Period, end of sentence.
Tampons are shrinking as manufacturers seek to pad profits, a growing number of users are arguing, saying they feel strung along — even as experts insist there’s been no change at all.
In recent months, women old enough to know which type of tampons to use and when have been sharing they’ve been bleeding through their cotton plugs faster than usual.
Some have even been seeking out their healthcare providers, wondering if it’s them or the product, which they suspect has been downsized, while prices have stayed the same.
The alleged move is known as shrinkflation, an issue that has impacted scores of consumer products as stubborn inflation plagues the global economy.
“I thought it was just me, to the point where I brought it up to my doctor — like, Is there something wrong with my period?” Emily D. told Glamour.
The 35-year-old questioned if she was going through bodily changes until she saw other women complaining of the same issue online.
“It’s so insidious, but not surprising, that the tampon companies would just make their products smaller to make us spend more money,” she said.
The rumors that tampons have gotten smaller have continued to swirl online with women sharing their anecdotal evidence.
“I thought I was getting heavier periods, which is weird because I’m on the pill so I’m usually pretty light,” Morgan Sullivan told Glamour.
“But then I saw so many other girls posting about it on socials, and I was like, Oh—that’s it.”
However, tampon companies — specifically Tampax, which has been called out by name in several viral videos — have denied that their products have changed.
“Tampons are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and adhere to industry absorbency or size ranges as listed on the side of each package,” a Tampax spokesperson said.
“The FDA absorbency ranges have not changed since its introduction more than 30 years ago.”
According to the government agency, the standardized absorbency terms and sizes are light (less that 6 grams of fluid), regular (6-9 grams of fluid), super (9-12 grams of fluid), super plus (12-15 grams of fluid) and ultra (15-19 grams of fluid).
“Tampax rigorously tests our products, ensuring that we meet what the consumer standards are and keeps our developers safe in the process,” the spokesperson confirmed.
“But the most important test is whether Tampax works is for each woman in their flow.”
Tampons should be changed every four to eight hours and more often during heavier flows, according to the FDA.
If you experience drastic or uncomfortable changes in your period, consult your doctor.
