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Earlier this week I saw a post on Instagram from a popular content creator who shared that she had found a moldy tampon.
This reminded me of a story from years ago that made national news.
yes Tampons can get Moldy
Since they are made with cotton many tampons or other period products may get moldy. The content creator shared she noticed a dark spot on the tampon. She was using a tampon with an opaque/semi-clear plastic applicator.
how do they get moldy?
The cotton can become moldy due to many reasons. Some think it may be because many period products are stored in the bathroom. They are exposed to humidity.
I think they may be exposed to mold during packaging or maybe during shipping. Granted many brands of tampons are individually wrapped but still, they may pick up mold spores on a conveyor belt or maybe during the cleaning process. (This is my opinion not fact.)
Don’t forget Tampons expire
Like any product tampons and other period products have a shelf life of about 5 years. The Cleveland Clinic has a good article from 2022 that explains more about this.
That being said if the products are older they can be suspectable to bacteria growth. But once again if you store a product in the bathroom the shelf life may be less.
Tampons may mold from the absorbent core outward. So always inspect them before use.
As the old adage says when in doubt throw it out.
