What can I use instead of tampons for swimming

It's every woman's worst nightmare — your period arrives right at the beginning of your beach vacation. Unless you're on birth control, there's no way to avoid it. And it can put a serious damper on your water activities. But the good news is, from a health perspective, it shouldn't stop you from hopping in the water.

"It is safe to swim on your period," says Dr. Jacqueline Ho, MD, reproductive endocrinology and infertility expert at Keck Medicine of USC. "It is not going to increase your risk of an infection."

What if you go swimming on your period without any feminine care products

If you've ever tried swimming while on your period without wearing any feminine care products, you've likely noticed your period may seem to temporarily stop when you're in the water. And there's some legitimate science behind it.  

"Blood typically flows out from the uterus into the vagina through the cervix because of gravity, and the water pressure can decrease the flow while swimming," says Ho. 

So it can slow your flow but it doesn't totally stop your flow from happening.

"Water pressure may temporarily stop the flow of your period while in the water, but coughing, sneezing, laughing, big movements may override this," says Dr. Leah Millheiser, MD, OB-GYN and director of the Female Sexual Medicine Program at Stanford Health Care.

How to choose the right feminine care product to wear in the water

So to be safe, you'll likely want to wear some sort of feminine care product. When it comes to the best one to use when swimming, it really comes down to personal preference. Two recommended by experts are tampons and menstrual cups.

"It is perfectly safe to swim with a tampon in," says Jennifer Meyers, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at the Mayo Clinic Health System. "When a tampon is inserted, it sits very high in the vagina to collect any menstrual flow. The rest of the vagina stays fairly closed during swimming, so there's not a lot of exchange of fluid between what's in the vagina and the water outside of it." 

While any type of tampon should work, you may benefit from a high absorbency or one designed for women who do sports. But you should change it once you're done swimming.

"A tampon will absorb the water from the lake, pool, or ocean while you are swimming, so it is important to change the tampon when you get out of the water," says Ho. "Otherwise, the tampon will be saturated and will not absorb the blood from your period." 

And if you're not a fan of tampons, menstrual cups work just as well. "The cup should stay well-placed during swimming, and provide a barrier between the menstrual flow and the water," says Meyers.

What if you leak blood into the water anyways

If you're concerned about seeing your blood in the water due to a leak, put your mind at rest — it should be diluted pretty quickly.

"Any small amount of blood that were to get into the water would either be neutralized by chemical treatment of the water (swimming pools) or vastly diluted by a large body of natural water (lake or ocean)," says Meyers. 

Another concern that may come to mind when swimming with your period, especially if you're swimming in the ocean or another large body of water, is sharks. If you're concerned that sharks will swarm around you, it likely won't happen. 

"There is no data that shark attacks increase while a woman is on her period," says Millheiser.

Your regular flow shouldn't prevent you from swimming. In fact, it can even benefit your body. "Swimming and exercise may be helpful for period cramps as well," says Ho. Just make sure that your cramps aren't too bad when you first get in the water and that you can swim comfortably without much pain.

When you should avoid swimming while on your period

There are a few circumstances when you should avoid swimming.

"It is best to avoid swimming on your period if you have had a procedure recently in the vagina i.e. surgery, D&C for miscarriage, hysteroscopy, egg retrieval," says. Ho. "It is also best to avoid swimming if you have delivered a baby recently, within a couple weeks, or are still bleeding after a miscarriage." 

The bottom line is, you are safe to swim during your period, and it may even help with cramps.

Periods can be a tough time for many of us. Cramps, mood swings, tender breasts… there can be a lot to grapple with. But it’s also how a period can disrupt life. For many of us, there’s insecurity about doing certain activities while on our periods. From sex to sports, suddenly we’re second-guessing the most normal activities. 

Swimming is definitely up there on that list of questions. Can you swim on your period? Should you swim on your period? And what if you can’t or don’t like using tampons—what are your options?

Get comfortable, this is a long read, but we’ve got ALL your answers (yes, even the shark 🦈 question!)

Myth-Busting: Your Period Doesn’t Stop When You’re in the Water

Let’s get this out of the way: Your period does not stop when you’re in the water. That applies to any water (bathwater, ocean, or pool.)

