Conventional and 'Organic' Tampons and Menstrual Pads — safety profile
High riskPFAS in 11/14 brands tested; direct vulvar/vaginal mucosal contact 3–7 days/cycle Key materials: PFAS in Menstrual Products and Intimate Hygiene Items.
What is this product?
PFAS in 11/14 brands tested; direct vulvar/vaginal mucosal contact 3–7 days/cycle Key materials: PFAS in Menstrual Products and Intimate Hygiene Items.
What's in it
Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.
Base ingredients
Who's most at risk
- Pregnant Women — Pre-conception and early pregnancy PFAS exposure; placental transfer
- Children — Adolescent users at menarche; developing reproductive systems; decades of cumulative use ahead
How to use it more safely
- Change tampons every 4-8 hours to reduce TSS risk
- Use lowest absorbency needed for your flow
- Wash hands before insertion and removal
- Alternate with pads on heavy flow days
Red flags — when to walk away
- Contains suspected carcinogen — PFAS — classified by IARC or NTP as carcinogenic or probably carcinogenic to humans
- Contains endocrine disruptor(s) — PFAS compounds in tampons/pads — may interfere with hormone function
Green flags — what to look for
- EWG Verified or similar third-party certification — Independently verified for ingredient safety
Safer alternatives
- Menstrual cups — Reusable, lower TSS risk, fewer chemical exposures
- Period underwear — Washable, eliminates absorbent material concerns
- Sea sponge tampons — Natural alternative with lower chemical content
Frequently asked questions
What's in Conventional and 'Organic' Tampons and Menstrual Pads?
This product type can contain: PFAS mixture (PFOA, PFOS, PFBA, PFHxA, PFBS), among others. Click any compound name above for the full safety profile.
Who should be careful with Conventional and 'Organic' Tampons and Menstrual Pads?
Vulnerable populations identified for this product type: pregnant women, children.
How can I use Conventional and 'Organic' Tampons and Menstrual Pads more safely?
Change tampons every 4-8 hours to reduce TSS risk; Use lowest absorbency needed for your flow; Wash hands before insertion and removal
Are there safer alternatives to Conventional and 'Organic' Tampons and Menstrual Pads?
Yes — consider: Menstrual cups; Period underwear; Sea sponge tampons. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.
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Open in body View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →