Hey Iris!

My question is...can tampons leak?

Thanks a bunch!

Angela

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Dear Angela,

It's unusual for a correctly-inserted and proper absorbency tampon to leak. It can leak if not correctly inserted, if the menstrual fluid bypasses the tampon, or if the menstrual flow is too heavy for the absorbency you are using and the tampon becomes saturated. Comfortable and correct tampon usage is a matter of practice and experience, and the knowledge of your own body's flow.

Tampons will leak eventually if you don't change them often enough. You should change your tampon every 4–8 hours, or more if needed. This will help prevent leakage, and give you the comfort and confidence that many thousands of women enjoy. Some women use an Always [link to BeingGirl Always Page] pantiliner as a tampon backup until they understand which absorbency is right for them. If you change it after 4 hours and it's saturated, you may want to use a Tampax [link to BeingGirl Tampax page] tampon with more absorbency or change it just a bit sooner.

On the other hand, if after 4 hours it's relatively dry, use a tampon with less absorbency, or wait a little longer before changing it. A tampon will absorb menstrual fluid until it has reached its capacity, and it will then begin to leak. Like thousands of other girls and women, you will learn by experimentation how often you need to change the tampon in order to prevent "accidents."

Your BeingGirls Experts