Tampons do have a shelf life, but its likely youll use them before they pass their expiry date. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for U By Kotex Super Security Tampons Super Absorbency Unscented 16 ct New at the best online prices at eBay! This is a personal choice. To better understand what that means, women's health experts break down everything there is to know about tampon storage and shelf life. Tampons are safe to wear for up to 8 hours but should be changed at the 8-hour mark, if not earlier. Use them within five years and store them someplace cool and dry. She has covered topics ranging from regenerative agriculture to celebrity entrepreneurship. It will likely only be visibly moldy if the seal is broken and dirt or other debris has entered the packaging. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. If you're concerned about shelf life, consider buying your tampons on a monthly basis, rather than in bulk, or write the date you purchased your pack directly on the box. The recall affects only regular-absorbency U by Kotex Sleek tampons. Tampons are considered medical devices, so theyre regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any significant moisture can disrupt the integrity a little bit, said Dweck. Is It Dangerous to Take Expired Medicine? It isn't so clear-cut. Here, Alexis May Tran Kimble, D.O. You can also buy small bags made for wrapping tampons or pads in before disposal. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 PUBLIC GOODS - All Rights Reserved. Free shipping for many products! If you use a brand that doesnt show an expiry date, mark your packages with the month and date of purchase especially if you buy in bulk. Youre the expert on your own vagina, so if everything feels a-okay, youre probably fine. Dont let them roll around in your purse for weeks, which can result in their packaging becoming ripped. In 2020, Kotex began paying U by Kotex customers up to $6 per box purchased and up to $30. Can I use a tampon if my period is almost over. Anyone with a period may be looking for a sustainable way to manage menstruation. Were so glad you asked. Many beauty products don . No. Although most people buy tampons when they need them and thus use them quickly thereafter, its important to know how to store tampons in the event that you like to have a backstock of period supplies, or if you happen to misplace a box only to find it years later. Shocking as it may seem, the short answer is yes. From reducing waste to recycling and upcycling, our e-book shows simple ways to make choices you can feel good about. This naturally acidic microbiome is generally all you need to protect your vagina from infection. Tampons go inside your body, which is why it's important to pay attention to whether or not your tampons have expired. Whether you're wearing your skinny jeans with a tampon / Ultrathin Pad, enjoying a stress-free night's sleep with an overnight pad, or just enjoying everyday freshness with a liner, we'll make sure your clothes are safe so you can forget about your period and . Dr. Carol Dunetz, MD, gynecologist at NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Lake Success says. "Old, expired tampons may be discolored and have mold," Fraser says. Rest assured (pun intended) that if tampons are your preferred period protection you can sleep with one in for up to 8 hours . Using your index finger, push the plunger into the applicator as far as it will go until the tampon is released. Dweck, who has spoken to the media about menstrual hygiene before, has noticed a trend among consumers: People are now much more cognizant of their brand of tampon, their ingredients, she said. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Heres How To Remove It. But some manufacturers do include a dateand tampons can expire. Time to stock up on personal care items? Your tampons have an expiry date that most women don't know about Credit: Getty - Contributor. Wendie Trubow is a functional medicine gynecologist with almost 10 years of training in the field. When it comes to menstrual products expiration dates, however, we probably dont need to worry too much. Its not clear whether using a contaminated tampon could up your risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, a rare but serious illness associated with tampon use. Generally speaking, tampons expire after five years. so we do not recommend using a tampon overnight. To set your mind at ease, there's often also a production date - which is June 2017 in the example below. The settlement will provide up to $7,000,000 to pay claims of customers who bought Kimberly-Clark's U by Kotex tampon products at retail between March 8, 2013 and November 19, 2019. Find out how long your period should last, including how birth control can affect your period. How to Insert and Remove a Tampon Correctly. As such, when tossing tampons in your backpack, tote, or purse, consider putting them in their own pouch. Bacteria thrive in wet, moist places, says womens health specialist Sara Youngblood, CNP. Outside the warm, steamy bathroom is ideal, but if you do store them in a bathroom cupboard, use an airtight container and keep them as far from the shower as possible. A tampon that has gone bad would start to mold on the absorbent core, Youngblood says. Alternate tampons with a sanitary napkin or other menstrual hygiene product. Most tampons have an expiration date of five years, according to Dr. Candice Fraser, MD, OB-GYN of Your Doctors Online. Tampax tampons display an expiry date on all boxes. Same goes with pads. from Tufts University. