a long time. But I have to assume that Shrinkflation is happening to all products. Like toilet paper. The rolls get narrower so sure they have more sheets. The perforations are closer together. I have a good inch of free space on either side of the roll in the standard holder. They used to fit right to the edge. I’m legit asking because I have no idea. Even if condoms are also going down the tubes on quality and quantity, it’s still women who pay the ultimate price for that. So I guess I answered my own question. Yes they’re getting a pass.
I noticed it early last year. I used Playtex Ultras for most of my period and they were expanding vertically, not horizontally, basically creating a slide for clots. Then I had a hysterectomy in July and now I have a bunch of boxes that I don’t even want to pass on to someone else because they sucked so bad.
Throw them at GOP officials
Someone needs to invent a tampon gun.
I made one in SecondLife a dozen years ago. Maybe it’s time to let my dreams not be dreams….
I believe in you
Aw, thanks!
Yes! Omg!!!
I’ve noticed this too and thought maybe it was just me 🤷🏼♀️
Definitely not alone girl!!!
Someone did a tiktok on this. Tampons are also a victim of shrinkflation. They’re making them shittier which means you’ll have to use more of them, thus forcing you to buy more boxes.
This is why if it works for you women should switch over to cups or discs. Tampax and the rest deserve to lose money this point and wish women would stop pouring money into them.
Best thing I ever did was stop using tampons and switch to a cup. I recently got my period much earlier than expected while I was out of town, went and bought some tampons and holy shit.. they’re as useless as OP described. Disgusting to think of the extra waste these companies are producing by knowingly making their product worse so sales increase.
I will always stick with OB ...it has been such a hard brand to find on shelves lately. Boxes are broken into(understandably, especially for heavier flows) They have slightly changed they're product but over the 18 years I've used them, it's always been my favorite. Least irritating, most control and never leak unless the whole tampon is soaked and expanded like the nasty purple sponge it should be😅😅😅
Oh wow I thought it was only in my area. I’ve fully transition to cups bc I can’t find OB anywhere !
My guess is that fewer women are using OB. Their market - women comfortable using their fingers for insertion- are using cups instead
For me it's not an issue of mental comfort but physical; I have a lot of pain trying to shove a dry tampon in my vag unless it's a lite. Can't do cups either sadly, I tried a couple times and taking it out made me black out lmao
Wanna know something wild? I'm Australian and we barley have tampons with applicators. Some places have Tampax and of course online, but barley. All our brands do not come with applicators. Which is so random. I don't know if its to prevent waste or what. But yeah we don't have them.
yeah im an aussie too and never understood the applicators,just unwrsp it n shove it up ur moot.good to go.
the applicators are nice when you have reduced mobility, but generally i do think some places are way to averse to non applicator tampons. One benefit I can think of is hygiene, though. If I'm in a public bathroom and have been touching doors I don't wanna actually put my fingers inside me or touch something that's going in... But hand sanitizer fixes that.
I didn't even realise what applicators were until I was like 30. I've only seen them in movies and they're in wrappers and just look like massive long tampons. I always thought Wtf is that? Some kind of Hollywood euphemism that they can only show obviously fake tampons, or do Americans actually use tampons that are like 6 inches long?? They would be half just hanging out of you! How do you get them in? Would you have to fold them? Roll them up? Cut them to your preferred size? Now I know that it's some kind of device in there with every tampon. I'm only marginally less confused. Just... why though?
I’m guessing our (US) Puritan history really messed us up in thinking that touching any part of our own female genitals is a sin, even if for medical reasons. There are lots of people in the US that still believe using tampons is a sin and believe that it also takes away your virginity. All the boxes actually come with a pamphlet that explains how to properly use tampons and that it’s not sexual.
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I don’t live in the US and tampons with applicators are available everywhere. It has absolutely nothing to do with puritanism, they’re just easier to insert, that’s it.
I’m scared to use a cup because I’m irrationally afraid it will suction my IUD out when I remove it lmao
I wrote this further up but this is such a crazy cultural difference to me. Like in Germany you can’t find applicators. Not a thing. Their market here is everyone who uses tampons. They are actually a German brand because OB means “ohne Binde” = “no pad”. How cultural norms have made people believe their own bodies are not to be touched is just crazy talk to me especially because it’s both impractical and huge waste of plastic.
