Who would've believed that ? In 2018, more and more of them banish the classic tampons and towels during their period, even if they come back to the washable protections ... of our grandmothers! After the wave of menstrual cups, these small medical silicone containers from northern countries, the eco-responsible trend continues its intimate conquest with the come-back of washable sanitary napkins.

Carried by start-up engaged as the aptly named In My Panties or Plim, this type of protection with pasty hints yet has, in form, more to do with the boiled linens of our ancestors.

Washable hygienic towel: a natural composition

In In My Panties, we want to be uncompromising about the composition of these reusable towels. At the origin of the concept, Marie Réveilhac and Noëlle Papay. In 2014, they recruit 110 testers to test their prototype towels. At the time, "one of the findings is that disposable hygienic pads (all together), which represent the largest sales volumes in the market, pose problems of contact allergies , irritations and discomfort. cause fungal infections to about 30% of women 95% of "irritated" testers have ceased to have allergies through lingers, "we learn on the site of the brand.

Designed for so-called "normal" flows, the washable sanitary napkins 2018 are made of organic cotton certified by the Ecocert GOTS label. The other components (polyurethane, polyamide and polyester present inside the napkin) are certified Oeko Tex 100, a European label that guarantees that no chemicals are present in the materials. pattern inks through snaps and sewing thread.

Colored and graphic, towels, with a thickness of 3 mm, are said to be "breathable" and suitable for sensitive skin . Made in Normandy, they are "guaranteed for 200 cycles of washing" and have a duration of use of three to five years. Biodegradable and recyclable, they are priced at 17 euros a day towel and 19 euros a night towel. Packs are also available to ensure a roll between washings.

Same guarantees at Plim whose workshop located in the Deux-Sèvres sees every day activate "10 seamstresses with golden hands" for the manufacture of a sanitary napkin "pretty and durable". Here again, the GOTS and Okeo Tex 100 certifications guarantee an ecological and natural finished product for a better affinity with the skin and the mucous membranes. Bonus: several sizes and absorption levels are available.

How to use and wash his sanitary napkin?

Thanks to a system of pressures, the washable sanitary napkin is clipped on the pants so as not to move.

However, opting for this type of reusable menstrual protection requires impeccable hygiene. In practice, just wash your napkin in the machine. For an optimal result, it is - according to the marks - advised to make a double cleaning.

In My Panties and recommends a pre wash by hand using soap type Marseille soap . It is also possible to soak its protections for an hour in warm water mixed with a little baking soda. A second wash is then recommended by machine at 60 ° C. According to the blogger and youtubeuse And why not Coline, tester convinced by this mode of protection, the result is rather convincing.

Washable towel and toxic shock: what risk?

Although rare, the syndrome of toxic shock related to the rules (SCT) is in recrudescence in recent years.

This infection caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which we all carry at some point in our lives, can be fatal. According to infectious diseases, it occurs in often young and healthy patients who use intravaginal protection such as tampons and menstrual cups. The latter, retaining the blood inside the vagina, provide a culture medium conducive to bacteria that are multiplying. In some cases, the toxins cross the vaginal wall and spread throughout the body through the blood.

The first results of a French study conducted by the University of Lyon ¹ on this subject "clearly indicate that the composition of buffers and cups is not in question. However, their misuse is pointed out, "explain Sylvia Vaisman and Caroline Michel in" The Little Encyclopedia of Rules "(Ed.FIRST, February 2018).

This is why it is recommended to change protection (all types) at least every 4 to 5 hours in the day, and to opt for sanitary napkins during the night.

Indeed, the risk of STC is almost zero with towels , hygienic extra-vaginal protection method that allows to let flow freely outside the vagina.

The opinion of the experts infectiologist and gynecologist

• Odile Bagot (aka Mam Gynéco), gynecologist and author of "Dico des nanas" (Hachette Pratique edition)

"From a strictly professional point of view, the use of washable towels must meet the same recommendations as a conventional sanitary napkin, although it is less common with sanitary napkins, there is still a small risk of Toxic shock Not all chemicals and potential endocrine disruptors can be found in conventional sanitary napkins that are in contact with mucous membranes.

For a certain generation of women who has experienced a huge release with the arrival of tampons, I find that it is still a regression.

This is the same kind of galleys that our mothers have experienced with washable diapers.

It is not necessary that the rules are a taboo subject, but it is not necessary that they 'take the head' once a month!

• Jean-Marc Bohbot, infectiologist, Medical Director of the Fournier Institute (Paris), author of "Vaginal Microbiota, the Pink Revolution" (Marabout)

"It is imperative to wash these towels at 60 ° C (40 ° C is a little fair), but it does not seem very ecological.The washable towels is a bit like electric cars, the car pollutes less but it Electricity must be produced, so it pollutes so much ... In addition, washing involves the use of detergent and it is known that insufficient rinsing leaves particles of product, which in contact with a wet zone can be irritating. even allergenic.

Regarding the infection I do not see any particular risk if the towels are properly cleared of traces of blood during washing, but there is no study on the subject. In addition, organic cotton does not seem to be free from any risk of toxic products (see study 60 million consumers ² ). "

¹ https://www.chu-lyon.fr/fr/choc-toxique-enquete-sur-lusage-des-periodiques-tampons
² https://www.60millions-mag.com/2016/02/23/tampons-and-protections-feminines-a-regulation-s-sets-10151
Learn more at www.dansmaculotte.com and www.plim.fr