Eco minded people have been preaching the good word of the menstrual cup and disc for years, but how do you know which one is right for you? Before we dive into the differences, let's first hit on the similarities between the cup and the disc.
12 Hour Wear
Unlike a tampon which absorbs your period flow, cups and discs collect your flow making them both safe to wear for 12 hours, they are even comfortable enough to sleep in!
Comfort
Most people find cups and discs to be more comfortable than traditional menstrual collection options. There is a learning curve to inserting cups and discs but when you have them placed correctly, you should not feel any pain. The cup is so comfortable, I have often forgotten I was on my cycle!
Money Savers
Cups and discs are made from medical grade silicone and can be worn for 10 years without leaching or degrading! Let’s break that cost savings down;
Menstrual Cup: $29 / 10 years = $2.90/year
Menstrual Disc: $35 / 10 years + $3.50/year
Tampons: $10 / box (12 boxes per year) = $120/year
In other words, cups and discs literally save you hundreds of dollars a year.
Placement
This is where the menstrual cup and disc differ. The disc is held in place by its rim in the vaginal fornix, while cups use suction to sit lower than the disk in the vaginal canal.
Due to the suction that holds the cup in place, the cup is more comfortable for folks with active lifestyles and is ideal for activities like hiking and swimming.
Sitting higher up, the disc allows for penetrative sex. Yes, you did read that correctly, you can have mess free, zero waste sex on your period, who said we couldn’t have it all? Since the disc does not use suction to hold it in place, discs are preferred for people with IUD’s who don’t want to risk pulling out the device, although it is important to note that this is a rare occurrence.
Menstrual discs also have the ability to auto-dump. This is when the pelvic floor muscles contract causing the rim of the disc to move out of place. Some people consider this to be a positive experience to have during menstruation because auto-dumping allows you to empty your disc without removing it. Auto-dumping can also happen involuntarily, causing a leak which is why some people consider it a negative.
Conclusion
While most people are happy with the cup and disc, we generally recommend folks with active lifestyles or a higher cervix use a menstrual cup and folks with a lower cervix opt for the disc.
I’ve been using cups since college but I’m excited to add the disc to my period routine. Which do you prefer?
