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Öko-Test examines menstrual cups: more than half is "very good"

2020-04-03T19:09:57.698Z


Menstrual cup instead of tampon: Öko-Test has tested different cups. The majority scores "very good", but a few have devastating shortcomings.


Menstrual cup instead of tampon: Öko-Test has tested different cups. The majority scores "very good", but a few have devastating shortcomings.

  • Öko-Test tests 15 different menstrual cups .
  • Some results are not entirely clean: the cups contain dangerous siloxanes .
  • But: The majority of the scores " very good ".
Frankfurt - The taxation of menstrual products has been hotly debated - with success. Because the tax for hygiene products for the period was reduced from 19 to 7 percent *. This is noticeable in the price of many hygiene products: for example tampons, sanitary napkins, but also for alternative products such as the menstrual cup .

And that is what more and more women like to use. That is why Öko-Test took a closer look at the menstrual cups, as RUHR24.de * reports.

Menstrual cups in the eco test: how do they actually work?

Menstrual cups usually consist of a kind of plastic and look like a goblet. The soft cup is folded to make it easier to use. When inserted, it then unfolds so that it can catch the menstrual blood .

How to fold the menstrual cup is best looked up in the instructions for use , because there are different folding techniques. It is important that the cup is boiled for a few minutes before first use. After using the menstrual cup , also called a cup , you should do it again.

Öko-Test has a tip for this: For boiling out, simply place the menstrual cup on a whisk in a saucepan. Then it has no contact with the bottom of the pot and cannot burn.

Attention during use: According to the Öko-Test, you should pay attention to this with menstrual cups

When removing the cup , it should be ensured that the vacuum is released by pressing the bottom. Don't just pull on a stick. Then pour the blood into the toilet and rinse the menstrual cup thoroughly with warm water. According to the Öko-Test, this is sufficient for further use in a healthy vaginal flora. So you don't have to have a second cup with you on the go.

What is a # menstrual cup or a # menstrual cup? http://t.co/GG2QsgF7Ik

- Lifeline (@LifelineDE) June 8, 2014

Also good to know: there are different sizes of the cups , so that every woman should find something suitable. In total, Öko-Test took a closer look at 15 menstrual cups. Most cups are made of medical grade silicone . Some also made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). TPE is a plastic that can be deformed when heated.

Öko-Test: A menstrual cup only "sufficient"

The examined menstrual cups were tested for various factors: These include plasticizers, solvents, antimicrobial substances and silicone components . Some silicone blocks are suspected of being hazardous to health and the environment.

Most menstrual cups scored " very good " in terms of ingredients. Three cups convinced with the grade "good". However, one cup stands out negatively in terms of the substances it contains: the Ruby Cub Medium . He was rated "sufficient" by Öko-Test and is one of the clear losers in the test.

The reason for this is that it contained the so-called silicone component D4. The substance is "classified as toxic to reproduction and environmentally hazardous " - and has therefore lost nothing in a menstrual cup. Very clear point deduction for the Ruby Cub.

Menstrual cups in the eco test: do they withstand the stress?

But Öko-Test not only looked at the composition for this year's April edition, but also at whether the handle of the cup is stable. The results of the test are encouraging:

13 cups out of 15 passed the Öko - Test stress test with "very good", two with "good". In both cases of the cups rated "good", the tear strength of the handle was perceived as moderate.

Eco test: menstrual cups contain dangerous silicones

In a few cases, more than 100 mg / kg of the dangerous siloxanes D5 and D6 were found by the laboratory commissioned by Öko-Test. The following menstrual cups are affected:

  • Femometer Menstrual Cup
  • Intimina Lily Cup UltraSmooth Menstrual Cup
  • Mylily menstrual cup
  • Ruby Cub Medium

While Öko - Test paid attention to the menstrual cups, Stiftung Warentest, on the other hand, examined another "intimate" product: contraceptives.

Instructions for use: Öko-Test pays attention to important information for menstrual cups

In the further test , the instructions for use were examined. It was relevant that all important information about the rare but dangerous toxic shock syndrome (TSS) as well as safe use and hygiene were included. The TSS is a very rare but life-threatening organ and circulatory failure.

Doctors suspect that in some cases it is related to the use of tampons or menstrual cups, which is why the instruction leaflet must be referred to.

+

For the menstrual cup, always follow the instructions for use.

© Gioia Forster / dpa, collage: RUHR24

In seven of the menstrual cups examined by Öko-Test, the instructions for use contained "no or insufficient warnings about toxic shock syndrome or the indication that there are no known cases of TSS related to menstrual cups."

Video: feet and fingers amputated: woman suffers toxic shock due to menstrual cup

Eco test: These are the best menstrual cups

A total of ten menstrual cups scored " very good ". For example, the Lunette cup or the Merula Cup. Both are priced at around 25 euros.

The very clear test winners include the products from the Einhorn company (Papperla Cup menstrual cup) and the Me Luna menstrual cup Classic. No pollutants were found in any of the cups. Casi

* RUHR24.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Source: merkur

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