A new study found that tampons from various brands contained toxic metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium. Tampons are primarily made with cotton, and researchers note that metals could come from the soil that the cotton is grown in. Another potential source of metals is the added chemicals that some brands use in tampons to control odor or to act as an antimicrobial. It’s potentially concerning because there’s a higher chance that the skin in the vagina will absorb chemicals compared to skin elsewhere in the body. But so far, researchers aren’t sure that the metals are absorbed by the body, only that they are present in the products. Learn more about lead in tampons.