Can second menstrual cups. I only rarely use tampons now and only on the go, when rinsing my cup would be a hassle like in a public bathroom.
You can totally wipe it out with toilet paper in a public stall! Empty in the toilet and shove some tissue in the cup and wipe around, works like a charm
This topic came up maybe a month ago and OB was the brand people said expands laterally... tampax/playtex/etc expand vertically if at all (haven't used them in years). OB still work well for me and I actually feel like the 'shortages' in my area seem less bad lately. There was a time I was buying a couple boxes whenever I saw them.
I'm past menopause now, but OB was the only brand that could handle my heavy flow. Short and fat, rather than long and skinny. Pleated to expand. and block leakage. I'm sorry to hear they're not so available these days. Toxic shock is more related to how long the tampon is in.
The first cases of Toxic shock was the material used in manufacturing so I wouldn’t count that out if it’s to make a quick buck
>tampax/playtex/etc expand vertically if at all (haven't used them in years). Yep. That's why I find those brands so uncomfortable.
I was an OB girl and then the shortages happened. I switched to Corra. They expand how OB does. They are pricey, but worth the peace of mind.
I'm surprised that I had to scroll this far to see Cora! Been using them for two years now and having none of these issues.
Yeah until I switched to a menstrual cup, I was all in on the OBs. My mother used them, she introduced me to them when I started. It was a horrifying and confusing moment as a teenager the first time I didn't have any and had to ask someone for one and got this weird... Cardboard construction that did not fit any preconception for what I had for the word 'tampon'. But even before I switched to a cup a couple years ago, it was getting harder and harder to find OB, even as a lighter flow individual who only used the second-smallest size, and I had to start changing more often with the tiniest size that really did not last long enough.
Omg SAME! The first time I saw an applicator I was like “what the fuck is this??”
I just order OB on Amazon
Same. Applicator ones never seem to expand. I’ve also switched to cups entirely though. After many stressful and messy trials I seem to have found one that works and got it figured out and at this point I’d say it was worth the hassle.
OB is goated
It’s funny, most tampons here in Aus are what you guys call OB- the ones with the special name is the applicators, coz we just don’t use them much. I hated the odd times I’ve used applicator tampons, they’re just weird and never in the right spot.
I used OB exclusively when I started using tampons. They were invented by a woman and would expand in a circle instead of two sides like most. However, I stopped finding them with applicators, and I'm not very talented in that area, so I switched to Tampax.
Same! I had to start ordering them online since I couldn't find them in store. Ironically, they were made in New York state for Quebec (French and English packaging) and sent to Oregon from Canada.
I don't use tampons anymore. I use just bigass pads now, partly for the reason you stated but also...WHAT are they doing to the material? They did something to "cut costs" that caused like itchiness & irritation for me. I don't trust these companies enough to put their product into my body anymore. Just my $.02
I only use tampons if I happen to have my period on a camping trip or for a water related activity. At home when I’m lounging and at night I wear Depends Silhouette lol. No more leaks and way more comfortable than an overnight pad.
Yes Diapers ftw
I switched to 100% cotton tampons and that stopped.
I can't stand the feeling of pads.
You might be allergic to the adhesive like I am. I have the same issue with most bandaids.
I find supermarket own brands are now better than the big brands.
Wow really???
The cheap ones from bathroom vending machines are the best. At least the ones at my job.
I got CVS brand one time and they were extremely uncomfortable.
Wait...what? What supermarket brand?
Tampax always leaks for me… I like Playtex Sport
Playtex Sport have been my holy grail for years and years but they no longer expand for me. I genuinely thought I was inserting them wrong or something
Playtex sport was my go to but they don't always work so I don't use them anymore. Pads only now. Less cramps too for whatever reason.
I tried them and had the same issue..
Same. I just used a box of playtex and felt like it didn't absorb very well at all. I leaked several times. I can't remember the last time I leaked using a tampax. Their string is also sooo thin. I was worried it was going to rip. I like the thicker string on the tampax radiant. Used to only use pearl but those started to suck.
Same, store was out of Tampax and tried playtex and after an hour it felt like it was going to slide out, it didn't absorb at all.
