Tampons are one of those things that seem like NBD until you’re actually ready to use them for the first time. Then, you have so many questions like how, exactly, this whole thing is supposed to work and what tampons are best for beginners.
But there’s a reason why you’re thinking about joining Squad Tampon in the first place, and it probably has a lot to do with convenience. “Tampons are a great option because they don't interfere with your outfits and they makes it easy to go swimming on your period,” says Christine Greves, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida. They’re also compact enough to slip into your purse and carry around all day.
“If used properly, you can't feel them,” says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, MD. They also tend to be less messy than pads or menstrual cups, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, an ob-gyn in Texas. "Tampons can help decrease heavy bleeding accidents,” she says—especially if you pair them with a pantyliner.
Of course, you’re not born knowing how to insert a tampon into your vagina, and it can be a tricky skill to master at first. But experts say practice and having the right tampon that’s specially made for beginners can help.
Ready to give tampons a go? Doctors share what to look for in a beginner tampon, and why it matters.
There are a lot of options out there, but ob-gyns recommend sticking to some basic rules. You don’t want to start with anything too large (because, hello, beginner here) and it’s usually good to have an applicator. “Tampons without an applicator can be challenging to use, especially for first-time users,” Dr. Wider says. “The plastic applicator can assist a beginner in positioning the tampon into the right place, so they won't feel it.”
There’s also this to consider, per Dr. Wider: “Some people who use tampons without applicators complain that they can feel the tampon, or it won't go in all the way.”
The type of applicator matters, too. While Dr. Shepherd says you can try out different kinds of applicators to see what feels the most comfortable for you, plastic applicators are known for being a little easier to use.
“Plastic applicators are usually more soft and allow you to have slightly more control over where the tampon goes,” Dr. Greves says. Cardboard applicators and no-applicator tampons are better for the environment, but Dr. Greves says they’re "usually a little more difficult to use," especially for beginners. “A slim, small plastic applicator is usually what I recommend for a beginner,” she says.
Again, a lot of this comes down to what you feel comfortable with. But, in general, you want to try out a tampon that’s on the slimmer side with a plastic applicator, like the options below.
