Tampons have been my best friend during my feminine moments in the last 7 years since I stopped using pads. It’s just so convenient, flexible to any movements, breathable and doesn’t get me stressed about the accidentally ashamed leakage. Of course, it’s completely a YES for G-string pair. When I first started using it, I really felt weird about it – everything about it – the look, the comfort, the side effects it may have, and even the way it is applied is looking like I am fingering myself (Excuse me!). Well, that was also when I began to wonder how tampons were designed like a sperm cell shape.
Brief History of Tampons
According to The Embryo Project Encyclopedia, the word ‘Tampon‘ was derived from primitive French word ‘tampion’ – meaning a cloth stopper. In ancient Rome, women made devices similar to tampons from wool, while ancient Indonesian women used vegetable fibers. Women in Africa made such devices from grass, and ancient Japanese women created similar devices from paper. Before it was well-developed like now, it had been developed through different forms with applicators such as glass, wood, wool, cotton, plastic, and cardboard. Now, we have digital tampons which can be inserted with a finger or a digit. In the 18th and 19th centuries, cotton tampons were designed with a string attached and first seen in Europe. Majority of them were used as contraceptive methods, which prevented or reduced the chances of sperm entering a woman’s reproductive tract to fertilise the egg. In early 20th century, tampons were used under prescriptions for non-menstrual vaginal discharge, and tampons were not available outside the hospitals as they were used for treating gynaecological infection or abnormalities in women. Later in 1913, tampons were developed by a male physician – Earl Haas – as feminine hygiene devices for absorbing women’s blood during menstruation by inserting into women’s vagina without touching their sex organs directly – which wouldn’t cause sex pleasure during using it or affect their hymen linking to virginity.
In 1945, digital tampons were advanced without applicator, but with a finger. During World War II, they were not only so popular among female athletes, actors, models, and sex workers, but it was also women in general due to labour positions in factories. Following this, it was upgraded into the shape of bullet with the string attached for easy removal from women’s vagina. During the 1970s, new popular varieties of tampons came in with deodorants and perfumes though there were some concerns about allergic reactions to those tampons. Now in the 21st century, the tampons are usually made of absorbent cotton and rayon, a synthetic diver and designed in various sizes depending on the flow ranging from light/slim/junior, regular to super/super-plus and ultra. Tampon now comes in cylindrical bullet with a string attached at the bottoms and with two disposable applicators – plastic and cardboard.
How to use: To insert a tampon with a plastic or cardboard applicator, the entire applicator barrel is inserted into the vagina until the plunger component is the only part outside of the woman’s body. The woman then applies pressure to the tampon plunger, inserting the tampon in the vaginal canal. Then, she removes the empty applicator. The tampon can remain in the body from four to eight hours, depending on the type. Tampons are disposable and meant for one-time use.
In short, it makes sense to me when tampons were designed by male specialists and previously used as contraceptions to reduce sperms from fertilising eggs. It’s more likely an artificial sperm cell into woman’s vagina. Plus, it’s convenient for physical activities and easy for removal. That’s how tampons end up in bullet or sperm cell shape.
Vinnie The Dainty 