Menstrual cups collect the blood rather than absorb it. Unlike tampons and most sanitary pads, which are thrown away after they've been used, you can wash menstrual cups and use them again. Period underwear Tampons are small tubes of cotton wool that you insert into your vagina to soak up the blood before it comes out of your body.

A delay in starting periods isn't usually a cause for concern. Most girls will be having regular periods by age 16 to 18. Your period can last between 2 and 7 days, but it will usually last for about 5 days. The bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days.

When do periods stop?

You can calculate when your period will start and your peak ovulation times using an online period calendar. to 4.7 stars: These period underwear are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them. The biggest limitation to our testing was time, but we are already working on another round of testing. This time, we’ll analyze how these selections hold up over time and with frequent washing. Stay tuned!

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Why we love them:"WUKA's Ultimate High Waist period pants were the first pair of period pants I ever tried. To be honest, they're not my go-to, because my flow isn't quite heavy enough to justify needing a pair of panties with a super-heavy absorbency – but on the days I do need a little extra protection, I'll reach for them. I like that they sit really high on the waist (it's the perfect antidote to period-induced bloat), and I like that they always felt dry (even after I had bled into them for upwards of six hours). The gusset is extra-long for extra piece of mind, and the mesh panels make me feel a little bit sexier (when I'd otherwise feel anything but).

The downside is the gusset only absorbs about two tampons worth of period blood. But despite the low amount of fluid these undies absorb, the price tag makes them a no-brainer for low-flow days toward the end of your period. The fabric blend of cotton, acrylic, polyester, and elastane washes easily in the washing machine, and you can also tumble dry on low in the dryer.

Period underwear might seem expensive, but when you consider that it can replace pads, cups, and tampons in the long term, the investment is worth it. “They can be a cheaper option than disposable period products over the long term,” said Tanouye. “They can also be more environmentally friendly than single-use disposable products for the same reason.” The OBGYNs and researchers we spoke to agreed that we are exposed to PFAS so often on a daily basis that using period underwear for a few days every month may not pose any additional risks to our health. "People are exposed to PFAS daily in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. It's impossible for us to avoid PFAS exposure in our daily lives. We don't need to be alarmed about the potential for health effects due to the use of Thinx products," Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, FACEP, FUHM, FACMT, Medical Toxicologist, Co-Medical Director, and Interim Executive Director of the National Capital Poison Center told Verywell Health.

Adi Katz, MD, FACOG, director of gynecology and director of the obstetrics and gynecology residency program at Lenox Hill Hospital

Because of a class-action settlement by Thinx that alleged PFAS were found in their products, many people are worried about the impact of these chemicals in period underwear. Our testers first evaluated the absorbency of each pair of underwear by pouring the maximum advertised amount of liquid onto the gusset. They noted how well the underwear absorbed the liquid, rating each pair on a scale of one to five. Susan S. Khalil, MD, director of the Division of Sexual Health in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Where to buy period underwear

PRO: You can wear the best period pants all day without worrying about changing a tampon. You can also wear them to give you extra protection alongside a pad or menstrual cup on heavy flow days, or to protect against incontinence or for peace-of-mind postpartum. You could be pregnant if you miss a period and you've had sex. See your GP if you've taken a pregnancy test and the result is negative (you're not pregnant) and you've missed 3 consecutive periods.