Erika drinks coffee at a shop with another person. She is busy sipping her drink when the person seems to realize something with an exclamation mark coming off their head.

The person leans in towards Erika and whispers, “Pssst, Erika. Code red! Spot me a pad?”

Erika looks excited as she exclaims, “Dude! You know, I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about all your menstrual options for a while, this seems like the perfect time!”

The person looks a little put out as they say, “What? No. I just need a pad…”

Erika jumps into the foreground to announce, “When it comes to your period products, your (menstrual) cup runneth over with choices!”

The person rubs their forehead. They beg, “... Please not another crash course lesson…”

Erika puts her arm around their shoulder as she says, “My Bleeding Bosom Buddy, it’s time for another - Crash Course Lesson On Ways to Manage Your Flow!”

Disposable Pads

A simple illustration is shown of two disposable pads. One has the extra flaps on the sides called “wings”, that fold over the crotch of underwear to keep the pad in place. The other is the type that does not have wings. The illustration comes with the following points:

• External Wear


• About $7 per box of 36


• Plastic and bleached cotton


• Single Use


• Environment UNfriendly


• All day wear, change every 3 to 4 hours

These easy to find single-use pads have an adhesive backing (and sometimes side wings) that stick down into the crotch of your underwear. They only last once and then are tossed into the garbage (boo!). Try and get unscented ones, as fragrances can irritate your delicate zone and mess with your healthy vaginal bacteria.

Washable Reusable Pads

Illustrations of two types of reusable pads are shown. Both are made of different kinds of fabric with fun patterns on them. One has fabric “wings” similar to what would be seen on a disposable pad. The other also has wings that look like bigger, triangular flaps that extend from each end of the pad. Both pads have snaps on their wings that allow them to clasp closed around the crotch of underwear. The following points are given:

• External Wear


• About $10 per pad


• Usually Cotton (sometimes made out of recycled materials!)


• Reusable for years


• 2 to 6 hours of wear


• Environment friendly

These cotton pads snap around the crotch of your undies and then you just wash them with the rest of your laundry. Some come with padding pockets so you can fill them up with bonus absorbing material on heavier flow days. I love these cuties, as I don’t end up contributing as much to the landfill!

Period Underwear

Two types of period underwear are illustrated. One pair of underwear is a boxer cut, while the other is a bikini style. The following points are given:

• External Wear


• About $30 per undies


• Usually cotton


• Reusable for years


• 2 to 6 hours of wear


• Environment friendly

Just like the washable pads, but these are fully formed underwears. A great option if you’re always springing leaks from pads or plan on moving around a bunch. Just throw ‘em in the regular wash after you’ve worn ‘em!

Cups

Two types of menstrual cups are illustrated. One has a U-shaped cup with a short stem, or handle, coming down from the bottom. It almost has a similar shape to a wine glass. The other cup has a softer shape that tapers at the bottom without any stem attached. The following points are given:

• Internal Wear


• About $30 per cup


• Silicone:




• Reusable for years


• Environment friendly




• Latex:




• Single Use


• Environment UNfriendly




• 12 hours of wear


• Active lifestyle friendly

Worn inside the vagina, these flexible, non-porous, silicone or latex cups collect your flow until you remove them and empty their contents down the sink or toilet. Give it a rinse, slip it back in, and you’re good to go again. The downside is that it’s a bit more trouble to insert than a tampon, especially the first few times, but it DOES get easier with practice. Just pinch fold it in half vertically and push it in!

Tampons

Two types of tampons are illustrated. One is a basic tampon, with a cotton head and a string on the end. The other tampon is inside a larger, outer tube called an “applicator”, with a smaller tube at the end that contains the tampon string and acts as a “plunger” to push the tampon in. The following points are given:

• Internal Wear


• About $7 per box of 36


• Plastic, bleached cotton, rayon fibers


• Single use


• 4 to 6 hours of wear


• Environment UNfriendly

This is a tube of chemically treated cotton that is worn inside the vagina and absorbs your menstrual fluids before they can exit your body. After a few hours, you pull it out by the dangling string and throw it away. You have a choice between just a tampon by itself that you push in with your finger or a tampon that comes with an applicator that can help insert it.

