Menstrual Cup Myths [4 Important Things I Want To Talk About]

In this post, I want to address all of the myths I’ve heard when it comes to menstrual cups. For context, I have been using cups as one of my favourite tools to manage my period since around 2016. I have a range of cup brands in my collection, such as Mooncup UK, Hey Girls and BeYou. I also used to run a business making and selling cloth menstrual pads so was very much involved in the sustainable menstrual product space for several years.

As a small disclaimer, nothing in this post is intended to offend or shame anyone. I completely understand that menstruating bodies come in all forms and everyone’s experience of menstruation is unique. This post is designed to discuss the more general myths associated with the average person as opposed to addressing more unique or specific medical circumstances that could alter a person’s experience with cups.

Menstrual Cups Are Painful

Besides specific medical issues that can cause pain within the female reproductive organs and genitalia, I’m not 100% sure on why I see people saying menstrual cups are painful. If the correct size and shape is purchased in relation to cervix height as well as life stage (many cups have sizing advice relating to whether the user has given birth or not as well as age), a menstrual cup shouldn’t cause pain. If pain occurs during insertion, many people like to add a dab of lubricant to prevent the cup from feeling too dry – I personally just run mine under the tap so it is wet. If there is pain while wearing the cup, it may just not be the right fit.

Menstrual Cups Are Dirty

My initial response to this is that anything can be dirty or unhygienic if it isn’t cleaned properly and according to recommendations. Menstrual cups are designed to be able to be sanitised and, according to some information out there, pads and tampons aren’t sterile when it comes to thinking about other menstrual products. Personally, I feel confident in the hygiene level of my sterilised, medical-grade silicone cups considering many other things that may come into contact with the vagina likely wouldn’t be completely sterile (e.g your partner, toys or even other menstrual products).

It Takes a Long Time to Learn How to Use a Cup

If you check my first ever review of a cup, Mooncup UK, you’ll see that there was essentially no learning curve at all for me. All I did to prepare was thoroughly read the instructions provided and pay attention to articles or videos online where people were listing their top tips for new users. To this day, I’m convinced that some of the ‘horror stories’ you see regarding menstrual cup mishaps are likely blown out of proportion for likes or views.

They’re Really Inconvenient to Use While Away From Home

Many people are unhappy with the idea that they may have to empty and clean the cup while in a public bathroom, which could be messy. My response to this is, because menstrual cups hold a lot more than pads or tampons, it is unlikely that you would need to empty it in a public situation (provided you are not out longer than the maximum recommended wearing time, according to the brand). Simply clean it before you leave home and then after you get back or if you’re really concerned about it overflowing, wear a panty liner until you gain confidence on how it is with your particular flow. If you absolutely have to clean it in a public place, take a small bottle of water into the cubicle with you and rinse it over the toilet.

Final Thoughts

While I fully acknowledge that menstrual cups aren’t for everyone, I hope that this post was able to shed some light on some of the myths and assumptions that surround them. One of my biggest tips for new users would be to thoroughly research the cup you intend on buying before purchase to ensure it meets your needs, both in terms of fit and any of its features. As a side note, if you were looking for some reviews on some popular cups, I’ve written about the cups in my collection here, here and here.