Tampons: arsenic, lead, and other stuff we really, really don't need

Add another item to the "just women use it, so..." R&D category

Tens of millions of women use tampons, and the skin of the vagina has a higher potential for chemical absorption that skin elsewhere on the body…but until now, no one has looked at chemical contaminants being brought inside our bodies. This first study looked at 30 tampons from 14 different brands, and the results aren’t reassuring.

Because this study is a first to look at the issue, we don’t yet know how serious the issue may be. But “metals have been found to increase the risk of dementia, infertility, diabetes, and cancer. They can damage the liver, kidneys, and brain, as well as the cardiovascular, nervous, and endocrine systems. In addition, metals can harm maternal health and fetal development.”

Yet another ‘payoff’ from decades of not focusing on women’s health research. Stay tuned as we learn more.