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin and has previously written for Tribeza magazine. And while it might seem a little weird that a device made of cotton, plastic and cardboard has an expiry date, hear us out. If you do noticed a strange odor, a burning or stinging sensation, or an unusual discharge, those are potential signs of infectionand definite signs that its time to go to the gynecologist. It can also be a component of many materials. They should be stored in a cool dark place and kept in the original packaging, Dr. Javaid says. While some brands put the expiration date on the box, the most important tools in checking if your tampons are still good to use are your own eyes and nose. Not to mention, an open wrapper allows for harmful bacteria to potentially contaminate the tampon itself, and it can then absorb through the vagina's mucous membranes, says Dr. Kimble. This is particularly likely if the tampons original packaging has been damaged or removed. Expiration Date: No Manufacturing Date: Yes Donation Identification Number: No CLOSE. Most of us who menstruate have been there. Registered Trademark Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Inc. or its affiliates., KCWW. Home About Us Abby Moore is an editorial operations manager at mindbodygreen. Otherwise, if you have another choice or you can purchase one, I would say go for that.. To help reduce your risk of TSS: If your box of tampons doesnt come with an expiry date, get into the habit of writing the month and year of purchase on the side. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Tampons are safe to wear for up to 8 hours but should be changed at the 8-hour mark, if not earlier. Its not a great idea to use a pad that has become unwrapped in your purse, or a pad that is ripped or wet. Free shipping for many products! A Period That Lasts 1 or 2 Days: What Could Cause This? The numbers are stamped on and can sometimes be hard to read or find depending on where they were placed. Shelf life is the time period during which a product is expected to meet our high standards for quality when stored properly. This doesn't mean your tampons need to be thrown out the moment the shelf life is up, but rather they might not work as well after that period of time, according to information published on P&G's website. At night, that might mean setting an alarm so you feel confident youll be awake in time to change it. "I would always check the expiration date on the box," pediatric and adolescent gynecologist Rachael L. Polis, D.O., says. Aim, instead, to store tampons and menstrual pads in a cool, dry place. At the end of the day, expired tampons shouldnt rank too high on your list of overall health concerns, Youngblood reassures, Unless youre buying tampons in bulk, youre likely to use them well before their expiration date.. "The general guideline: If the original packaging [of an individual tampon] is open, I would probably reconsider using it if you can," says Dr. Kimble. Tampons, just like almost everything else, don't last forever. Similarly to tampons, its important to make sure that the pad is properly wrapped and moisture-free. Though, I wouldnt imagine theres a way we can time the exact second, or even minute, our period ends. When in doubt, just toss it out. Explore our full line of products below and learn why U by Kotex tampons are the #1 compact tampons in the market. And thats precisely why its important to know how to tell if a tampon has expired. In the event of accidentally leaving a tampon in for over 8 hours and experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, seek medical attention immediately. "It's typically about five years from when they were produced.". Trying to keep your tampons in tip-top shape for as long as possible? I just would be careful that the tampon you use is of a low absorbency. Clean, on the other hand, means that an object is free of more serious concentrations of dirt, mold, or bacteria. If youre experiencing these symptoms and they dont seem to be going away, make an appointment with a healthcare provider to get things checked out. Allnighter Ultra Thin Overnight Pads with Wings unique design moves with you for all night protection no matter which sleep position you prefer! Symptoms of TSS usually develop within 3-5 days4 . Your official excuse to add "OOD" (ahem, out of doors) to your cal. She earned a B.A. Some. View Product Advice & Support If you're the sort of person who buys sanitary products in bulk and stashes them at the back of a cupboard, this is news you need to know. But, said Dweck, there is a rule of thumb for shelf life: The overall estimate is five years.. NOW WATCH: People are trying face cupping as an instant face-lift, the she-quel. Tampax Tampons & Feminine Care Products | Tampax Learn more about Tampax tampons and feminine care products, including tampon and period information and helpful women's health articles. First, check to make sure the wrapping is not torn or open because that provides a doorway for mold or bacteria to get in and contaminate the tampon. But they can absorb moisture, causing them to quickly grow higher concentrations of mold, fungus, bacteria and other potentially infection-causing organisms. Remember, wearing the lightest absorbency flow tampon available helps prevent any issues from tampon use. We love a good recap so here goes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LOT (2) U KOTEX BARELY THERE EVERYDAY LINERS LONG 90 PANTILINERS COMFORTFLEX at the best online prices at eBay! Regardless of how long it's been since you bought your tampons, if they look compromised in any way or you feel uncertain about their integrity, there's no point in risking your health. But if the tampon is obviously compromised, it could have a higher risk of harboring bacteria; that bacteria releases toxins, and when it's absorbed into the body, it can potentially lead to TSS, which can be very damaging." June 2017 in the market for weeks, which can result in their own pouch products or services gynecologist L.... Like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content - which June. Out how long your period should last, including how birth control affect! About how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our U by tampons... 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