All Your Questions About The Diva Cup, Answered

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You’ve likely heard about the Diva Cup. It sounds a bit like a really fabulous goblet that can hold an entire bottle’s worth of wine or a sports tournament where the players compete in crowns. In spite of its flashy name, the Diva Cup (or at least products like it) has been around for over 80 years. Some women aren’t comfortable wearing tampons, either because inserting them and having them in just doesn’t feel right, or they’re worried about toxic shock syndrome. Others don’t like wearing pads because they can look bulky under clothes, they itch, or they shift around during the day. The Diva Cup solves all of these problems and yet, it hasn’t quite caught on in popularity the way tampons and pads have. So let’s take a look at this genius device. Here are all of your questions about the Diva Cup, answered.

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Using it in public is tricky

It’s not like you pull your tampon out while you’re on the subway, but you probably nave no problem replacing it in a public restroom. You can do this in the privacy of the stall. Your Diva Cup, however, needs to be rinsed out and that means leaving the stall to use the sink. So, for those who are shy about their menstrual accessories, the Diva Cup can be a big adjustment.

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They require a little more time

Because you need to clean your Diva Cup, it requires a little more time on your part. You can probably swap out a tampon in under 20 seconds, but cleaning your Diva Cup properly may take a few minutes.

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But it can be replaced less frequently

You can leave a Diva Cup in for up to 12 hours. That means you can go about most of your day without worrying about it, unlike tampons, which need to be replaced around every six hours, or pads, which need to be replaced…as soon as they get stinky.

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It’s a sticky situation

There is a tiny part of the Diva Cup that is technically the applicator, but it’s not like the long applicator of a tampon. In other words, you will have to get pretty up in there to insert the Diva Cup.

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The sizing

Diva Cups aren’t organized by light, regular, or heavy flows like tampons. Diva Cup sizing has to do with the size of your vaginal canal. There are only two sizes: one size for women under 30 or who haven’t give birth and one for women over 30 or who have given birth. Both can contain a heavy flow, so don’t worry about that.

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Sizing is important

It’s important that your Diva Cup has a nice, tight fit. It should conform to your vaginal canal, otherwise it can leak. The good news is that when Diva Cups fit properly, they leak less than any pad or tampon.

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It’s eco-friendly

If you care about the environment, you can show that by using the Diva Cup. You have to throw out your tampons and pads every time you remove them, but not so with the Diva Cup.

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It’s cost-effective

You may spend hundreds of dollars on tampons and pads every year, but a Diva Cup costs around $30, and if you take good care of it, you can use it for a long time. So you can save your money for your PMS craving food.

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They’re ideal for swimmers

If you spend a lot of time in a bathing suit, then you know pads are not an option, but tampons can come with an embarrassing string hanging out of your bikini bottom. Diva Cups aren’t at all visible when you’re in a bathing suit.

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But you may notice it more

While others may not spot your Diva Cup, you’ll notice it more. Having a little plastic cup inside of you can take some getting used to. Some women eventually don’t notice it at all, while others always feel uncomfortable wearing one.

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It’s safer for your body

The risk of toxic shock syndrome from using a Diva Cup is almost nonexistent. It doesn’t absorb your blood the way tampons do, but rather just catches it, so it doesn’t irritate your vaginal tissue or transfer any chemicals to your vaginal tissue.

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No, it won’t get lost in there

The only way a Diva Cup could get lost in your body is if it went through your cervix. First of all, a tampon has a greater chance of doing that because it’s smaller. Second of all, neither a tampon nor a Diva Cup are going into your cervix, so relax.

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There are several ways to insert it

Unlike tampons, Diva Cups can be inserted more than one way. You can go with the “U” or the “Push Down” method. In the “U” method, you squeeze the rim of the Diva Cup so that it becomes flat, then you fold that in half getting a very small shape that’s easy to insert. In the “Push Down” method, you also start by pressing the rim together to make the cup flat, but then you fold the rim downward.

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You can get one at the drug store

You can find a Diva Cup at most drug stores. If you prefer to buy your menstrual items in the privacy of your own home, you can also find them online.