The short answer: No single product is better for everyone. Disposable pads and liners are the easiest to start with and need no washing. Tampons suit swimming and sport but need changing every 4 to 8 hours. Reusable period panties feel like normal underwear and cost less over time, while cloth pads are a familiar, low-cost reusable option. Menstrual cups last years and work well for long days, but take practice. Many people mix two or three products across their cycle.
The six main period products at a glance
The NHS describes four broad groups of period product: pads (disposable or reusable), tampons, menstrual cups and period underwear. Panty liners are a thinner kind of pad for very light days. All are safe to use, including for teenagers who have just started their periods, as long as you use them correctly.
Products fall into two camps:
- Disposable: used once and thrown away. Pads, panty liners, tampons and disposable period panties.
- Reusable: washed and used again over many cycles. Period panties, cloth pads and menstrual cups.
They also differ in where they sit. Pads, liners and period panties are external, so they catch blood outside your body. Tampons and cups are internal, worn inside the vagina. This one difference shapes comfort, ease of use and safety more than anything else.
Side-by-side comparison
| Product | Type | Wear time | Learning curve | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disposable pads | External, single use | A few hours; change when it feels wet | Very easy | First periods, any flow, nights |
| Panty liners | External, single use | A few hours | Very easy | Spotting, last days, discharge, backup |
| Tampons | Internal, single use | Every 4 to 8 hours, never over 8 | Moderate | Swimming, sport, fitted clothes |
| Reusable period panties | External, reusable | Up to 8 hours depending on flow | Easy | Everyday wear, nights, teens, pad irritation |
| Cloth pads | External, reusable | A few hours, like a disposable pad | Easy | Home use, low running cost |
| Menstrual cup | Internal, reusable | Empty every 8 to 12 hours depending on flow | Steeper, a few cycles | Long days, travel, swimming |
Disposable pads and panty liners
Pads stick to the inside of your underwear and absorb blood. They come in different lengths and thicknesses for light, regular and heavy flow, and longer night pads for sleep. Panty liners are much thinner and are meant for spotting, the last day or two of a period, everyday discharge, or as backup with a tampon or cup.
Comfort: Easy to use and familiar. Some people find pads sweaty or prone to causing a rash in Indian heat, especially if they are worn too long. Thin pads tend to feel less bulky under a school uniform or kurta.
Leak protection: Good when the size matches your flow. Leaks tend to happen when a pad shifts, creases, or is too short for the way you sit or sleep.
Convenience: Sold everywhere, from chemists to kirana shops. Nothing to wash. You do need somewhere to dispose of used pads, which can be a problem in some school and office toilets.
Who they suit: First periods, anyone who does not want to wash anything, and anyone who prefers not to use internal products. Fabpad sells disposable cotton pads and liners in its sanitary pads and panty liners ranges.
Tampons
A tampon is a small plug of absorbent material that you insert into the vagina, with or without an applicator. A string stays outside so you can pull it out. The NHS reassures that a tampon cannot get lost inside you, and you should not feel it once it is in properly.
Comfort: Once in place, most people forget it is there. Insertion can feel awkward at first, and a tampon that is not pushed in far enough can feel uncomfortable.
Leak protection: Good for most days when you choose the right absorbency, though it can leak when it is full or on very heavy days. Many people add a liner as backup.
Safety: Change your tampon every 4 to 8 hours and never leave one in for longer than 8 hours. Use the lowest absorbency you need for your flow, and only use a higher absorbency on heavier days. These steps lower the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare but serious infection explained further down. If you sleep for more than 8 hours, a pad or period panty is safer overnight.
Who they suit: Tampons are a better choice than pads or period panties for swimming, and they suit sports, dance and fitted clothes. Fabpad tampons come with or without an applicator in Regular, Super and Super Plus absorbency.
Reusable period panties
Period panties look like ordinary underwear but have a built-in multi-layer absorbent core and a leak-resistant barrier. You wear them on their own or as backup, then rinse, wash and reuse them.
Comfort: For many people this is the main appeal. There is nothing to stick, insert or shift. Fabpad's are made from soft cotton spandex and can be worn for up to 8 hours depending on flow. Cleveland Clinic notes they may help if pads irritate your skin.
Leak protection: Good for light to medium days on their own. On heavy days choose a style with more coverage, such as High Waist or Period Boy Shorts, and change sooner, or pair with a pad or cup. Our guide to period panties for heavy flow goes into detail.
Convenience: You need to rinse and wash them, and dry them in the shade, which takes planning in the monsoon. When you change outside the home, you carry the used pair back in a small bag.
Who they suit: Teenagers nervous about leaks, people who dislike pads, nights, and anyone happy to do a little washing. They are not designed for swimming.
Washable cloth pads
Many Indian women grew up with cloth during periods, often old cotton saris or towels folded into a pad. Modern washable cloth pads are shaped, stitched and usually fasten around your underwear with snaps, so they stay in place much better than a folded cloth.
Comfort: Feel similar to a disposable pad, and many people find them softer. Like any pad, they can feel damp if not changed often enough.
Hygiene: The key is washing well and drying completely, ideally in fresh air. Damp cloth can irritate skin. Store dry pads in a clean, closed pouch rather than in a damp bathroom corner.
Who they suit: People who want a low running cost and prefer an external product, especially for use at home. Fabpad's washable cloth pads are in the sanitary pads range.
Menstrual cups
A menstrual cup is a small, flexible bell-shaped cup that you fold and insert into the vagina. It collects blood rather than absorbing it. You remove it, empty it, rinse it and reinsert it.
