Health Debunked: Should You Buy Organic Tampons?

“Organic tampons are no safer for you than conventional tampons,” Stacy De-Lin, M.D., a family planning specialist told GoodRx. Still, advertisements from various feminine care brands can make you feel otherwise. 

But are organic tampons any safer for you to use than regular, conventional ones? Here, we break down what the science has to say about each.

What are organic tampons?

Organic tampons are made from organic cotton and are free from dyes, fragrances, and bleach. Regular tampons are usually made from a blend of materials. Rayon is a synthetic fiber derived from wood pulp that’s known for its absorbent properties. 

Why did regular tampons get a bad rap?

First, let’s identify when tampons first entered the market. Allegedly, the first tampon was created under the Tampax brand sometime in the mid-1930s by a general practitioner named Earle Cleveland Haas. The first published research about how tampons absorbed menstrual blood came in 1945.

In July of 1980, after an outbreak, investigators at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a report linking highly absorbent tampons to toxic shock syndrome (TSS). By the end of the year, a total of 890 cases of TSS were reported. However, the number of TSS cases declined by 1989, with only 61 cases reported as manufacturers began to change the way tampons were made.

This outbreak, paired with concern about the ingredients in tampons and their possible link to cancer, caused people to question the safety of tampons.

Read more like this

Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.

What Are the Health Benefits of Kombucha and Fermented Drinks?

What You Need to Know About Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)

12 Potentially Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Skin Care Products

What You Need to Know About Viorele

View more

Claim: Organic tampons prevent toxic shock syndrome (TSS)

To understand why organic tampons don’t prevent TSS, let’s first jump into what TSS is and what causes it. TSS is a serious medical condition that can cause symptoms like fever, low blood pressure, rash, and difficulty breathing. The condition occurs when bacteria that live on our skin enter the bloodstream and cause an infection. 

Here’s how that bacteria can get into your bloodstream through your vagina. Bacteria that live safely on the skin of your hands can rub off onto the tampon as you go to insert it. When you remove a tampon, that pulling sensation can cause microscopic abrasions (cuts) to form in the vaginal wall. 

These abrasions can then invite bacteria into your bloodstream as you remove and insert tampons with your fingers. The longer the tampon is inside of you, the more time bacteria have to multiple and penetrate through the vaginal wall. 

The type of bacteria identified in the women affected by the TSS outbreak in the 1980s was known as Staphylococcus aureus. While these highly absorbent tampons were conventionally made, it’s important to note that this could happen with any type of tampon, including organic ones made from only cotton.  

“If you leave in an organic tampon for a very long time, you’re also at risk of TSS,” said De-Lin. However, she points out that it’s important to remember that TSS is a very rare condition, affecting 0.8 to 3.4 people per 100,000 in the U.S.

Claim: Regular tampons contain dangerous toxins

The chemical dioxin is at the center of the debate on the safety of tampons. Dioxin is the byproduct of converting wood pulp into rayon after bleaching it in elemental chlorine gas.

In 1994, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report on dioxin saying that it can cause cancer in animals and likely cause cancer in people too. The agency added that people exposed to high levels might also be at an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, reduced fertility, and a weakened immune system. 

One 2002 animal study found that monkeys exposed to the toxin developed endometriosis (when the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of it). However, researchers concluded that tampons weren’t a problem, as exposure from a tampon is miniscule. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 90% of human exposure to dioxin is through food — namely meat, fish and shellfish, and dairy products. And again, the FDA states the tampons produced today are free of elemental chlorine, which reduces the level of dioxin to allegedly safe amounts.  

“You’d have to use dozens and dozens of tampons in a month, and you’d still be exposed to less than what’s considered [toxic],” De-Lin added. “Dioxin is also really present in food, so if you’re eating food, you’re already exposed to dioxin, and tampons aren’t going to expose you anymore or in any way that’s dangerous.”

Organic tampons and titanium dioxide

Even though most organic tampons are made without chemicals — like chlorine, parabens, or pesticides — some brands contain titanium dioxide. This is a chemical used to brighten or whiten products and has been heavily debated as a potential carcinogen. 

Although the science around titanium dioxide’s effects is limited to lab and animal studies, many experts believe its potential to cause damage in humans cannot be ruled out. But based on what we know now, the amount of titanium dioxide in both regular and certain brands of organic tampons is likely similar and in very small amounts. In other words, organic tampons probably don’t have a significant edge over regular ones.

What about the environment?

Organic tampons may only be better for the environment if you buy ones without plastic applicators, though some organic brands offer biodegradable applicators. Keep in mind, you can buy regular tampons without an applicator as well.

Organic cotton also doesn’t allow for pesticides, which may be better for the environment. Research has routinely shown that pesticides can be toxic to fish, birds, and insects that benefit the environment. Not to mention, pesticides can contaminate drinking water and soil used to grow fruits and vegetables, which could be detrimental to human health. 

So, should I buy organic tampons?

In short, there is no evidence to suggest that organic tampons are safer for you than regular ones. The amount of potential toxins, like dioxin and glyphosate, found in regular tampons are too low to be considered harmful. TSS, while rare, can happen with any type of tampon.

De-Lin added that organic tampons are typically more expensive. “A lot of this stuff is marketing, it’s often telling you that something is safer, but doctors and major medical organizations are invested in knowing if something shouldn’t be used or isn’t safe for you,” she said. As a good rule of thumb, talk to your healthcare provider before spending extra on something you might not need.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Cheyenne Buckingham, BS

Cheyenne Buckingham is a journalist and editor who specializes in nutrition, women's health, fitness, food injustice, and the relationship between chronic disease and diet. She has 6 years of experience covering food, health, wellness, and fitness.

Edited by:

Samvida Patel, MNSP, INHC

Samvida Patel, MNSP, INHC, is a health editor at GoodRx. She is a nutritionist and integrative nutrition health coach with over 8 years of experience in health communications.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts