Empowering women and girls through Menstrual Health & Hygiene
Stetho Health Systems Limited is a U.S. based company is focused on researching and producing science-backed innovative and sustainable personal hygiene products for women and girls. Cristiana Sandor, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) speaks about Menstrual Health & Hygiene and issues surrounding menstruation and menarche.
Hygiene refers to the series of practices, that are performed to preserve health. According to World Health Organization (WHO), hygiene is referred to the practices and conditions that help to maintain health and prevent spread of the diseases. Personal hygiene refers to maintaining body's cleanliness. Practices considered under proper hygiene include bathing or showering bathing regularly, washing hands before handling food, washing hair, keeping hair short or trimming hair, brushing teeth, wearing clean clothing as well as cutting fingernails. However, some practices are considered to be gender-specific, such as among females during menstruation.
Undoubtedly, the pandemic has fuelled personal hygiene products market globally. According to market reports, global personal hygiene market was valued at $508.5 billion in the year of 2020 and is estimated to reach $720.7 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 3.6 percent from 2021 to 2030. Post first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been elevating shift in the personal hygiene products market, at around 11% from November 2019 to January 2020.
We must stand as advocates for addressing women’s issues, because gender equity is so closely linked to health. There is an upsurge in the personal care and hygiene market as consumers are quite apprehensive about their personal hygiene. In fact, the global leaders in the space appear to have recorded double-digit growth in the categories – feminine hygiene along with healthcare, both.
The rapid urbanization and increasing female population, the awareness of menstrual health as well as hygiene, rise in female literacy along with the increasing disposable income of females and women empowerment are expected to elevate the growth of feminine hygiene products market, even further across the globe.
“Female consumers have become smarter and are highly aware of their personal hygiene requirements and suitable products available in the market as well as online. The pandemic has had a habit-changing effect on personal hygiene,” says Cristiana Sandor, CEO, Stetho Health Systems Limited.
Minimal attention has been paid to unique problems and discomforts related with the
intimate skin while wearing a sanitary pad or a hygiene product. The intimate skin is a very sensitive area and the onset of hormones during menstruation imbalances the moisturizing and nourishment factors of the intimate skin. A side-effect of wearing a sanitary napkin comes to the feeling of discomfort, irritation, itchiness, rashes, increased sensitivity and contamination zone for microbes.
Therefore, women usually have to take extra care of their intimate hygiene during menstruation by taking more frequent baths, changing absorbent article more than required times a day, applying intimate washes, gels, creams.
Innovative Hemp-Infused Sanitary Pads
It would be desirable if the sanitary napkin in contact with the intimate area of the consumer could cater to improve skin nourishment, reduce problems associated with menstruation such as inflammation, redness, itchiness, and discomfort.
Artificial additives or lotions added to sanitary napkins or intimate products usually leads to irritation, rashes, discomfort and skin allergies. Vaginal drying or vulvar eczema is also a
by-product of menstruation, usage of ordinary sanitary napkins and hormonal changes associated with the same.
Stetho Health Systems has researched and developed a sanitary pad infused with organic micro-encapsulated Hemp-seed oil to provide anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, odour control, anti-oxidant and vaginal skin nourishment properties which solves the discomfort experienced by women and girls during menstruation.
Along with Sanitary Pads, Stetho Health Systems is focused on producing a line of associated products to complement and solve Menstrual Health & Hygiene problems faced by women and girls around the globe.
To maintain intimate hygiene levels, girls and women use intimate wash many times. But, using intimate wash on the go might not be convenient because of the scarcity of water. So, having these intimate wipes in your bag can save you from many unwanted infections.
Menstrual acne, a breakout each month that coincides with menstruation, is quite common. According to study published in the Archives of Dermatology, about 63% of acne-prone women undergo these premenstrual breakouts. They usually occur about 7-10 days prior the onset of a woman’s period and then subside as the period begins. These “behind the scenes” hormonal shifts do all sorts of things to a female’s skin.
Now, people have started investing in their personal, intimate, and period care routines more intently. They are more open to exploring the innovative hygiene solutions that the market is offering. While the industry is rapidly evolving, so are its consumers.
“With transformation ushered in, by the pandemic this year, the year ahead will foresee a major year of acceptance along with expansion of the Personal Hygiene industry.
We, at Stetho Health Systems are looking forward to introducing new products, offering and solutions to reach out to female consumers globally. Our mission is to facilitate hygienic and healthy living for girls and women on the go” added Ms. Sandor.