Leak protection: A 2019 review in The Lancet Public Health found that leakage with menstrual cups was similar to or lower than with disposable pads or tampons in the studies that compared them directly, though the authors noted that more good-quality research is needed.
Comfort: Once you have the right size and technique, most people cannot feel it. The first few cycles can be fiddly, and many people use a pad or period panty as backup while learning.
Safety: Wash your hands before inserting and removing. To remove, pinch the base to break the seal before pulling gently; never pull straight out by the stem. If you have an IUD, the copper coil or hormonal coil, check with your doctor first, as the same review found reports of IUDs being dislodged in cup users. TSS has been reported with cups too, though it is rare.
Who they suit: Long workdays, travel, swimming and anyone comfortable with internal products. The Fabpad Reusable Menstrual Cup is made of medical-grade silicone in Teen, Small and Large sizes, is emptied every 8 to 12 hours depending on flow, and is sterilised in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes before first use and after each cycle.
Cost over two years: an illustrative example
These figures use round assumed prices only, to show how costs build up. They are not Fabpad's prices, and real prices vary by brand and pack.
Assume a 5-day period, 13 periods a year, and about 4 products a day, so roughly 260 uses a year.
- Disposable pads: if a pad costs about ₹8, that is about ₹2,080 a year, or ₹4,160 over two years.
- Tampons: if a tampon costs about ₹20, that is about ₹5,200 a year, or ₹10,400 over two years.
- Reusable period panties: if a pair costs about ₹700 and you buy four, that is ₹2,800 once, plus detergent.
- Cloth pads: if a pad costs about ₹200 and you buy six, that is ₹1,200 once, plus detergent.
- Menstrual cup: if a cup costs about ₹500, that is ₹500 once. Fabpad advises replacing its cup every 3 to 5 years depending on condition.
Reusables cost more on day one and less from then on. Many people find a mix makes most sense: reusable at home, a few disposables for travel. On fabpad.in, buying more pairs of period panties gives a bigger discount.
School, work, travel and sport: which works where?
At school
Pads and period panties are the simplest for most students. A period panty under the uniform means no pad to change in a crowded toilet, and a spare in a zip bag gives peace of mind. Read our guide to periods at school for packing ideas.
At the office
A cup or period panty can see you through a long day with fewer trips to the washroom. Tampons work well too if you can change them on time.
Travelling
On trains and long road trips, disposable pads, disposable period panties or a cup are easiest, since washing is hard. Carry wipes and a small bag for used products.
Swimming and sport
Tampons and cups are the better choice for swimming. Pads absorb water, and standard period panties are not designed for the pool. For running, yoga and dance, all options can work.
Building your own mix
- Brand new to periods: start with pads and a period panty. Our first period checklist helps you pack.
- Heavy flow: a high-waist period panty with a pad or cup on the heaviest days.
- Sensitive skin: period panties or cloth pads often feel gentler than pads.
- Active, swims often: a cup or tampons, with a liner or period panty as backup.
- Want to try a few: the Hybrid Cycle Kit includes period panties, disposable period panties, cotton pads and liners.
Toxic shock syndrome and when to get help
Toxic shock syndrome is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by bacteria releasing toxins. It is linked to tampons, and has also been reported with menstrual cups. The NHS lists symptoms such as a high temperature, feeling hot or shivery, muscle aches, a raised rash that feels like sandpaper, and flu-like symptoms, along with vomiting and diarrhoea.
See a doctor if
- you need to change a pad or tampon every one to two hours, or empty a cup more often than advised
- a tampon or cup is stuck and you cannot remove it
- you get repeated rashes, itching or unusual discharge
Get urgent help if
Remove any tampon or cup and call 112 or 108, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department, if you have a high temperature with a rash, confusion, difficulty breathing, blotchy or pale skin, or feel suddenly very unwell during your period. Tell the doctor you were using a tampon or cup.
Frequently asked questions
Which period product is the most comfortable? It depends on your body. Many people find period panties and cups the most comfortable once they get used to them, while others prefer the familiarity of pads.
Are reusable period products hygienic? Yes, if you wash and dry them properly. Rinse period panties and cloth pads in cold water, wash gently and dry fully. Sterilise a cup in boiling water before first use and after each cycle.
Can teenagers use tampons or cups? Yes. The NHS says all period products are safe for people who have just started their periods, though pads can be easier at first. A cup in a teen size can work once she feels ready.
Can I sleep in a tampon? Only if you will change it within 8 hours. If you sleep longer, use a pad, period panty or cup instead.
Can I use a menstrual cup with an IUD? Check with your doctor first. There are reports of IUDs being dislodged in cup users, and your doctor can advise how to remove the cup safely.
Which is cheapest over time? In most illustrative examples, a cup or cloth pads cost the least over two years, followed by period panties. Disposables add up because you keep buying them.
Do I have to pick just one? No. Most people combine products, such as a cup with a period panty as backup, or period panties at home and disposables when travelling.
Related reading
- Period Underwear vs Menstrual Cup: An Honest Comparison
- Tampons vs Period Panties: Which Is Right for You?
- Disposable vs Reusable Period Panties for Heavy Flow: Which Is Better Overnight?
- How Many Period Panties Do You Need?
This article is for general information and doesn't replace advice from your doctor.
Sources: NHS: Periods, NHS: Toxic shock syndrome, Great Ormond Street Hospital: Period products, The Lancet Public Health: Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Cleveland Clinic: Can You Sleep With a Tampon In?