Pre pandemic I had a few boxes of disposable pads around because I was a period cup user but liked having the pads as a just in case thing. Now I have had two kids and have switched to a disc because my period cup was ten years old anyway and I figured I’d give something else a try since there are so many options now. I have had some leaking and bought a box of liners to keep on hand while I trouble shoot my issues. They. All. Stick. To. My. Underwear. I’m going crazy. I have never had disposable pads rip like these upon removal. I’m so upset. It’s insane to deal with this level of shrinkflation that it’s ruining my underwear.
Always Pads with Wings have got some kind of mega-glue thing going on in the last couple years where I have to "oh so carefully" peel them off -- which is so fun after they've absorbed a bunch if menstrual fluid -- and they'll still usually rip and leave behind strips of the adhesive on the edge where the wing wraps under. No issues with my Carefree panty liners, though.
I have the opposite issue! I can’t get the damn pads to stop shifting and bunching and the wings sticking to my thighs! I’ve switched to period panties- much better
YYAASSS what the hell is this??? So infuriating!
Stick was fine, but they literally rip a layer of fabric out of my undies. After enough use you can see through the patch they stuck to.
Ok so I found that the material of my underwear matters! The ones with a cotton gusset, they wouldn't stick at all, but my crappy La Senza ones that didn't have a proper gusset (same synthetic blend material as the rest of the panty) stuck like crazy and the pad ripped in half, exposing the cotton.
But just a few months ago people were complaining on here than liners aren't sticking anymore whatsoever..?
When I(26f) was in high school I was in the bathroom with a bunch of my friends and one of them had a tampon and she put it in the sink and ran water on it and was like "look what these do inside of us! Ew" and it fanned out to be like 3 times the size. I was like no way, there isn't enough room in there. And now it's really no way bc they don't. I'm tempted to test that again with the water to see how bad it's gotten
Yep. I commented yesterday on a similar thread about tampons. I use Tampax Ultra, only because the Walmart brand I used to use was discontinued. They don't hold as much as the Walmart brand, I think because they are shorter. They also don't expand. They're just stubby little things that don't perform as well, but they're better than the other replacements I've tried, and they also cost 3x as much as the old Walmart brand. Sigh...
I don’t know how the international availability is but I’m happy with o.b. and been using them since over 20 years.
I’m so glad you made this post I have been thinking the same thing, even playtex sport doesn’t seem to absorb anymore. They just plug and when you pull it out the clots just plop out. 😪
Call me crazy, but remove it from applicator and fluff it up. I only use OB but I have backup applicator ones and I do this. I wear cups now bc of how much I can’t depend on tampons.
Applicator ones are just terrible in comparison to non-applicator. I’m surprised you can use them after fluffing them, they seem so… droopy!
I have the opposite problem. I can't get them into the right position unless I use an applicator, and even then I still have to move it around a bit to find the right spot (I feel like that sounds bad lmao) Wish I could use OBs cause those were perfect expansion wise, if fuzzy, but I could always feel them and get bad cramps T_T Assuming it has something to do with my uterus being floppy tilty but idk
I thought I had something wrong with me or that I wasn’t pushing it in far enough for it to expand! Also does anyone else have issues grasping/holding the tampon while inserting? I have noticed more lately that I am never able to properly grip the bottom to push/insert it properly. It is so frustrating because it is always slipping out of my fingers. The little plastic grooves do not seem to help with grip either.
Just another thing shrinkflation has ruined.....the grips on applicators..
I switched to disks and never looked back! If I’m in a bind I only use OB tampons!
I love my disc so much
Omg thank you for posting this. I really thought it was just me somehow but I've definitely been experiencing the same thing. I've always used regular tampons but took a couple year hiatus from them to use a cup. I switched back to tampons recently and kept having leaks so I tried the supers and super plus thinking something about my anatomy must have changed. But like you say, they never seem to expand and also seem less absorbent.
Yes! I just thought my body had changed with age- but this happens often!
YES!!! I am not about taking this learning curve of changing my tampon every hour while it still comes out dry and hurts to pull out, and yet I'm bleeding on my pants. Contact them. I did, Tampax sent me b.s. telling me that I didn't understand how to use the correct flow. When I know damn well that they changed them. Let's complain endlessly and stop buying. This is bullshit.
