Is Your Period Underwear Toxic?

In 2023, Thinx underwear settled a lawsuit over allegations that there are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” in its leakproof or period underwear. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to adverse health effects. This once again raises the question of whether the menstrual products we use are harmful and toxic. Do you know what’s in your menstrual products?

When over 1.8 billion people around the world menstruate each month, why is it so hard for them to find quality period products? Chris Bobel, a professor of gender and sexuality studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston, says it has to do with menstrual stigma. As long as a device obscures the fact that a woman has her period, she may feel grateful for the coverage, not skeptical or curious about how it works.

SOURCE: The Guardian • AUTHOR: Alaina Demopoulos • LAST UPDATED: January 19, 2023