Back to Basics: Everything You Need to Know About Tampons, Pads, and Beyond

Whether you're getting your first period, helping someone who is, or you've been managing periods for years and fancy a refresher, this guide is for you.

The world of period products has never been bigger. Alongside the familiar pads and tampons, there are now menstrual cups, discs, period pants, reusable pads, and more. That's brilliant news, because it means there's something to suit every body, every flow, and every lifestyle. But it can also feel overwhelming, especially if you're just starting out.

So let's go back to basics. We'll walk through every option, explain how each one works in plain language, cover the pros and cons, and help you figure out what might work for you. There are no silly questions here, and no single “right” answer. The best period product is simply the one that keeps you comfortable and confident.

A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when the lining of the womb is shed, leaving the body through the vagina as menstrual blood. Most periods last between three and seven days, and cycles typically range from 21 to 35 days, though everyone is different, especially in the first couple of years.

The amount you bleed varies from person to person and from day to day. Many people are heavier in the first day or two and lighter towards the end. This matters because different products suit different flow levels, and you'll often use more than one type across a single period.

That's completely normal. Many people use a tampon or cup during the day and a pad or period pants at night, for example. Mixing and matching is not only fine, it's smart.

Pads

Pads, sometimes called sanitary towels or sanitary napkins, are absorbent strips that stick to the inside of your underwear and soak up menstrual blood as it leaves the body. They're the most widely used period product and often the first one people try.

How they work: Peel off the backing strip and press the sticky side onto your underwear. Some pads have “wings”, flaps that fold over the sides of your underwear to hold the pad in place and guard against leaks.

Choosing the right one: Pads come in a range of sizes and absorbencies:

• Panty liners are thin and small, for very light days or as backup
• Regular and day pads suit light to medium flow
• Super, maxi, or night pads are longer and more absorbent for heavy days and overnight

Pros:

• Easy to use, no learning curve
• Nothing goes inside the body
• You can see when it needs changing
• Widely available

Cons:

• Can feel bulky to some
• Not suitable for swimming
• Can shift during sport or movement

How often to change: Every four to six hours, or more often on heavy days. Always wrap and bin used pads. Never flush them.

Tampons

Tampons are small, cylindrical plugs, usually made of cotton, rayon, or a blend, that you insert into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood before it leaves the body. A string at the end lets you remove it easily.

How they work: Some tampons come with an applicator (cardboard or plastic) that helps guide them into place; others are inserted with a finger. With clean hands, you insert the tampon into the vagina, and if it's positioned correctly, you shouldn't be able to feel it. If you can feel it or it's uncomfortable, it may not be in far enough.

Choosing the right one: Tampons come in absorbencies like light, regular, and super. A good rule is to use the lowest absorbency that suits your flow.

Pros:

• Discreet and not visible
• Can be worn while swimming
• Good for sport and active days
• Compact to carry

Cons:

• A small learning curve at first
• Need changing every few hours
• Carry a rare risk of toxic shock syndrome (more on this below)

How often to change: Every four to eight hours, and never leave one in for more than eight hours. Change more frequently on heavy days. Used tampons should be wrapped and binned, never flushed.

Toxic shock syndrome is a rare but serious bacterial infection associated mainly with tampon use, particularly when a tampon is left in too long or a higher absorbency than needed is used.

The risk is genuinely low, but it's worth knowing how to reduce it and what to look for:

To lower your risk:

• Use the lowest absorbency suitable for your flow
• Change tampons regularly (every four to eight hours)
• Never leave a tampon in longer than eight hours
• Consider alternating with pads, especially overnight
• Wash your hands before inserting or removing any internal product

Seek medical help urgently if you experience a sudden high fever, a sunburn-like rash, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, or feeling faint while using a tampon. Remove the tampon and get medical attention straight away.

TSS can also be associated with menstrual cups, so the same care around clean hands and timely removal applies. If you've had TSS before, the advice is to avoid tampons and cups and use pads or period pants instead.

This isn't meant to frighten you. Millions of people use tampons safely every day. It's simply about using them sensibly and knowing the signs.

In recent years, reusable products have become hugely popular. They cost more upfront but can save money over time, and they produce far less waste. Here's how each works.

Menstrual Cups

A menstrual cup is a small, flexible, bell-shaped cup, usually made from medical-grade silicone, that you insert into the vagina. Instead of absorbing blood like a tampon, it collects it.

How they work: You fold the cup, insert it, and it springs open to form a light seal against the vaginal walls. You remove it to empty (usually into the toilet), rinse, and reinsert. At the end of your period, you sterilise it by boiling in water.

Pros:

• One cup can last for years with proper care
• Holds more than a tampon, so fewer changes
• Can be worn up to 12 hours
• Cost-effective and low-waste over time

Cons:

• A steeper learning curve
• Requires washing facilities to rinse
• Not recommended alongside an IUD without checking with your doctor
• Needs sterilising between cycles

Good to know: Cups come in different sizes based on age, flow, and whether you've given birth. Most brands offer sizing guidance.

Menstrual Discs

A menstrual disc is a shallow, round disc that sits higher in the vaginal canal, at the base of the cervix, and collects blood. Some are disposable, some reusable.

How they differ from cups:

• They sit higher up and hold blood at the cervix
• Many can be worn during sex
• Some “auto-empty” slightly when you use the toilet
• They can hold a generous amount, often compared to several tampons' worth

Pros:

• High capacity, up to 12 hours
• Often unnoticeable once in
• Reusable versions are low-waste

Cons:

• Can be trickier to insert and remove than a cup
• Disposable versions still create waste
• A learning curve at first

Period Pants

Period pants (or period underwear) look like normal underwear but have built-in absorbent layers that soak up menstrual blood. You wear them instead of, or as backup to, other products.

