Golden bowl: Menstrual caps, taking into account the characteristics of the female body
Text: Anastasia Vedyasheva
Menstrual cups gradually win over the market in gaskets and tampons - if only because there are practically no contraindications to their use. The menstrual cup, or cap, is a small container in the shape of a bell with a stem or tail, with which it is removed. The stem can be of different shapes, and in most cases it can be shortened with scissors to a comfortable length. In each bowl there are air vents for air: they are arranged so that blood cannot flow through them - but thanks to them the cup cannot create a vacuum and “suck”.
Made of caps from medical grade silicone or thermoplastic elastomer. Despite the apparent compactness, their capacity is serious: 25-37 milliliters. This is quite a lot, because on average the amount of menstrual flow is 35 ml for all monthly periods, and menstruation with a loss of 80-100 ml of blood is considered abundant. It is not surprising that on average it is advised to empty the menstrual cup once every 12 hours, cleaning it with soap and water.
The choice of caps depends on the tone of the vaginal muscles. For example, soon after childbirth or at an older age, it can be reduced - and then it is better to choose a larger bowl. Any woman can use such a device if it is convenient for her - and if there are appropriate conditions for this, for example, a toilet in the office equipped with a sink. We chose popular, beautiful and innovative options and looked at their features.
Mooncup
€32
This is the first menstrual cup, which appeared on the market, and it has many statuses and awards; for example, Mooncup is recognized by the international organization Vegan Society as an eco-friendly “green product”. Even the bag for storing the mouth guard is made of unbleached organic cotton. In 2014, Mooncup was included in the list of the fifty most ethical UK brands; This is the first manufacturer of hygiene products, which has a certificate confirming ethics.
The main differences Mooncup - small (compared to other caps) air holes and a rather narrow bezel. The bowl is available in two sizes (A and B) and is only transparent.
LadySup
€28
This medical silicone cup is especially hygienic - and this is because it has a very smooth surface, which reduces the risk of its colonization by bacteria. The top and rim of the cup are more dense and elastic, although the thickness of the silicone is the same along the entire length. It turns out that the soft base is easy to grasp when removing, and the elastic rim provides easy and quick opening. At the base and on the stem there are pimples that should help to remove the cup - however, some women admit that this is not very convenient.
LadyCup can be chosen from two sizes (S and L) and as many as seventeen colors - including black and gold. In addition to the menstrual cups, LadyCup manufacturers offer reusable organic bamboo pads by LadyPad and the unusual LadyP device, which literally allows you to write while standing - for example, to avoid any contact with the toilet in a public toilet.
Yuuki
€14
The Czech brand produces bowls of different stiffness options - Classic and Soft in two sizes; You can choose a set of a pair of bowls - bigger and smaller. In addition to transparent there are rainbow, the pattern on which is never repeated. Separately (or complete with a bowl) you can buy a nice container for disinfecting it in the microwave and storing it.
The peculiarity of this bowl is in its ventilation holes: there are four of them, they are under the rim and are beveled from top to bottom, from the inside outwards. This helps the air to circulate faster inside the bowl and facilitates its opening. For those who want to evaluate the volume of their menstrual flow, there are two labels on the inside of the bowl: 5 ml and 10 ml.
Lunette
€32
Although it is believed that virgins can not use menstrual cups, the Lunette cup of the smaller of two sizes is recommended, including for girls who have not had penetrating sexual contacts. The stems of these bowls are thin, soft and flat, and therefore they are removed easily and without discomfort. There are two lines of liquid level - 7 ml and 15 ml, they are located outside, like the brand name - and this is a significant plus, it is much easier to clean such a bowl.
Lunette of different colors and sizes can be bought in Russian online stores, but reading in English makes sense to pay attention to the home site - there is a lot of useful information, for example, about female anatomy, and there you can find an ironic blog about everything related menstruation, and accessories like a suspension with an imitation of a drop of blood and the inscription "bloody fucking awesome."
Femmecup
2500 rub.
This brand of menstrual cup of the same size and only transparent; on the surface there are marks corresponding to 5 and 10 ml. The capacity is only 15 ml, therefore for girls with copious secretions the bowl may not be very comfortable; but at the expense of the small size it will suit even teenagers.
