Toxic shock syndrome (TSS)
In 2012, the American Lauren Wasser, then aged 24, successively lost both of her legs following toxic shock syndrome caused by the use of a tampon. Even if its case is rare, the risk of contracting this infection has pushed consumers of hygienic protection to demand more transparency on the composition of tampons. Each year in France, 20 women are affected by this scourge which can be fatal, but fortunately, 95% of them survive.
What exactly is toxic shock syndrome?
It is an infectious disease caused, generally, by the development of staphylococcus aureus in the body. This bacteria is naturally present in various places in our body, including the vagina in 1% of women.
The presence of the bacteria itself does not pose a problem. It can cause mild infections of the skin or throat or, most of the time, may not cause any symptoms.
Complications can occur in immunocompromised people, but also in those who have not developed antibodies capable of neutralizing the action of Staphylococcus aureus toxins. If these enter the bloodstream, they cause an acute reaction: toxic shock syndrome.
What does SCT have to do with tampons?
When we wear a tampon for several hours, the blood and everything in it is not flushed out of our body. Women harboring the bacteria in their vagina or having infected their protection then gives it the opportunity to multiply much more than it should.
When a certain concentration of bacteria is reached, they begin to produce TSST-1 toxins, responsible for the syndrome. They pass into the cardiovascular system and attack the entire body.
This is why it is important to wash your hands well before and after inserting a foreign body into our vagina. Bacteria present on the skin could find their way there and grow there.
You must also make sure to change your internal protections, whatever they may be, every 4 hours. The less blood stagnates, the less bacteria can develop. It is therefore strongly recommended to use external hygienic protection at night.
What are the symptoms of TSS?
At first, the symptoms closely resemble those of a bad flu or gastroenteritis: fever, vomiting, loss of consciousness. Other signs may alert you: hypotension, dehydration or rash.
But quickly, vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, liver or heart fail, one after the other. Medical intervention must take place as quickly as possible to avoid death. The quicker the treatment, the higher the chances of survival.
What protection to adopt to eliminate all risks
To safely avoid toxic shock, the ideal is to use only external protection. The blood does not stagnate in the vagina and therefore, no infection can spread in the body through this.
Several options are available to you: disposable or washable sanitary napkins or period panties . The latter have the advantage of being free of all chemicals. They are made from healthy fabrics to protect our body (but also the planet!) from the toxic residues that can unfortunately be found today in most disposable sanitary napkins...
By Emilie
