Health Canada Just Approved Two New Reusable Menstrual Products & 1 Has A Helpful Handle
The packaging is even compostable!
A box containing a reusable menstrual disc. Right: someone holds up a Flex menstrual cup.
Step aside, pads and tampons — there are two new girls in town, and they're both reusable. Canadians might be familiar with reusable menstrual products like cups and discs, but the new Flex Co. versions have never been sold here before.
The brand's cup and disc are quite popular in the U.S., and now they've been approved for sale by Health Canada. Like any other menstrual disc, Flex's version is meant to be folded, then inserted into the vaginal canal, where it expands to catch any blood before it leaves your body. There is also a disposable version of the disc.
Flex's cup is unique in that it has a handy little loop you can use to gently remove it with a little more ease. Both the cup and the disc can be worn for up to 12 hours and there hasn't been evidence that either contributes to your risk of contracting Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Other brands of menstrual cups have short pieces of plastic you can grip onto with your fingers, but the loop design from Flex could be slightly easier to handle (get it? Because it's a handle). This patented pull tab allows the cup to be removed "as easily as a tampon," according to a press release.
Of course, if you struggle with inserting tampons, these two very insertion-focused products might not be for you. Luckily, there are plenty of external menstrual products beyond just pads, like period underwear of many styles, that can do just as good a job with a similar eco-friendly plus side.
Beyond being reusable (and thereby reducing waste by 60%, the company claims), these products come in packaging that is either recyclable or compostable, further minimizing their ecological impact. But we all know the onus lies on big corporations and countries to do something about climate change, so don't feel like a climate demon if you're comfortable using disposable products.
Getting through your period is hard enough without the guilt, y'know? But if you're looking for a reusable, long-lasting menstrual product, you now have two new options to choose from.