Kapy Femmecup features an unusual design: in addition to the usual rim, there is also a wide one. Due to this, the bowl is more dense at the top and easier to open. This slightly compensates for the small volume of the bowl: frequent changes will pass almost imperceptibly. The grip lines begin at the base of the bowl and continue on the stem - they are arranged in a spiral.
Meluna
1200 rub.
The prudent Germans have released a huge range of sizes - from S to XL, and also options for shortened bowls (shorty). Kap shorty of size S is the smallest menstrual cup in the world, and a cup of size XL is suitable, for example, for women with very heavy menstruation and significantly weakened pelvic floor muscles. But this is not enough: from the Meluna range you can choose a bowl of a certain level of softness - Soft, Classic or Sport. The softest is suitable for women with weak muscles - and vice versa, the Sport option is suitable for those who have retained (or developed through exercise) strong muscles.
Finally, this is the only manufacturer that allows you to choose the most convenient type of element to grip - in the form of a ring, ball or stem - or an option without it at all.
FemmyCycle
$39
The American bowl is a very unusual shape, which has a cap and a ring to grip. It is very easy to remove, and you can not be afraid of leaks either during extraction or during sleep or activity. Available in three sizes: for teenagers, for women with low uterine cervix and for all others.
This mouthguard does not need to be straightened into the vagina, like the other bowls, which for this purpose rotate around its axis; thanks to the intuitive design, it opens itself. FemmyCycle bowls are delivered worldwide, but when ordering to Russia from the official website, the shipping cost exceeds the cost of the bowl itself; from representatives of the company in Eastern Europe, you can buy it for 32 euros.
Victoria's love
$37
This bowl is a product of the family business of a Chinese couple; as it is told on the official site, Mr. Tang invented it, and Mrs. Tang and her friends became the first testers. The peculiarity of the bowl is in its tail. More precisely, in the ball, which is inserted into this tail and works like a cork. If you slide it down, then open the holes through which the contents of the bowl merges - that is, removing it every time is not necessary.
Such a bowl will not be suitable for women with low uterine cervix, because a sufficiently long tail cannot be cut. Victoria's Love is available in two sizes and is extremely transparent. A steam sterilizer can be purchased with the bowl or separately.
Lilacup
649-899 rub.
This is a Russian-made bowl - and, according to manufacturers, the only one that has been researched and tested by a large number of women in Russia. You can choose from two sizes and many colors - especially impressive, perhaps, a series of "Russian patterns". The upper part of the bowl is denser than the lower part, due to which it opens easily enough. Inside the bowl there are condensed rings - it is believed that this also facilitates the opening.
LilaCup is a relatively cheap bowl, but you can buy them even cheaper: there is a super-economical option on the official website for 249 rubles. Such a bowl differs only in a small cosmetic defect - uneven prokraskoy, but this should not affect the effectiveness.
Pieces from the future
In addition to more or less conventional caps, there are a number of innovative devices; Some of them are not yet delivered to Russia, while others around the world are preordered. For example, the Looncup smart cup, which we have already written about and which, thanks to the built-in tracker, will help you keep track of the monthly ones - and the application will notify you about the start date of the new cycle, analyze the color, volume and duration of the discharge, remind you that it’s time to empty need, recommend to consult a doctor. The campaign at Kistarter has collected more than one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, and now you can sign up for the waiting list.
In Europe, you can buy bowls with applicators for the introduction - such as the British Amycup or the Spanish Enna - as well as, for example, a bowl with a wooden brush for cleaning. Flex discs are already being sold (so far only in the USA), allowing you to have sex during menstruation; But absorbent underwear of different models, replacing the pads and tampons - and, perhaps, the bowl - you can already buy with delivery to anywhere in the world. The world is finally beginning to recognize that menstruation is a normal phenomenon and part of the life of half of humanity; and we are pleased that the choice of products that make life during menstruation easier, is constantly growing.
Photo: Mooncup, LadyCup, Yuuki, Lunette, Femmecup, MeLuna, FemmyCycle, Victoria's love, LilaCup