6 Myths And Facts About Menstruation, Douching And Tampons

Douching prevents pregnancy… tampons causes you to lose your virginity… How many myths have you heard? Sexual health expert, health expert, MALYSE UWASE unravels the facts and fiction.

- Malyse Uwase

1 IS IT SAFE TO USE BIRTH CONTROL TO SKIP PERIODS?

Skipping periods with birth control is generally safe and will not lead to complications.There are many reasons that can lead a woman to decide to skip her periods using birth control: painful menstruation, migraines, mood swings, or convenience when traveling. When taking daily pills, a woman is able to skip her periods by not taking the placebo week pills and starting with day 1 of a new pack of birth control. Additionally, there are also other methods that reduce periods frequency such as the Mirena implant that is often recommended for women with painful periods. If you would like to go down this route, consult your physician. It is generally safe but sometimes there can be side effects such as spot bleeding.

2 YOU LOSE YOUR VIRGINITY WHEN YOU USE TAMPONS

First of all, let’s start by defining virginity. The common definition is ‘never had sex’ and particularly, penis-in-vagina sex although it is important to note that this is not applicable to everyone based on sexual orientation. During the first penis-in-vagina sex, the hymen - a thin fleshy tissue - located at the opening of the vagina is stretched and this can cause pain or bleeding. In many cultures, bleeding caused by the stretching of the hymen when a woman has her first intercourse, confirms her virginity. However, the reality is that not all women bleed or experience pain during their first intercourse. This is because some women have a hymen that is naturally open or that has already been stretched from activities such as foreplay, riding bicycles, horses or participating in sports (e.g. gymnastics) and or yes, at times, using a tampon.