# Period products, compared > Pads, tampons, cups, discs and pants: the honest rundown. Category: Period care · 5 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026 URL: https://splash.care/learn/period-care/products-compared ## Quick answer - Mix and match products to suit your day and flow. - Pads and tampons: change every 4 to 8 hours. Cups: empty every 8 to 12 hours. Always follow the packet. - Cups have the best safety evidence of the reusable options, though quality is mostly low. - Know the signs of TSS and act fast if they appear. There is no "best" period product, only the best one for you, today. Plenty of people use a tampon by day, period pants at night, and a pad when they cannot be bothered. All valid. The NHS lists pads, tampons, menstrual cups and period pants as the main choices. ## The line-up - **Pads:** stick to your pants, with no insertion. Plenty of sizes, and reusable cloth pads exist too. ACOG says to change at least every 4 to 8 hours, or when it feels full or wet. - **Tampons:** go inside the [vagina](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/vagina). Handy for swimming and sport. Use the lowest absorbency that works for your flow, and change every 4 to 8 hours (never more than 8, says the FDA). - **Menstrual cups:** soft silicone cups that collect blood rather than absorb it. Reusable, so cheaper and lower-waste over time. ACOG says to empty every 8 to 12 hours, more often if your flow is heavy. They can take a few cycles to get the hang of. - **Discs:** sit higher up, near the [cervix](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/cervix). Some people find them more comfortable than cups. Wear times differ between brands, so follow the packet. - **Period pants:** absorbent washable underwear. ACOG says you can wear them for a full day, and change sooner on heavy days. Lovely for lighter days, overnight, or as backup. ## What does the research say? The best evidence is on menstrual cups. A 2019 review of 43 studies (3,319 people) found leaks with cups were similar to or lower than with pads or tampons, and cups did not harm the vagina's natural bacteria. Roughly 3 in 4 people wanted to keep using one at the end of the studies. The authors also said the evidence was mostly low quality, and research on discs is thinner still. A 2024 lab study found trace metals in some tampons, which made headlines. The FDA says it has since reviewed the research and found the amounts likely to be released during use are too small to cause harm. If you are worried, pads, cups and period pants are all fine alternatives. ## A word on toxic shock syndrome [Toxic shock syndrome](https://splash.care/learn/glossary#tss) is rare, but serious. The NHS says it can happen with tampons or menstrual cups. To lower your risk, wash your hands, follow the instructions, and do not leave tampons or cups in longer than needed or recommended. ### When to see a doctor Remove your tampon or cup and get help from NHS 111 if you have a high temperature, feel hot, cold or shivery with muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhoea, a rough sandpaper-like rash, bright red palms, soles or tongue, or feel sick, dizzy or confused. Tell them you were using one. Call 999 or go to A&E for confusion or slurred speech, difficulty breathing, blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, a rash that does not fade under a glass, or large areas of peeling skin. **Myth:** Using a tampon or cup affects your virginity. **Fact:** Virginity is a social idea, not a medical one. Inserting a period product does not change your body or your status. **Myth:** A tampon can get lost inside you. **Fact:** The NHS says this is not possible. Your vagina holds the tampon in place, and the string lets you take it out. If you forget one and cannot get it out, a GP or specialist clinic can remove it. > **Splash says:** new to cups? Try at home on a lighter day, and wear pants or a pad as backup while you learn. If you have a coil (IUD), ask your nurse or doctor before using a cup, because a few cases of coils moving have been reported. **Quick quiz:** How should you choose tampon absorbency? 1. Always the biggest, just in case 2. The lowest that works for your flow 3. It does not matter Answer: The lowest that works for your flow. The FDA advises the lowest absorbency you need. If one tampon lasts 8 hours without changing, it may be too absorbent. ## Sources 1. [NHS: Periods](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/) 2. [NHS: Toxic shock syndrome](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/) 3. [van Eijk et al. (2019) Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Lancet Public Health](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6669309/) 4. [ACOG: Your first period](https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/your-first-period) 5. [US FDA: Facts on tampons and tampon safety](https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/facts-tampons-and-tampon-safety) 6. [WHO: Menstrual health fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menstrual-health) This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).