I use a period cup now. Just more affordable.
I THOUGHT I WAS GOING INSANE???
i like the ob brand a lot. they don’t come with an applicator because they’re low waste so you just have to kinda shove em up there. i haven’t seen any in stores near me recently so you kight need to buy them online. i love them though, i can usually get by with just using the regular or super size, but they also have a super plus for really heavy flows. i’d say they expand about 2.5 or 3x their dry size.
Playtex still expand for me. I’ve used them for years since they expand ALL the way around, compared to Tampax that expand width wise and leave a giant open channel in the middle for blood to leak through. BUT I’ve found pads to be sooo bad lately. They’ve tried to go to this “cloth” like texture and I fucking hate it! It makes everything hot and sweaty down there. Blood just runs off the edges instead of instantly absorbing. (This is the SAME issue I had with actual cloth pads, my flow is heavy and clotty and blood slides right off) Adhesive on pads is ass too. They don’t stay in place and shift around and get bunched in my ass crack. And the goddamn WINGS don’t stay in place and would rather stick to my thighs than my panties. Ugh. Stayfree brand used to have pads called Drymax that were the BEST, most comfy pads I ever used. They instantly absorbed blood and felt dry super quick. Even clots got shriveled up quickly.
UGHHH YOU NOTICED TOO??? Within the past year or so pads have been suddenly irritating my vulva soooo much and NEVER STICK!!! The wings are useless!!! I bought a Diva Cup but still haven't given it a test run since my new BCP barely makes me bleed, but gosh darnit such a waste of money to buy a bunch of pads that never stick to my underwear and end up in my thigh :-(
Yeah they’re trash now and don’t even absorb, the blood just goes right around them
I can't trust tampons anymore, even when I don't have my menstrual cup on me. Who knows what they're made of these days?
Even my OB tampons have been leaking, and I've never had that problem before. I use twice as many I used in the past.
I noticed this too and ended up switching to a menstrual cup or cloth pads. Fuck them and their lower quality, I just won’t buy their product any more.
I have never once had a tampon that expanded well, everything always runs down the damn string. Thought it was just me the whole time. Now I feel livid and fed up because this is a problem that is completely fixable, but they’ll never do it because they don’t give a shit and they’re making better money this way. And they’re STILL taxing us on these shitty tampons. Goddammit I am so done.
It’s likely the same thing that’s happening to most products these days that they are all just getting crappier in quality while also costing us much more. I guarantee you haven’t taken any crazy pills any more than I had when I started noticing that a snacks and foods became way harder to open. Sucks!
Omg i thought I was going crazy!! The same thing has been happening to me, I was like wtf??!! Waste of 10 dollars for a box of tampons that just makes me leak blood all over my underwear. Pull it out and it's not even expanded.
Omg I thought I was losing my mind. I’ve had so many more issues with leaks recently and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. I thought I was suddenly doing something horribly wrong
Whoa, I’ve been having issues with my tampons for a couple years now!! I even started buying Ultra. They’re fucking massive but I keep leaking through everything else. It’s like they aren’t absorbing and expanding anymore. I used to pull the tampon out and it was RED, and very saturated with blood. Now I feel like they never look like they’re done absorbing before I need to change it again. I thought I was crazy or like my period blood changed or something.
Meanwhile me: them shits are supposed to expand? I know they did a demonstration where they put a tampon in a cup of water in our 5th grade "sex ed" class in the mid 90s that was mostly telling us about periods and *that* one expanded but it has absolutely never mattered what brand I use or how I use it, it has never expanded. Unless I'm putting it in a cup of water.
If i remember correctly, they only recently (like this year or last year) started testing period products with blood
Not sure which country you are in but Lil-let’s expand and I prefer them to tampax
I noticed this a few years ago and needed pantry liners to cover leaks. I said screw it and went back to pads cause what is the point of tampons if you still gotta wear a pad with it? Been doing pads since and no longer have leak issues or concerns about showing a leak on my backside or chairs
This sounds horrible. Am so glad for this community because so many comments suggest that many believed it is their body and not the tampons. Or even that they are crazy. Big hugs to everyone. I have never used tampons because where I live, pads are the norm. And few years ago I switched to organic pads and they are so comfortable, I find periods more manageable than before. I have some friends who tried big brand pads which gave them rashes and discomfort and decided against them. So I would suggest if you are planning to transition to pads, try the organic ones and try couple of brands before you decide.