What can happen is that the water pressure can lighten your flow, which may create the illusion that you’re not bleeding. However, if you cough, sneeze or laugh or otherwise exert yourself, the pressure of your period blood can break through the surrounding water.

Obviously, the water will quickly dilute your blood so it’s unlikely you’ll see a streak in the water. But basically, it’s not worth rolling the dice on swimming without some form of protection, especially in a pool where other swimmers may be sharing the water in relatively close proximity to each other.

So you need some form of protection… The go-to protection for swimming is traditionally a tampon. Many of us are comfortable wearing tampons as our regular period protection so have confidence in them to absorb our flow. We know how often we need to change them and it’s almost a no-brainer to trust them in the water.

But, increasingly, women want alternatives to tampons. Reasons include:

• Comfort: Some women find tampons uncomfortable to insert and/or wear
• Waste reduction: A person who menstruates throws away roughly 400 pounds of packaging from pads and tampons in their lifetime. (Greater London Authority, 2018)
• Cost: As disposable products, tampons can be prohibitively expensive for some.
• Health concerns: Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare bacterial infection associated with tampon use. Other reports pose additional questions about the safety of tampon ingredients. 

But if you’ve ruled out tampons for some combination of these or other reasons, what are your alternatives? Good news: You have options!

Note: Pads and panty-liners are NOT good options for swimming as they will simply absorb water to their maximum absorption and become sodden, heavy, and messy.

But There Are Benefits to Swimming on Your Period

A study published by the Journal of Education and Health Promotion, showed that 8 weeks of aerobic exercise significantly improved the severity of pain in primary dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). But what are the concrete benefits of exercise? Read on...

Exercise Will Lift Your Mood

The body releases endorphins when you exercise (this is why people get addicted to the high they get from working out). But it doesn’t have to be running a marathon or gritting your teeth through an epic training session. You will benefit even from gentle exercise. So if you’re suffering from PMS symptoms, exercise may help. A gentle exercise like swimming that supports the body can help you feel like your normal self again.

Reduces Pain, Like Period Cramps

Those endorphins that lift your mood? They also act as natural painkillers. So, if you’re experiencing menstrual cramps or lower back pain as a result of your period, exercise can provide some pain relief for these symptoms. According to the Office on Women’s Health, “Researchers have found that some women have fewer painful period cramps during menstruation if they exercise regularly.”

Exercise Reduces Fatigue

Because of changing estrogen levels before that time of the month, it’s not uncommon to feel exhausted. Although exercise burns energy, it also boosts energy levels. So if you’re feeling tired and blue, some exercise can perk up your energy and make you feel less groggy and worn out.

Swimming on Your Period? Leakproof Swimwear Helps Absorb Menstrual Blood

Period (or leakproof) swimwear is a superb option for confidence in water on your period. It can be used on its own or as a backup to other products (like tampons or menstrual cups.)

Knix period-proof swimwear is made to hold menstrual fluid and prevent leaks in the water. You can depend on it to hold 3 teaspoons (or 2 tampons worth) of menstrual blood. Or wear it as a backup with a tampon or menstrual cup while at the beach or by the pool. 

More than that: Leakproof swimwear isn’t just period-proof. It’s designed to catch all of life’s pesky leaks, including light bladder (urine) leaks.

Sounds Great, But How Does Leakproof Swimwear Work?

The layers in the gusset of the swimwear work to trap and absorb your period so it doesn’t leak in the water (or on land!) Our Swimwear features the same Patented Leakproof Technology as our Period Underwear with an additional thin layer of waterproof material for extra protection.

The inner layers absorb the blood and trap it, so there's no leakage when you swim. When it goes in the laundry with detergent, it releases through the top layer— leaving your swim fresh and clean for tomorrow's laps. Reminder: No bleach or softener, and lay flat to dry.

It’s worth noting that no period product is completely leakproof (this includes tampons.) They all have different absorbency rates. We want you to feel completely confident, so you might start trying our period swimwear on your lighter days, or as a backup to a menstrual cup or other menstrual product until you feel confident enough to go solo.

Does Leakproof Swimwear Look Different? Will Everyone Know I’m on My Period?

Period swimwear comes in a number of different styles, just like regular swimwear. You can have single-piece suits and bikini bottoms. The big difference between regular swimwear is how the gusset is constructed. 

