Historians believe ancient Egyptians made tampons out of softened papyrus. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote that ancient Greek women used to make tampons by wrapping bits of wood with lint. Some women were also thought to use sea sponges as tampons from as early as 3,000 B.C., through the fifth century. From rags as makeshift pads, pinning cotton and flannel into bloomers, to the sanitary apron, menstrual belt to the invention of the modern tampon in the 1940s, adhesive pads in the late 1960s, and menstrual cup – and now the period panty, which is being described as the next evolution in feminine hygiene, because every female of childbearing age will have a monthly menstrual cycle.
Although there’s no right age for a girl to get her period, most girls get their first period between age 10 and 15-years-old; the average age is 12, but every girl’s body has its own schedule, according to kidshealth.org.
And it’s the menstrual cycle and all it entails that Phillipa Dean continues to seek to demystify through The Dignified Girl Project’s (DGP) “My Period My Pride” seminar, as well as bring awareness to menstrual inequity, and empowering adolescent girls by educating them about their menstrual cycles.
While period underwear is by no means new to the market, more women have become aware of the option as many branded lingerie brands now offer their own line of period panties. And at this year’s seminar, Dean had one of her presenters speak on the undergarments intended to be worn during a female’s period to take the place of disposable protection products like tampons or pads – although some women prefer to rely on period underwear only during lighter flow days, using them as backup during heavier flow days.
Aldise Williams and Moana Maynard, DGP volunteers, led a session on the period panty, along with the washable pad and menstrual cup, with the use of a mannequin.
Dean, who is leading the charge in bringing awareness to the period and the many options available to adolescent and women, said she always believes that what a female chooses to use is her personal preference, and one that she has to make based on her flow.
She has tried the period panty, albeit not a branded one. She said she was shocked upon opening the packet to find the undergarments thinner than she expected, and in comparison, to regular underwear.
“The only obvious distance I noticed was a double liner, that was a waterproof fabric of sort, and it covered the entire seat from the front all the way to the back. Looking at it, I didn’t think I would be protected. Feeling it, it was lightweight and thin, so I was skeptical.”
But, preparing for her “My Period My Pride” seminar, she knew she had to try it out during her menstrual cycle to be able to speak to her experience with others.
“So, I went ahead and tried it on and it was soft and very comfortable. I tried it during the first day – the first hour … hour-and-a-half, it was fine. I felt dry, no leakage, but after the second hour, I could feel the wetness and realized it was starting to leak and from the side of the undie.”
After that initial experience, Dean said she knew a period panty is not something she can wear on the first days of her period, but would be able to make use of on her lighter days, with the added protection of a thin pad.
Every female is unique and period flow can vary person to person. For some, period underwear serves best as a back-up on heavier days, but can also work well on light days.
Dean also notes that there are different brands, and said the experience may be different with other period underwear brands and that a person should take into account the different levels of absorbency.
The pack she was given, she said, did not have much identifying information. She assumes it was meant for light flow or medium flow days. Dean encourages women and girls who want to avail themselves of the period panty to educate themselves about the product, and purchase according to their flow.
Meredith Johnson, co-founder of Women’s Haven, a Caribbean-owned brand of organic feminine products, who spoke on the topic “What’s My Fit?” during the seminar, said she will be adding menstrual panties to her lineup, which includes pads, liners, and the menstrual cup.
Dean said she is looking forward to the menstrual panty Women’s Haven is going to produce.
With the period panty the new wave in feminine hygiene, Dean said women of menstruating age should look at the period panty as another underwear they can wear during their monthly cycle, and to think of it as extra security, if they plan to use them.
HOW THEY WORK
While period undies may still be new to many people, the secret to the period underwear is in the fabric layers. As Dean was shocked at how thin the ones she received were, the makers of Knix said people often expect bulky undies and can find it a little “head-wrecking” to imagine the thin, wearable and cute panties doing a good job absorbing menstrual blood, and that the secret is in the layers of technical materials. Just like tampons and pads, they said period panties come in a variety of styles and the technology can differ from brand to brand.
CARE
The makers of Knix said their period undies aren’t necessarily fussy when it comes to care, but they advise that different manufacturers will have different care instructions, worth paying attention to when making a choice.
According to theperiod.co, period underwear can be hand washed or machine washed. They advise rinsing soiled undies in cold water before hand/machine washing as it helps to remove as much blood as possible and prevent stains. And that you can then toss your period undies into the washing machine, run a gentle cycle with cold water, and hang to dry.
The lifespan of a pair of period undies varies greatly according to how they are cared for and how often they are used. Generally, they said they will last for six months to two years, depending on the wash and care.
“Period poverty, which affects half-a-billion people around the world, is a term used to describe when a person is unable to access safe and clean hygiene products needed to manage their period with dignity,” said Dean. “Every month, we provide, without discrimination, free menstrual kits that include pads, pantyliners and soap, along with undergarment kits that include new singlets, bras and underwear, which we distribute through our community partners.”
At this year’s seminar, held virtually for the second consecutive year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, speaker presentations fostered open discussions about period poverty, menstrual hygiene management and sexual reproductive health.
Also speaking at the seminar was Dr. Tamarra Moss of Pediatric Associates who spoke on defining puberty and the changes that occur inside and outside the body. Dr. Inga Pratt of Advanced Health Center provided insight on understanding the menstrual cycle.
Relationship management therapist Harrison Thompson addressed this year’s seminar and spoke to the role of men and boys in reducing menstrual stigma.
Denise Major of Bahamas Sexual Health & Rights Association (BaSHRA) spoke to parents about the importance of always using clear language and correct anatomical terms with children; and Alexandria Johnson of Nature by Nature spoke to natural remedies in period pain management.
While this year’s seminar was held via Zoom, it is Dean’s hope that they are able to return to in-person next year.
“It’s a personal preference for me to get back in person. The connection is stronger with the audience and that is something we were able to compare. Mind you, the numbers have continued to increase, but the engagement virtually still has limitations and boundaries. Being a former educator, I prefer to be fully engaged.”
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/feminine-hygiene-continues-to-evolve/
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