Test Period Panties – Four menstrual panties convince in the practical test – Kassensturz espresso


Contents

Disposable menstrual products create mountains of waste. Young women want alternatives like period panties.

Female menstruation has long since left the pubic corner. Today, the menstrual period is publicly negotiated, there are debates about a menstrual holiday or pilot projects for free distribution of menstrual hygiene products in schools.

Younger women in particular have an increasing need for natural and ecologically justifiable menstrual products. After menstrual cups, menstrual underwear is also becoming increasingly popular. Also known as period panties, period briefs, period underwear, menstrual pants or menstrual briefs.

Legend:

SRF

Practical test with 80 participants

The panties with reinforced crotch can be washed in the washing machine and reused for several years. The French-speaking Swiss consumer association FRC had menstrual underwear tested by consumers in a large-scale test.

Menstrual panties on a table

Legend:

FRC

More than 80 participants evaluated ten different menstrual briefs according to the criteria of protection, leak resistance, wearing comfort and visibility – i.e. whether the men’s underwear is visible under the clothing. Price range: around 20 to 60 francs per panty.

Results at a glance

Testers get along well with period panties

The menstrual pants are extremely well received by the testers. Overall, 90 percent of the participants are convinced of the products. More than half consider period panties to be suitable as sole protection during menstruation. Leaking “accidents” occurred in 60 percent of the women with heavy to very heavy bleeding.

This experience is reflected in the ratings: four of the ten panties are “good”, the two best, Etam Aya (around 35 francs) and Smoon Artemis (41 francs) stand out slightly with 78 out of 100 points. The other two “good” ones are Felycup Shorty (49.90 francs) and Selenacare Classic (24.50 francs). However, the Selenacare panties were not convincing when it came to leak protection.

Some panties have individual weak points

Although certain products performed “sufficiently” overall, they failed completely in individual categories, for example the model from Perdième. It received a bad 29 out of 100 points for the important criterion “leak protection”.

The product of the lingerie brand “DIM” scored “inadequate” and the worst. Seams and rubber bands were visible on both clothing and skin, sometimes leaving painful marks.

Conclusion: Period underwear is a practical alternative to disposable products. However, in order to get through the day exclusively with them, the participants estimate that at least six pieces must be available. The high investment costs can be a hindrance, especially for young women.

biocides


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In some cases, men’s underwear contains so-called biocides, mostly in the form of silver chloride. The use of silver chloride, which is said to have an “antibacterial” or “odor-inhibiting” effect, is controversial. Biocides are substances that are used, for example, in agriculture to combat pests.

Silver chloride is incorporated by some manufacturers in the middle membrane of the multiple insert. It is not subject to declaration. Some manufacturers, such as Selenacare, indicate its use in the small print. Wordings such as “anti-odor” or “antibacterial” can also indicate the use of silver chloride. Other brands like Sisters Republic deliberately avoid using silver chloride.

Claudia Lang, deputy head of the allergy ward at Zurich University Hospital, considers the use of silver chloride in menstrual underwear to be unnecessary: ​​“Menstrual blood is sterile. If the underwear is changed regularly and washed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, I see no need to use silver chloride.”

The dermatologist is not aware of any allergic reactions to silver chloride in menstrual underwear. “Contact allergies to silver are known, for example, from medicinal creams. For this, the silver must remain on the skin directly and for a longer period of time. Menstrual underwear is relatively new to the market. So it remains to be seen how the silver chloride in it affects the skin.”

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