Girl Talk: The Epic Battle of Deciding Pads vs Tampons

When it comes to how to care for your feminine parts during its monthly apocalypse, there are a mountain of products begging to be used. Tampons, pads, panty liners, cups, free-bleeding panties, and the list goes on. Let’s kick it old school and go back to our humble beginnings: the feminine napkin (a.k.a. the pad) and her arch nemesis, le tampon. Who would win in a cage match of pads vs tampons? Let’s just see…

Pads

It seems like most young girls begin with the humble pad. She is absorbent, non-invasive, and comes with stickers (and what girl doesn’t like stickers?). Most of all, her instructions are not confusing and do not require you to have flexibility for use. The drawbacks which eventually leads many a lass to the tampon include: feeling like there is a big puffy cloud between your legs, sticker-meet-hair-down-there interventions, lack of stealthy travel-to-the-ladies-room prowess, and the funky smell that isn’t always so secret.

Why would pads win? Pads “take-it-to-the-matt” when it comes to absorbency, especially with all of their neat super-hero accessories like wings and mesh. They are also great for unpredictable periods; you know, the periods that act like a misbehaving four-year-old at Walmart? Pads are also just plain easy to use as anyone who has put a tampon in at a weird angle can attest.

Tampons

Tampons are like a woman; forever internalizing, expanding to fit whatever role she needs to, and one string from letting it all go. Many young girls transition over to tampons because they are easy to carry, contain the messy situation until you are ready to deal with it, and allow them to lead a more active lifestyle. They come in many applicator choices to suit your many moods: cardboard for traditionalists, plastic for the less easy-going types, and applicator-free for your conservationists. Contrary to rumor, tampons do not stretch out your vagina (vaginas expand and contract, it’s what they do), nor will they “de-virginize” you. Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a concern with tampons, so practice safe usage.

Why would tampons win? They are viewed as more hygienic, portable, and versatile. You can climb mountains in them, surf with sharks, and most pants look the same (minus a bit of bloating) when you use them as compared to pads. Clean up is easier and less cumbersome. Tampons just suit a more active lifestyle.

And the winner is…you!

Why choose? Most women I know keep their major artillery stocked (think tampons), but always have a spare grenade or two (pads) ready for major, war-like offensives. Stay up-to-date on your ingredients and awesome new things happening in the wonderful world of women’s hygiene. After all, you are likely to be dealing with menstruation for four decades (on average), so experimentation will keep it interesting!