What harmful chemicals are in tampons?

More chemicals of concern that commonly show up in pads and tampons: Dioxins & furans – Linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive toxicity. These are byproducts of the bleaching process. Pesticide residues – Some are linked to cancer and potential endocrine disruption.

What chemicals are in Tampax tampons?

What ingredients are in Tampax Pearl and what’s the benefit?

Do tampons contain chemicals?

While tampons are not chemical-free, the dangers seem to be negligible. If you want to use tampons, be sure to follow guidelines on using them. The FDA suggests changing tampons at least every 8 hours, not wearing them overnight and using the minimum level of absorbency necessary.

Do the chemicals in tampons cause TSS?

Toxic Shock Syndrome is not caused by tampons. Toxic Shock Syndrome is caused by bacteria, not tampons, specifically Staphylococcus aureus. In the 1980s, TSS became more well-known because it was associated with highly absorbent tampons (those highly absorbent tampons were quickly taken off the market).

Why is there chlorine in tampons?

At one time, chlorine gas was used to purify the wood pulp which is used to make rayon. Tampons are made of rayon, in addition to cotton. This process did contribute to dioxins in tampons. Now wood pulp is purified using an elemental chlorine-free bleaching process that uses chlorine dioxide as the bleaching agent.

Why do they put bleach in tampons?

But are chemicals used in tampon production really unnecessary? “Bleaching is the technical term for fiber purification,” explains Tampax on its website. “Purification of cotton and rayon is done to eliminate the impurities and clean the fibers. Whitening the fibers is a result of this process, but not its goal.”

Is there formaldehyde in tampons?

Toxic Chemicals in Feminine Care Products & Women’s Health Up to 86 percent of women use tampons in the U.S. Lots of feminine care products contain formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and formaldehyde is a carcinogen and a potent allergen.

What are the dangers of tampons?

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by bacteria getting into the body and releasing harmful toxins. It’s often associated with tampon use in young women, but it can affect anyone of any age – including men and children.

Is it unhealthy to use tampons?

The biggest downside to wearing tampons is the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TTS). It’s a rare but life-threatening complication of certain types of bacterial infections. It used to be primarily associated with using super-absorbent tampons. Use the lowest absorbency tampon you can.

Are there carcinogens in tampons?

Another group of chemicals are dioxins, which are byproducts of the bleaching process involved in the manufacture of tampons. Dioxins are also a big concern; the World Health Organization calls dioxins “highly toxic” and categorizes them as a “known human carcinogen.”

Do tampons contain glyphosate?

Research also found that non-organic cotton in regular tampons may contain trace amounts of the pesticide glyphosate, an herbicide used to kill weeds and rumored to be carcinogenic. The EPA, however, says it’s “not likely” to be carcinogenic, and the main risk of glyphosate exposure is through food or drinking water.