Earlier this year, people in Africa began using the hashtag “My Always Experience” on Twitter to share their disdain for Always pads. Women insisted that Always pads in Africa were not held to the same testing standards as those in the United States and Europe.
Twitter user scheafferoo posted, “Always pads cause excessive sweating, pads aren’t breathable, develop rashes painful & huge, the skin in contact with the pad itches profusely, severe burning sensation when walking and the gel substance produces an unpleasant odour.”
April Zhu, a former employee for a company in Nairobi that makes sanitary pads, has her own claims as to why Always pads in Africa are substandard. She states that pads sent to Africa and other emerging countries contain a plastic film on top made from polyethylene; these pads are much cheaper to produce than their cotton counterparts. This film has small holes punctured through it to allow for fluids to pass through. However, it does not allow for fluids to pass through as quickly as cotton top layers would, and rashes are a common side-effect to the film.
In March, Always Kenya denied these claims. They issued a press release on Twitter that states, “The Always Ultra pads we have in Kenya are similar to the Always pads in other parts of the world including Germany, UK, US, South Africa. All our pads including the ones in Kenya are designed and developed in Europe and the US.”
The hashtag has resurfaced recently and Always has been silent to the new wave of complaints. However, users are finding solace in each other as they share their own experiences. Twitter user OmolemoMathebe wrote, “I can’t believe I also thought the rash was normal…”
This brings up questions regarding the taboo topic of menstruation. Because of this stigma surrounding menstruation, people are left to deal with these pains on their own. These stories are important in breaking down barriers and encouraging people to take charge of their own health. They are also important for keeping companies in check when it comes to providing safe products.
Unfortunately, these are not the only issues that plague people in need of menstruation products. According to Zana Africa, a company dedicated to providing sanitary products to girls in Kenya, about 65 percent of girls in Kenya do not have regular access to sanitary pads. One woman in Tanzania estimates that she spends about five to ten percent of her monthly salary on sanitary pads, spending the American equivalent of up to $338 on a single pack of pads. The lack of pads leads people to use fabric in their place. However, the fabric often leads to rashes and urinary tract infections due to the low absorbency rate, according to CNN.
This menstruation crisis also extends to people in America, particularly in U.S. jails. According to Mother Jones, women are forced to wear multiple sanitary pads at once in order to make up for the poor quality. In some prisons, there is a limit of ten pads per menstruation cycle, which only allows for two pads each day during a five-day cycle. It is recommended that people change their pads every six to eight hours on average. While free pads and tampons are guaranteed to those in federal prison, local jails do not have the same standards. Local jails charge above market price for already over-priced tampons. This lack of adequate supply serves to humiliate, and it clearly is an effort to save money at the expense of people in need.
It is clear as to why people are angry with Always’s lack of responsibility. The few sanitary products that are available are now causing serious bodily harm. There is no clear solution to this crisis except to continue to pressure companies like Always to provide people with safe and affordable sanitary products.
Tanya Korichkova is an applied math major junior and aspiring poet.
Gsvadds / wikipedia
Many individuals that menstruate don’t have sufficient sanitary products (such as those pictured above) at their disposal. As a result, they have to use defective products that cause bodily harm and may not effectively absorb fluids.