Q: I recently got an email that warned about asbestos and dioxin contamination in tampons and the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome. Should I be concerned?
A: Although there are reasons for concern regarding the safety of tampons, it’s difficult to say how concerned you need to be. And that’s because there are many unanswered questions when it comes to tampons and their effect on a woman’s health.
Tampons are made from cotton and rayon, which is commonly bleached with chlorine. This chlorine-bleaching process results in a toxic by-product called dioxin. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), tests by tampon manufactures have detected trace amounts of dioxin in tampons. Although the FDA says that no health risks would be expected from these trace amounts, the agency has not conducted independent tests to verify the industry-supplied data.
Dioxin is also known to have a cumulative effect in the body. Thus, the effects of the chemical can be measured as much as 20 to 30 years after exposure. This cumulative effect is cause for concern because it is estimated that the average woman may use as many as 16,800 tampons in her lifetime. But because there have been few independent studies that examine the connection between tampons, dioxin, and risks to women’s health, the extent to which the presence of dioxin poses any health risks is unclear.
Toxic Shock Syndrome, or TSS, is a rare but potentially fatal disease caused by a bacterial toxin. Although it is known that there is a relationship between developing TSS and tampon use, the exact connection is not well understood. Independent research has shown that synthetic fiber additives in tampons can increase the production of the toxin associated with TSS. As in the case of dioxin, more research is needed to better understand the potential health risks of synthetic tampon additives.
With respect to asbestos contamination, there seems to be a general consensus among health experts and scientists that the allegations are unfounded. The FDA has assured consumers that because the agency reviews the materials, design, and manufacture of tampons, it would know about any procedures that would expose tampons to asbestos.
For more information about tampons, please read our article entitled "Tampon Safety," or visit the following sites:
