“Toxic shock syndrome” is essentially a complication in a staph or strep infection, which are caused by VERY common bacteria. Ever had strep throat? It’s the same bacteria, and any wound is at risk of being infected.
The reason it’s so heavily associated with tampons is because of a tampon called “Rely” released in the 70s, which utilized a new hyperabsorbant material… and people were leaving them in for DAYS at a time. Who would have thought - leaving a ridiculously full tube of blood in your body for an unheard of amount of time would be a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, and it was SO effective at absorption it dried out vaginas everywhere… leaving them at risk of abrasive damage, which is, again, not great to have beside an over-encumbered bacteria generator.
That caused a serious spike in TSS, and once it was figured out, that specific material was banned for use in tampons and all the “don’t leave it in for more than 8 hours” warnings were added to all packaging.
Based on this article from Dec. 2017, there are now less than 1 in 100 ,000 cases of TSS reported annually in the United States… and not all of them are even related to tampons since again, TSS is a complication of a staph/strep infection, which can be contracted anywhere.
And even then, nowadays those infections - while still nasty - are perfectly treatable.
-don’t leave them in for an extreme amount of time (like 8+ hours… which most people cannot do comfortably anyways)
-don’t use ones that are too big for your shape and flow
-don’t use them if you have a vaginal wound
-don’t apply them with dirty hands
-make sure they’re clean and fresh out of the wrapper
(And I don’t have specific details right now but I imagine being immunocompromised would also be a factor - but that’s something best discussed with your doctor, I think.)
If you don’t use tampons, then that’s cool too!
But when we talk about our options for menstrual products and the positives and negatives for everyone, ESPECIALLY when it comes to ending stigma around different types of products, let’s NOT lean into another kind of stigma that is perpetuated by fearmongering and misinformation.
You may find tampons to be uncomfortable, even painful, less effective for you, or just plain gross, and that’s all perfectly fine. But you’re incredibly unlikely to get TSS from using them if you practice basic hygiene and follow common sense.
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