How they work: A typical pair has a moisture-wicking top layer, an absorbent middle layer, and a leak-proof bottom layer. You wear them, then rinse in cold water and machine wash.

Pros:

• Extremely comfortable, just put them on
• No insertion, no inserting anything
• Brilliant for overnight, light days, or backup
• Available in many styles and absorbencies

Cons:

• Higher upfront cost; you'll want several pairs
• Need washing and air-drying
• Heaviest days may need backup

Period pants are a wonderful starting point for beginners, because there's nothing to learn and nothing to insert. Many people also love period swimwear, which works on the same principle for the pool or beach.

Reusable Cloth Pads

Reusable pads work just like disposable pads but are made from washable fabric and fasten around your underwear with poppers. They're breathable, gentle on skin, and last for years with care. After use, you rinse and machine wash them.

Many people now look for products made with organic cotton and fewer synthetic materials. Organic cotton tampons and pads are widely available and are often free from added dyes and fragrances, which can be gentler on sensitive skin.

If you have sensitive skin or notice irritation, choosing products free of fragrance and dye is a sensible step. And if you'd like to reduce the plastic in your period routine, organic disposables and reusables both help.

For more on lower-waste choices and what the labels really mean, read our complete guide to sustainable period products. And whatever you choose, remember that disposable products should always be binned, never flushed.

With so many options, here's a simple way to think about it.

If you're brand new to periods, pads or period pants are the easiest place to start. There's no insertion and almost no learning curve. You can explore tampons or cups later, at your own pace, when you feel ready. If you're supporting a young person, our guide on how to talk about a first period can help.

If you're active or love swimming, internal products like tampons, cups, or discs, or period swimwear, give you the most freedom.

If comfort is your priority, many people find period pants and pads the comfiest, with nothing inserted.

If you want to reduce waste and cost over time, reusables like cups, discs, period pants, and cloth pads are worth exploring.

If you have sensitive skin, look for fragrance-free and dye-free options, and consider organic cotton.

If you have a heavy flow, you might combine products, for example a cup or tampon with period pants as backup, and reach for higher-absorbency options.

The honest truth? It often takes trying a few things to find your favourites. That's completely normal. Many people settle on a combination rather than a single product, and what works can change over the years. Be patient and kind with yourself while you figure it out.

• Wash your hands before and after handling any period product, especially anything inserted.
• Carry a small kit with a couple of products and a disposal bag, so you're never caught out.
• Track your cycle with an app or diary, so you can anticipate your period and know your patterns.
• Change products regularly, even on lighter days, for hygiene and comfort.
• Keep backups in your bag, locker, desk, or car.
• Never flush pads, tampons, liners, or applicators. Always bin them.

Choosing the right product is only half the story. How you dispose of it matters too, for hygiene, for dignity, and for the planet.

The golden rule is simple: bin it, don't flush it. Flushing period products causes sewer blockages and sends plastic and waste into rivers and onto beaches. If you've ever wondered why so many people still flush, and why it matters, it's worth a read. Even when a bin isn't ideal or isn't available, flushing is never the answer.

This is exactly where FabLittleBag helps. Our disposal bags are designed to make binning period products easy, discreet, and hygienic, wherever you are:

• Made mostly from plants (60% sugarcane, 30% recycled material, 10% cornstarch)
• Opaque, so no one can see the contents
• Open with one hand, even in a cramped cubicle
• Seal securely, locking away any odour
• Compact, so they're easy to keep in your bag

Whether you're at home, at school, at work, travelling, or out with friends, a FabLittleBag means you can deal with your period confidently and bin your products properly, even when there's no bin in sight.

Periods are a normal, healthy part of life, and managing them shouldn't be stressful or shameful. With so many products available today, there really is something for everyone.

Start with what feels comfortable, give yourself permission to experiment, and don't be afraid to mix and match. Ask questions, talk to friends or family, and trust that you'll find your rhythm.

And whatever you choose, dispose of it thoughtfully. Your future self, and the planet, will thank you.

Here's to confident, comfortable periods, wherever life takes you.

What period product is best for beginners?

Pads and period pants are usually easiest for beginners because there's no insertion and almost no learning curve. You can explore tampons, cups, or discs later when you feel ready.

Can I sleep with a tampon in?

You can, but never leave a tampon in for more than eight hours. For overnight, many people prefer a night pad or period pants to be safe, especially if you sleep longer than eight hours.

How often should I change my period product?

Pads and liners every four to six hours, tampons every four to eight hours (never more than eight), and cups and discs up to 12 hours depending on the product and your flow.

Can I use period products if I'm a virgin?

Yes. Tampons, cups, and discs can all be used regardless of whether you've had sex. They don't affect virginity. Start with a lower absorbency or smaller size, and go at your own pace. Pads and period pants are always an option if you prefer not to use anything internal.

Why can't I flush tampons and pads?

Flushing causes sewer blockages and sends plastic and waste into rivers and the sea. Period products should always be wrapped and binned, which is what FabLittleBag is designed to make easy and discreet.

Trusted information:

NHS: Periods

NHS inform: Choosing period products

Planned Parenthood: Menstrual hygiene products

Related reading on our blog:

Sustainable Period Products: A Complete Guide

How to Talk to Your Daughter About Her First Period

Why 40% of UK Women Still Flush Period Products

FabLittleBag makes disposing of period products easy, discreet and thoughtful, wherever you are. Made mostly from plants, open with one hand, and sealed to lock away odour. Shop FabLittleBag