An additional note says: You’ll want to stick to unscented ones as fragrances will mess with your healthy vaginal bacteria. If left in too long, it can irritate your insides or worse, lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) which is a whole other kind of might-kill-you-shitshow you’ll want to avoid, so pull it out after a few hours. When done, wrap it up and toss it away - don’t flush it!

Sponges

Two types of menstrual sponges are shown. One has a rounder, more textured shape, and the other looks flatter and smoother. The following points are given:

• Internal Wear


• About $10 per sponge


• Natural or synthetic


• 3 hours of wear


• Natural:




• 6 to 12 months


• Environment friendly




• Synthetic:




• Single use


• Environment Unfriendly




• Can be used for blood-free intercourse

Inserted inside the vagina, this product absorbs your menstrual fluids and after a few hours you just grab an edge to pull it out (a piece of string can be attached to help pull it out too). Sponges need to be washed and sterilized before each use; give it a good scrub, or boil, or soak in vinegar. They tend to start breaking down after a handful of uses, but are biodegradable once thrown out. Synthetic ones are single use before they’re tossed. Just like most things, if left in your body for too long, it could cause TSS so make sure you change it out every few hours as well!

An additional note says: Sponges ARE a hotly debated menstruation tool in some circles and the FDA restricts how they are to be marketed and sold. But there’s a long history of use and anecdotal evidence out there to say they work great as long as you follow instructions. So do your own research if you’re considering them!

Finally done with her list, Erika smiles. She says, “So! Did any of those options float your boat?”

The person points over their shoulder with their thumb and responds, “Oh, you took so long that I just went with the OTP.”

Erika asks, “The OTP…?”

The Ol’ Toilet Paper Trick

An illustration of a roll of toilet paper is shown. The following points are made:

• External Wear


• $0 (if you’re in a public restroom)


• Toilet Paper


• Single Use

When worse comes to worst and you don’t have any better options, you can always GI Jane it, and wrap the crotch of your underwear in a wad of toilet paper. This’ll buy you some time and hopefully save the seat of your pants from getting stained long enough till you can find something better.

Curious, the person bites their finger. They ask, “But if I DID want to try an insertable product, how do you… get it in?”

Get into some kind of squatting position, either on your feet or sitting on the toilet.

An illustration shows silhouettes of people sitting on the edge of a toilet or squatting down in an almost seated position, with their feet apart.

Spread your lips apart with one hand, find the hole, and push your product in. The vagina is the only hole down there big enough to enter, don’t worry about the pee hole.

An illustration shows a vulva with its labia being gently spread apart with two fingers on one hand. The head of a tampon with the applicator is pointed towards the vaginal opening.

• If your vagina is too dry to slide in, you can add a bit of lube to the penetrating tip to help.


• For some, angling it towards your butt as you push it in can make it easier.


• It’s in when your fingers touch your body!


• When it’s time to take it out, just resume the squat and, unless it has a little string to pull on, get real comfortable digging around up inside your hoohah (wash those fingers first!).


• It can take a bit of practice to get the hang of it! So if you’re nervous, try finding and entering your vaginal entrance with just your (clean!) fingers and a mirror first before you go adding in extra products!

Erika gives two thumbs up. She says, “Go with your flow and find the product that feels right for you, PERIOD.”

The person holds their hand up in a whispering gesture and adds, “And if worse comes to worst, you can wad up some toilet paper in your undies.”


Brought to you by our lovely patrons at Patreon.com/erikamoen.

To repost or license this comic, visit Ohjoysextoy.com/license.

This comic was posted on June 11, 2019 and transcribed May 15, 2022, by Dennie Park, who can be found at linktr.ee/DeepBeeps