If swimming is an activity that you love to do, then why let your period stop you? It turns out a large number of women hesitate to swim while on their period as a result of inaccurate information they have received over the years. It is essential that everyone gets things straight and are not limited by false beliefs. Listed below are five debunked swimming-while-on-your-period myths.
1. You Will Leave A Trail Of Blood In The Water
As long as you’re wearing a tampon or a menstrual cup, you really don’t have anything to worry about. Tampons expand as they absorb your menstrual blood and prevents leakage. You can tuck in the tampon string into your bikini and you will be good to go. An added benefit is that the water pressure will temporarily reduce your flow. Of course, your flow will return to normal the moment you step out of the pool.
Wearing pads or panty-liners while in water isn’t the best idea for numerous reasons. For starters, they will absorb water and get soggy, lose their stickiness, cause leakage, and may show on your bikini.
2. You Could Contract A Vaginal Infection
Swimming while on your period does not increase the risk of contracting vaginal infections. Regardless of whether you are menstruating or not, it may be possible for the chlorine in the water to irritate your vulva or vagina. In order to avoid this make sure your shower well after your swim. Another potential risk that can be avoided is vaginal yeast infection that may occur if you continue to wear your damp swimsuit for extended periods of time. Once you make sure the swimming pool authorities clean the pool regularly, you should have absolutely nothing to worry about.
3. You Could Spread Diseases
For starters, if you’re wearing a tampon it is highly unlikely that any menstrual blood will leak into the water. Secondly, in the rare event that it did, the quantity of blood released will be so minimal and will be diluted by the water in the pool. Thirdly, the purpose of chlorinated water is to kill bacteria that may enter the pool from all human bodily fluids. So the idea that your period could put the people swimming around you at risk is highly inaccurate.
4. You Could Be Attacked By Sharks
It is true that sharks have a sharp sense of smell but there have been no reported cases of sharks attacking women as a result of their menstrual blood. As long as you’re not swimming in shark infested waters, it is highly unlikely that they will sniff your blood from far away. If you want a boost of confidence, remember that sharks are not as crazed by human flesh like the movies portray them to be.
5. Swimming Will Make Menstrual Cramps Worse
While menstrual cramps cause pain in many individuals, exercise and physical activity may actually help ease the pain. When you exercise your body releases endorphins that act as natural painkillers. Exercise may also help relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome which include fatigue, anxiety, and irritability among other things.
Other Concerns Women Have When Swimming During Menstruation
Bikini Stains
The tampon should suffice in preventing leakage. But if you are still concerned then you can opt for bikini bottoms that are specially designed for this purpose. You can also opt to wear a darker colored bikini if it will make you feel more comfortable.
Peeping Tampon Strings
If you’re concerned that your tampon string will show at some point and if that’s something that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can opt to wear swimming shorts over your bikini bottoms.
Women have been swimming period or no period for ages. Female Olympic swimmers, lifeguards, marine biologists, swimming instructors, and scuba divers can all reassure you that it is not a threat to your safety in any way.