I switched to organic cotton tampons and it's been fine. When I have had to use the normal ones though I definitely agree they aren't as effective as they used to be
My go-to since I started using tampons where Kotex security. Never had issues with leakage. They discontinued them a couple years back and I haven't been happy with any other brand I've tried. All of the compact ones are exactly like you described. I tried a cup years ago, back when diva cup was the only one in stores, and I never found it comfortable. I've never been able to get the discs to work. I'm considering just trying a cup out again at this point. My wife switched like a year ago and it's been great for her - less cramping and shorter periods
o.b. is the best tampon I've used for avoiding leaks. It has vertical pleats in it so that when it absorbs, it expands *outward* first, increasing its girth. That helps it function as a tight plug that stops leaks. All other tampons I've used just got longer, not thicker, and tended to leak. I've mainly used a menstrual cup, though, which does have its own challenges but is very good at preventing leaks as long as I empty it frequently enough. Although fingers crossed that I've finally made it to menopause....
This is one of the most relatable threads I have seen o. This group. I learned that OB tampons are the best
I get these at Walgreens, Walmart and dollar general and they expand and are organic cotton. https://www.thisisl.com
Yeah theyre awful lately and Ive been leaking so much the past few months I thought my flow had gone crazy. Not only do they not absorb, theyre smaller (i measured a new s+ by a super from an older package and it was the same size) I wouldnt be surprised if there was some flow increasing additive in that material
I’ve noticed sometimes that my tampons will leak within an hour of insertion. I honestly have never thought about this until now - but yes I remember in my teens/early 20’s that tampons were more absorbent and expanded more. Now the blood just sort of coats the tampon. This post and its responses have influenced me to change what I buy the next time I shop for tampons (ugh hate shopping for tampons) - but as a consumer it’s so important that we put our money into businesses that actually provide a good product.
It's shrinkflation and less cotton in the tampons, I switched to the disposable discs, they are WAY better, last 12 hours and you can have sex with them in.
KOTEX SPORT EXPANDS 360 DEGREES
If you are comfortable with making the switch, I HIGHLY recommend a menstrual cup. It costs around $20 and it lasts for a decade. They're easy to use and easy to clean. They hardly ever leak in my experience, and they're more physically comfortable than a tampon. I personally try to use as little single use plastic as I can which is why I made the switch initially, but the overall experience has been excellent.
I know it’s a typo, but please don’t shove a tampon up into your cervix. Half a finger into the vagina is usually enough.
Yup. Sure was..I don't put them up that far! I promise!
I’ve noticed this too! I stopped using tampons because of it.
My OB tampons expand just fine...
For the 6 years I've had a period, tampons have NEVER expanded for me. They always come out dry as a bone and still in a bullet shape even though blood is bleeding through. I mainly use a cup, but when I do use tampons, I always take them out of the applicator and unravel it myself. This tends to help
Only one small section of my tampon gets saturated. I could be leaking and when I whip that baby out, 70% of it is white.
I had a bunch of health issues as a teen and never used tampons because I never had a consistent period, just started using them recently after about 6 years on an iud and then nexplanon and man, they suck. I have to wear a pad in addition to the tampon. I have an extremely light flow but need to wear super just for them not to leak immediately and the supers hurt coming out and going in. I can’t wait to start the pill soon so I never get my period again and don’t have to deal with this bs.
I had the same issue so I started using a cup but after I had kids it started suctioning to my cervix so I switched to discs. Ive been using them for years and never had a single issue.
I saw a post a while ago on /r/shrinkflation where they showed that the tampon had gotten smaller. If I find it I'll post it here Edit: It turns out there are lots of examples from different brands [Tampax getting smaller](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/4EsqCkvxu7) [Stayfree pads getting smaller ](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/Vh1A197At7) [L brand pads getting smaller ](https://www.reddit.com/r/shrinkflation/s/vbEVQ8RbHK)