It is common question if girl could lose virginity with tampons usage. Off course, there are many other questions that are confusing young girl. That is why each girl in puberty should know more about her period, ovulation, menstural blood and tampons.
The most common questions about tampons usage
Virginity: A girl can only lose her virginity by having sexual intercourse. The hymen is membrane that stretches across the vaginal opening and is often thought to be a sign of virginity. Many people think inserting a tampon will cause trauma, but that is not true. The fact is that hymen naturally stretches. If it completely blocks girl's vaginal opening, menstrual fluid cannot leave her body, which is not good at all.- Lost tampon: Some girls are afraid tampon will be lost somewhere inside. That is not possible, because there is no place for it to go. The tampon has to stay in vagina, which is a blind sac only 3 to 5 inches long. There is an opening from your vagina to your uterus through your cervix, but it is smaller than the head of a pin. That is much too small for a tampon to squeeze through.
- Toxic dioxin: Maybe you have heard people talk that tampons contain toxic amounts of dioxin. That is not true. You should know that the term dioxin refers to a number of related chemical compounds. State-of-the-art testing of tampon fibers that can detect even trace amounts of dioxin has shown that dioxin levels are at or below the detectable limits, posing no risk at all for tampon users' health.
- Bleached tampons: Many girls are wondering is ti necessary that materials used to make tampons are bleached. The fact is that tampons sold in the U.S. are made of cotton, rayon, or a blend of both. Rayon is made of fibers derived from wood pulp, which contain impurities that may inhibit absorption. Therefore, a bleaching process is necessary so new tampon production methods include an elemental chlorine-free bleaching process that uses dioxin-free agents such as hydrogen peroxide.
Contrary to what some people think, the white color is simply a result of the purification process, not an appearance goal as they might think.
- Excessive bleeding due to tampons usage: Off course that is serious question if some companies use asbestos in their tampons to promote excessive menstrual bleeding in order to sell more product. However, that is not true. There is no evidence of asbestos ever being used in any American manufactured tampon, nor any reports regarding increased menstrual bleeding following prolonged tampon use. The FDA reviews the materials and factories that create tampons marketed in the U.S. Asbestos is not an ingredient associated with any fibers used to make tampons you could find on the market.
- Tampons stop menstrual flow: This is not true as well, since menstrual flow is the result of discharge of tissue and blood from inside of the uterine cavity. Use of tampons does not stop the flow of menstrual fluid and has no effect on the release of fluid from the uterus as you might think. The tampon is designed to absorb fluid while still in the vagina so the tampon will become saturated and leaking will occur should more fluid be released than can be absorbed by the tampon. Rate of flow is not affected by the tampon same as with pads.
- More than one tampon: While it may be physically possible to wear two tampons at one time, it should not be necessary and it is not recommended.
- Lubricating tampon: It is not necessary since most women have enough natural lubrication to insert tampon, and menstrual fluid also provides lubrication. If the tampon size is appropriate for the amount of flow, additional lubrication should not be necessary for you. It is recommended using high absorbency tampons only when the flow is heavy and then switching to lower absorbency on lighter days. If you wish to use lubricant, you could apply very small amount of water-soluble lubricant only on the tampon tip. Too much lubrication will interfere with the absorbency of the tampon. K-Y brand lubricating jelly is ideal for this use, but do not use products such as petroleum jelly or other lotions and creams not intended for vaginal use.
Toxic shock syndrome
TSS is a rare disease believed to be caused by some forms of the bacterium famous as Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium could be found normally in the vagina of some women. Without this bacterium, tampons alone have not been found to cause toxic shock syndrome. However, there are studies that have indicated tampons, in the presence of this bacterium, are associated with an increased risk of menstrual toxic shock syndrome. By using tampons you increase your risk of getting this problem. It has been estimated that each year 1-17 of every 100,000 menstruating women and girls will get toxic shock syndrome. TSS occurs most often in menstruating females using tampons, in particular women under thirty years of age. It is interesting that happens to teenage girls especially. Toxic shock syndrome also occurs, however, among men, children, and non-menstruating women.
Warning signs of TSS
Warning signs of toxic shock syndrome include sudden high fever, usually 102 degrees Fahrenheit or more, accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, fainting or near-fainting when standing up and dizziness or a sunburn-like rash. These symptoms usually appear very quickly and are often severe for most women. Not all toxic shock syndrome cases are alike, and all symptoms are not always present. Other signs might be aching of muscles and joints, redness of the eyes, sore throat and weakness depending from woman to woman. If you have a sudden high fever and one or more of the other toxic shock syndrome symptoms during your period, remove your tampon at once, discontinue using tampons, and contact your doctor or seek emergency medical care right away. You might need emergency medical care if you really have this problem. Tell the doctor that you are menstruating and you were wearing a tampon he will doubt right thing for sure. There are some studies that suggest that higher absorbency tampons are associated with an increased risk of menstrual toxic shock syndrome. Therefore, you should use a tampon with the lowest absorbency that meets your menstrual flow needs to reduce your risk of getting this problem. Tampons are available in four absorbency ranges: regular absorbency for light flow, super absorbency for moderate flow, super plus absorbency for heavy flow, and ultra for very heavy flow. Under this absorbency rating system adopted by all tampon manufacturers tampons within a given range have the same absorbency label.
Can you get TSS more than once?
Yes, you could. Once you have had toxic shock syndrome, you are more likely to get it again than someone who has never had the disease. If a doctor has told you that you have had that problem, or if you believe you might have had the disease, do not use tampons until you check with your doctor.
How old should you be before using tampon?
If you have started having periods, you can use tampons. Tampons are inserted inside the vagina to absorb the menstrual blood before it leaves the body. On the other hand, since it is a little scary to use a tampon for the first time, many young teens prefer to use pads or pantiliners until they are older and more comfortable with their bodies.
How to choose and insert tampon?
Tampons come in different sizes such as slender, regular, super, etc. and use different types of applicators. These are card board, plastic, no applicator at all. At first, you will have to go through a trial and error process to see which one works best for you because it is not the same for every girl. The first one you might want to try is a slender form or one that says it is specifically designed for teens.
As for the applicator, a plastic one with a rounded tip may be the most comfortable for most girls. You can also check with your mother or your friends to see what kind of tampons they use. When you purchase your first box of tampons, it will have an instruction booklet with diagrams. Read the instructions carefully and review the diagrams before you start. Once you are ready to insert the tampon the most important key to remember is to relax. It is not painful to insert a tampon, but if you are tense it could make the process a little uncomfortable then it should be. You must know it is important that before inserting the tampon, you should wash your hands with soap and water. There are a few different positions you can use to insert the tampon and two such positions are either placing one foot on top of the toilet or squatting over the toilet. Again you will have to figure out which technique is best for you becase we are all not the same. Holding the center of the tampon between your thumb and ring finger and using your index and middle finger to hold the string in place, gently insert the tampon into vagina. If you feel pain or discomfort, slow down and relax, it is normal it may take a while your first time. Once you have inserted the tampon and the center is at the entrance of your vagina, using your other hand, gently start pushing the exposed end of the tampon, which releases the actual tampon into your body. You know it is fully inserted when the end of the part you are pushing meets the center part you were originally holding. Normally, women who wear tampons do not feel the tampon inside of them so if you can feel the object, it may mean it is not inserted properly. You will need to remove it and try it again but do not worry if your first few attempts with a tampon seem awkward. The more you practice, the more natural it becomes for you.
