Why does a tampon leak?

As you’ll soon learn, the key is proper fit . Tampons can be your best period friends, but don’t rely solely on your comfort. Use a rule of thumb and make sure that not only the size but also the duration of use are optimal.

What causes tampons to leak?

If your tampon is leaking, it's probably the wrong one . Of course, you can fix everything, but it's worth thinking about what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future.

There is no single, universal rule for choosing tampons - it all depends on the abundance and intensity of your bleeding. Observe your body, draw conclusions and, above all, choosetampons that are healthy for you and the environment (non-bleached with chlorine, biodegradable).

Psst, check out our article “ Can you use tampons if you are a virgin? ”

Remember, however, that the rule of “ I’ll protect myself, if necessary I’ll put on a more absorbent tampon” doesn’t work with tampons – this way you can seriously disturb the delicate vaginal flora. You can find more tips here : in an article dedicated to this topic!

Also read our other guides: how to insert a tampon and how to remove a tampon .

Tampon leaking – how to fix it?

You can have one tampon in for 4 to 6 hours , up to 8 hours (read more about how long to keep a tampon in here ). Using tampons for longer periods of time is dangerous and can increase the risk of toxic shock syndrome !

If, after less than the mentioned 4 to 6 hours, you see stains on your underwear or pad , or you notice blood on the string, it means that you need to reach for a more absorbent tampon (if possible) or change it more often .

As I mentioned earlier, it is worth being careful when choosing these more absorbent tampons . When you notice that the intensity of your bleeding decreases with the duration of your period, try to adjust your chosen menstrual protection to this .

If you wear a high-absorbency tampon despite your already light bleeding, you may disturb the vaginal bacterial flora (the tampon will absorb the natural vaginal secretions, drying it out and making it susceptible to infections and irritations).

Additionally, when there is no such secretion in the vagina, the next tampon is more difficult to insert (due to the lack of proper slippage) and may cause a feeling of "fullness" in the vagina.

The only universal advice in the case of a leaking tampon is to check it regularly , i.e. visit the toilet more often.

You can learn more about tampons from our texts: where to throw away tampons and tampons and peeing .

ER Rome, J. Wolhandler, N. Reame, The absorbency of tampons , "JAMA", vol. 259, i. 5, p. 685-686, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3336184/ [accessed 11/04/2022].