When did the first gaskets appear, and how the girls lived before that?
Until the 1920s, it was not customary to talk about women’s affairs. That is why the girls suffered for years alone and tried to hide the existence of their menstrual cycle as best they could. We decided to find out how the girls escaped during their periods and when the long-awaited pads and tampons appeared.
Many stories start from Ancient Egypt, and ours is no exception. There are many stories that in those days, girls invented tampons, which consisted of papyrus. Probably no need to remind you that they were tough and uncomfortable. But modern stories consider this fact only a myth and are inclined to believe that then girls attached cotton pads to their underwear, which they washed after use.
In Rome, for example, moss, wool, grass, and even animal skins were used as spacers. Girls used these devices for a long time to absorb secretions.
Japan and China, where hygiene issues have always existed at the highest level, were different from everyone else then. Girls in these countries used disposable pads, which were actually paper napkins folded in an envelope, held by a special handkerchief attached to their belt.
In the Middle Ages, the situation in Europe was not very advanced. Menstruation was still kept silent and pretended that it did not exist at all. Therefore, the girls did not really do anything, and instead of pads they used petticoats, which were fixed between the legs. Later, ladies from wealthy families had pantaloons made of dense fabric, and it was them that were used on the days of menstruation. The pantaloons themselves were covered with a large number of petticoats, which were incredibly popular in those days.
In the XNUMXth century, inventors finally thought about women’s health and decided to create menstrual bags and vessels. However, they had such a strange shape that many were afraid of these devices. During this period, women on critical days were not allowed to work in factories, as they could “poison” the entire production.
Since the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the situation has changed radically. During the First World War, the sisters of mercy noted for themselves that the cellucotone material with which they treated the wounds of soldiers absorbs moisture very well. Then they began to use it for hygienic purposes. This material was produced by the American company “Kimberly Clark”, which was inspired by this and decided to create something definitely new.
So, in the 1920s, the first disposable pads were released, which were called “Cellunap”. But it soon turned out that their implementation is very problematic, because women are embarrassed to pronounce this name. Then the company Kimberly Clark turned to an advertising company, which changed the name to Kotex, and made the packaging with pads completely white, without inscriptions. The press even published instructions for girls with a detailed story about how to buy pads: “Just tell the Kotex seller.”
In 1927 Johnson & Johnson released their Modess gaskets, which immediately became a competitor to Kotex.
And after 7 years, the first tampons appeared, the founders of which were the Tampax company. It was with a cardboard applicator, and it was recommended to use it only for married women, since they had already lost their virginity. During World War II, women needed something more comfortable, and then tampons without an applicator were introduced to the world. It has become the most sought after item among women.
After the war, by the 1950s, time went back, and again everyone remembered the menstrual belt, which looked like riveted panties. In the 60s, prototypes of modern panty liners appeared that were attached to panties.
In 1972, the first self-adhesive pads appeared, and in the 80s, manufacturers added a lower, non-wetting layer and an upper absorbing layer, which helped protect the girl from leaks. They have become thinner and more comfortable. At the same time, they began to sell tampons with a plastic applicator, which were considered super absorbent. However, then toxic shock syndrome appeared, which led to not the best consequences.
In the 1990s, the wing pads that we are used to seeing now finally appeared. And in 2010, a menstrual cup appears on the market, although it was still in 1930, but then it was not in demand.
In the USSR, the first hygiene products appeared only in the early 1990s, causing a stir among women.