The pads and tampon could be the cause of endometriosis. Is that true?

The stamps have already been criticized for a few years because of the risk of toxic shock. A documentary reveals that this periodic protection could also cause a serious and very handicapping disease for women: endometriosis.

The documentary “Stamp, our enemy intimate ” directed by Audrey Ghadiri, aired on France 5 on April 25, 2017 made a lot of noise. It blames the buffer for serious consequences for women’s health.

The toxic shock and endometriosis caused by tampons?

The documentary first establishes a very clear correlation between the toxic shock syndrome and the chemical composition of the buffers, largely secret. But the investigation goes beyond that. It establishes a link between the use of periodic stamps and endometriosis.

The buffers contain dioxin, a toxic molecule (used as an industrial bleacher) that can play a role in the development of this widespread disease. The mucous of the vagina could actually absorb this dioxin contained in the tampon.

The documentary thus raises a problem of size: the lack of transparency on the part of the manufacturers of sanitary pads in the composition of their products.

The dangers of buffers, to be taken into account but to “relativize” 

The presence of very harmful products in tampons is a real public health problem, but several studies have contradicted the dangers attributed to buffers.

If according to some researchers the link between the pads and endometriosis is net, for others this is not the case. Indeed, according to other research relayed in the magazine that choose, the doses of dioxins in the buffers are too small to have real health consequences, and to cause this disease that affects 1 woman in 10 of childbearing age.

Some women with more fragile vaginal flora would, according to these researchers, be more susceptible to this dioxin and therefore likely to develop endometriosis.

For these same researchers, the toxic shock syndrome would not be caused by the buffer but by the long port time.

It is difficult to decide in a clear and precise way but two things are certain. On the one hand, manufacturers need to improve the chemical composition of the buffers in order to limit the risks, and register it on the boxes. Women also need to think about changing their tampon every four hours, to reduce the risk.