Pads, Tampons, Cups… or Period Underwear? (What Actually Works for Your Body)

What is right for you?

We can theoretically find love just by swiping. AI is decoding our pets' emotions.

Compared to technology, period care is pretty much the same as it was thirty years ago.

Pads, tampons, cups - most of what we use today has been around for decades. That doesn't mean they're wrong. It just means they haven't kept up with how women actually live now - different bodies, different days, different lifestyles, from menarche to menopause.

So the real question I keep coming back to isn't “which period product is best”?.

It's: which one works best for you, right now?

There's no "best" period product

In my experience, every option solves a different problem.

Pads prioritise simplicity and availability. Tampons prioritise invisibility. Cups and discs prioritise reusability. Period underwear (or period pants, if you're in the UK) prioritises comfort.

None of them are universal. All of them have trade-offs.

What each option is actually built for

Forget feature lists. Look at what each product is designed to do:

• Pads → external absorption. Easy.
• Tampons → internal absorption. Invisible. Swim-friendly.
• Cups / discs → internal collection. Long wear time and low toxin.
• Period underwear → wearable absorption. As comfortable as underwear.

Once I started seeing the intent behind each one, the limits made sense.

A pad isn't trying to be invisible. A tampon isn't trying to be reusable. A cup isn't trying to be effortless. Period underwear isn't trying to handle swimming.

Period underwear vs pads

Pads are the easiest entry point. Drugstore-available, predictable, no learning curve. That's their job.

The trade-off, in my opinion, is comfort. The diaper-feel on heavier days. The chafing. The skin reactions some people get from the synthetic top sheet of disposables. And the waste, pads generate more rubbish than any other period product on the market.

Reusable cloth pads exist, but they're not widely sold and need the same wash routine as period underwear without the same comfort.

If you've been a pad user forever and you're tired of feeling the bulkiness and rashes, I'd say period underwear is the most direct upgrade. Start with a Relief light or medium-flow pair for your normal pad days. There is no learning curve. Immediate comfort gain. Even teens would feel comfortable with this option.

Period underwear vs tampons

Tampons solve a use case few products can match: disposable, invisible and easy to access and perfect for water sports and sports in general

Everything else they're known for TSS risk, dryness on lighter days, you feel it when you don’t insert it properly and when it’s not feeling anything, it can be forgotten - period underwear sidesteps entirely.

If insertion isn't your thing, if your tampon still leaks, or if you're coming off tampons for any medical reason - period pants are the obvious answer.

The most common combo I hear from Relief customers are tampons backed up with period underwear for heavy days, and period underwear solo for the rest of the day.

Period underwear vs menstrual cups

Cups are the cheapest period product over a lifetime. One cup lasts 5–10 years and replaces thousands of disposables. That's serious money saved. 

But there's a learning curve. Most people I talk to need 2 or 3 cycles to figure out insertion. And emptying a cup in a public toilet without a sink can be awkward. Once I was at the airport bathroom and stepped out of the bathroom to rinse the cup and saw a long line behind, and I had to tell them I am not ready yet (thankfully they were very understanding). 

Period underwear has zero learning curve. You put it on. Done.

Most cup users I talk to don't choose between the two — they pair them. Cup as primary protection, Relief period pants as leak-proof backup. Especially on heavy days. Especially overnight. 

For those on hormonal contraceptives such as IUD or pill, spotting can last for days and can be very unpredictable. In these scenarios, period underwear is a comfortable underwear that is absorbing without the irritation of panty liners.

Where period underwear actually helps

The question isn't which product is better. It's where period underwear fits into a life that's already using something else.

Period care shouldn't rely on one product.

For a long time there were only a few options, some of which were not affordable to the general public, and women were still expected to manage their periods discreetly and will be ashamed if we don’t. 

Not enough of women's needs to be told and heard, and as a result, there was not enough awareness and data, to design for women — the majority of the human race (yes, we are 51%).

As a female lingerie designer, my goal with Relief is simple: products should fit into women's lives. Not the other way around.

What does each product actually cost?

Over 40 years of menstruation:

• Pads or tampons → €4,000–6,000 in product costs alone
• Menstrual cup → €100–200 lifetime (replaced every 5–10 years)
• Period underwear → €600–1,200 lifetime (5–7 pairs replaced every 2–3 years)

Period underwear pays itself off against disposables in about a year. After that, every cycle is free.

When I did the maths myself, the average menstruator uses around 15,000 disposable products in a lifetime. Switching to reusables saves thousands of euros and prevents hundreds of kilograms of plastic waste. We are making an impact, just by choosing how we bleed every month.

So which one should you actually use?

Most people I talk to don't pick one. They pick a combination.

Want the simplest switch? Period underwear for everyday. Tampons for swimming.

Want the cheapest long-term setup? Cup as primary. Relief period pants as backup.

Sick of the allergies and toxins of pads and tampons? Skip the comparison shopping. Replace them with period underwear directly. Start with a Relief 5-pair starter set - covers a full cycle.

Teaching a teen? Period underwear, no question. No insertion. Nothing to manage at school. No anxiety.

The right choice is the one that matches your day, your flow, and your lifestyle.

Not the one with the biggest marketing budget (IYKYK).

Shop Relief period underwear →  How to wash period underwear →

Frequently Asked Questions

Are period underwear better than pads?

For comfort and waste reduction, yes. They feel like regular underwear, last 2–3 years, and replace 100–200 disposables per pair. Pads still win on grab-and-go simplicity for irregular cycles.

Can I wear period pants instead of tampons?

For everything except swimming, yes. Period underwear is more comfortable on light days because there's no internal dryness — and zero TSS risk.

Can I use period underwear with a menstrual cup?

Yes — this is the most popular combo I see. Cup as primary protection, period pants as leak-proof backup. Especially good for heavy days and overnight.

Is period underwear cheaper than tampons over time?

Over time, yes. Crossover is around one year. After that, every cycle is free.

Are period pants safe to wear all day?

Yes — when changed every 8–12 hours depending on flow. Relief period pants are PFAS non-detect and OEKO-TEX certified.

Can teens use period underwear instead of tampons or pads?

Yes — I often recommend it as the first product for teens. No insertion. Nothing to manage at school. No anxiety.