Penned Down #16: Tampon's Common Questions

Warning: This post might contains some explicit images which are merely to state information for educational purposes. Any misconduct shall derived from this post is deemed to be under your own consequences.

Dear Earthlings (and disguised Spacelings),

Yeah! So we are back for the Q&A's session about tampons. Since I am a Malaysian Muslim, I will try to answer and elaborate more from those perspective. So drum rolls, ladies! Clear up your mind from now on. From this post and this post.

Q&A #1: Where should I buy tampons in Malaysia?

Truth to be told, there are actually not many brands to choose over in Malaysian market. But they are widely available at any leading pharmacies like Guardian and Watsons. You can choose over high-end brands like Tampax and Playtex or medium-ends like Johnson's O.B. There is tampon selection at Tesco Hypermarket, too and they are wayyy cheaper than above mentioned brands. I sometimes juggled between Johnson's O.B. and Tesco's. Both work fine with me, anyway.

Q&A #2: Should I buy tampons with applicator or without?

It is all depends on you. If you are new to tampons, then it should be advisable that you try tampons with applicator. The applicator will help you to insert the tampons correctly. Plus, it is more hygienic because you won't be needing to insert your finger down there. The applicator will do it all so yeah, the first timers should get benefits from it.

'A tampon with applicator. Courtesy of The Period Blog.com'

Q&A #3: How much tampons will cost in Malaysia?

I am not really sure the exact prices but based on my experience, this is what you can expect. For high-end brands like Tampax and Playtex, they will cost less or more of RM20 for a box of eight regular pieces with applicator. For medium-ends like Johnson's O.B, the price is less or more of RM20 for a box of 32 regular pieces without applicator. For Tesco's brand, the price is less or more of RM10 for 24 regular pieces without applicator. So you can decide based on the budget.

Q&A #4: How to use a tampon? Will it hurt?

Every tampon box will include the instructions leaflet on how to use the tampon for the first time. Usually they will come with step-by-step pictures for easier reference so you might want to follow the manual as it is. The most important thing is to relax and stop worrying. It won't cause you any pain, trust me.

Q&A #5: How should I dispose a used tampon?

Like sanitary pads, it should be wrapped in a paper or plastic before throwing it into the dustbin. For Muslim ladies, you might want to clean it properly with water and soap before disposing it. Remember to never flush the tampons; in fact never flush anything into the toilet. You do not want to be the culprit for damaging the sewer line.

Q&A #6: Can a virgin use a tampon?

This is another common but tricky questions I have always encountered. You see, us Malaysian ladies are still accustomed to tradition and religion practice in certain ways. That includes the fact of how a virginity is deemed to be very important for unmarried girls in our society. Compared to western countries, the idea for virgins to simply put anything in the Miss V for the sake of trying out some new menstruation experience is quite unbearable.

Even though it is proven that a tampon won't tear the hymen when it is worn in the right way but still, the risk is still there. Especially to girls who know very little about their private parts compared to us married ladies, it is advisable to wait until you are married to use such things during menstruation. For now, maybe you should stick to those less-harm sanitary pads until you are truly ready. Just my two cents, girls.

'Tampon brands (some are not available in Malaysia). Courtesy of Google.com'

So I hope this short session will help you (especially if you are from Malaysia) to obtain a clearer and rational views about using tampons during your menstruation times. Please note that all my posts about tampon are written to help set your mind at ease and help you be informed about it. So when you are ready to use one, then off you go. Never live in myth and puzzled minds anymore.

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