However, while the gusset might be thicker than a regular swimsuit, it won’t look bulky from the outside. Nobody will be able to tell the difference between a period swimsuit and a regular swimsuit and you won’t have a “wet diaper” feeling when you’re wearing one.

Or Explore Alternative Period Products Like a Menstrual Cup 

Clearly, we think leakproof swimwear is an amazing, sustainable, stylish, and confidence-boosting option for swimming when on your period. You can wear a tampon with leakproof swimwear when swimming on your period, but you don’t have to wear any other protection if you don’t want to.

However, period / leakproof swimwear isn’t the only alternative to a tampon when it comes to swimming on your periods. There are other alternative period products, including:

• Menstrual cups, and 
• Menstrual discs

The most popular of these two options is the menstrual cup. Let’s explore how they work

How Menstrual Cups Work

A menstrual cup is made of silicone or latex rubber and is designed to catch and collect your blood (rather than absorb menstrual blood like a tampon.) The cup is folded and inserted into the vagina (similar to inserting a diaphragm.) It then opens to form a seal against the wall of your vagina that prevents leaks. The blood then collects in the cup.

Different brands of cups come in different shapes, so it can be worth trying a few to find the one that’s most comfortable for you. Like a tampon, you shouldn’t feel a menstrual cup once it’s inserted.

Menstrual cups are typically reusable. You remove them by pinching the base and pulling, which will release the seal. Then you empty the cup into the toilet, wash it (and your hands) carefully with soap and water, and reinsert it. At the end of your menstrual cycle, once your period has ended, it’s advisable to sterilize your cup in boiling water.

Other FAQs

Will I Leave a Menstrual Bloody Trail in the Water?

Should you worry about leaving a blood trail in the water if your period products fail? It’s hard to make guarantees here: We’ve all experienced a period product failing us at some point and resulting in leaks. This is especially common at night.

The big difference is that at night you may have exceeded your product’s absorbency limit. So as long as you choose the right absorbency level for your flow and don’t push those limits, you should be just fine. If you do have a very heavy menstrual flow you may opt to use another menstrual product (e.g. a tampon or menstrual cup) for additional protection while you swim.

It is worth noting that the water pressure may lighten your blood flow, and even if you do leak a little it will be quickly diluted in the water, so you’re unlikely to leave the gruesome blood trail that you’re probably picturing in your head (that’s more the domain of horror movies that real life).

Will I Attract Sharks?!

Speaking of horror movies… Of course, it has occurred to many of us that blood might attract sharks. Okay, first and foremost, if you’re swimming in shark-infested waters, you have more things to worry about than your period… maybe consider relocating to safer waters!!

Seriously though, sharks can of course smell blood. They can smell the blood from a papercut or a period. They can also smell sweat, mucus, urine… The good news is that they don’t really want to eat us. Jaws is a great movie, a classic, but don’t use it as your go-to guide on typical shark behavior.

Is it Unsanitary to Swim When on Your Period?

Horror movies aside, some people feel like swimming on your period might be unsanitary. This question has two sides (tl;dr the answer is NO)

1. Is it Unsanitary for You?

Periods were often historically portrayed as ‘unclean’ and some of that stigma sadly still hangs around. You are not dirty because you’re menstruating. You also don’t need to be isolated from others. 

The only health caution we would advise when swimming in the water is that if you use a period product (tampons, in particular) to change it once you’re done. Tampons in particular can absorb water in addition to period blood and it is possible there’ll be bacteria in that water. So, it’s best not to leave them in longer than you have to.

Similarly, if you wear leakproof swimwear be sure to rinse it well after every swim, just as you would regular swimwear, 

2. Is it Unsanitary for Other People in the Water?

Swimming pools have all kinds of chemicals to keep the water safe to swim (we all know about pee). If you bleed in the water even a little bit (whether it’s period blood or a cut) those chemicals will prevent the transmission of blood-borne illnesses and will keep the water safe for other swimmers.

If you’re in the ocean, it’s a vast vast thing with so many things floating around out there. The least of your worries is a little bit of period blood. Seriously, don’t sweat this one.

Shop Knix Period Swimwear here.