“This livestream is very useful, I never thought that an underwear brand would provide us with this information.”

This has been one of the comments that we have received during the Instagram direct that we organize withintimate, a brand specialized in menstrual hygiene and intimate care. 

Its communications director, Pilar Ruiz, has taken over our account and has answered all your questions about menstrual cups. As we know that not all of you have been able to see it, here is a small summary!

We get this question several times, especially from mothers whose daughters are experiencing their first periods. As Pilar said, there is no minimum age to use the menstrual cup, that is, there is no risk when using it if you have never had sexual relations.

In addition, they have a cup adapted to younger girls:Lilly Cup 1, its difference? Which is smaller and narrower in diameter and has an extraction ring to make it easier to remove.

According to Intimina experts, the maximum recommended time of use of the menstrual cup is 8 to 12 hours. Although the material of the cups is medical grade silicone, a hypoallergenic and non-porous material, keeping it for more than 12 hours can cause the proliferation of bacteria that harm the body.

For a correct calculation of your cup size, Pilar proposed that we ask ourselves 3 questions:

1. What amount of flow do we usually have: if it is scant, moderate, medium, abundant...

2. Whether we have had children by vaginal birth or not.

3. What our cervix / cervix is ​​like: if it is low, medium or high.
This influences the comfort that one drink or another can bring us. To measure it, we introduce 2 fingers through the vagina until we touch the wall and look at the number of phalanges that fit: 1 phalange is a low cervix, 2 phalanges is medium, and 3 phalanges is high. Furthermore, the shape of the cervix can vary depending on the phase of the cycle we are in, which is why they recommend measuring it during menstruation, which is when the cup is going to be used.

Pilar tells us that there are several tricks that can help us know if the menstrual cup is placed correctly:

• Check the seal: run your fingers around the diameter or grasp the stem, twist and pull.
• If we feel that the cup bothers us or we notice it too much, it may be an indication of being poorly placed.

Something that we must bear in mind is that the first few times it will be a trial and error. Once you get the hang of it, it'll be a piece of cake!

If you try all these tricks and continue spotting, it is preferable to consult with your gynecologist, since it may be the cause of the anteverted uterus. This is not something serious, they simply need to teach you how to place it correctly.

Experts recommend placing the menstrual cup high enough in the vaginal canal to make a good seal, but low enough that you can pinch its bottom part and remove it easily.

Removing the menstrual cup is very simple, but it never hurts to have a few tricks to avoid the microinfarction of not being able to remove it and wanting to go to the emergency room (I'm sure some of you have identified yourself).  

1. Be relaxed, this will prevent the vaginal muscles from contracting

2. Remove the seal by pressing on the top or bottom

3.Be comfortable, there are some positions that facilitate extraction: squatting, standing, in the shower, one leg in the bathroom, etc.

A standard menstrual cup can last between 5 and 10 years. To take full advantage of it, it is important to sterilize it correctly (leave it between 5 and 8 minutes in boiling water before use on the first day of the cycle).

Something to keep in mind is that blood, being rich in iron, can discolor the glasses, but it does not mean that they are no longer useful or dirty. A trick that Pilar tells us is to apply a teaspoon of baking soda to recover the original color.

Some factors that may indicate that the cup needs to be renewed may be that it has holes, it does not seal correctly, it is worn...

The Ziggy Cup, due to its finer materials, has a useful life of up to 2 years.

That's right, among the menstrual hygiene options, the cup is the most recommended to avoid infections. Thanks to its composition, it does not cause irritation or dryness and prevents bacterial growth, so it does not affect the vaginal flora. That is, there is a lower risk of bacteria proliferating in the intimate area. We must always combine it with proper hygiene: wash your hands, sterilize it, etc.

This has been a small summary of the interesting live performance that Pilar performed. We leave you the link to the video in which you will find more details such as the Ziggy Cup application: the cup compatible with sexual relations.