Which is Best for a First-Time User, Menstrual Cup or Menstrual Disc?

Jumping into the world of tampon alternatives and not sure if a menstrual cup or menstrual disc will be the right choice as a first-time user? There are pros and cons to each choice. Ultimately, the decision comes down to your comfort level when it comes to insertables. Or, your anatomy makes the decision for you.

Let’s start with a quick breakdown of each of our options. If you want a similar experience to tampons – something you can use while swimming, or doing gymnastics, something that is inside the body that won’t cause any chafing you have two product options – a menstrual cup or a menstrual disc. Each of these go inside the body like a tampon. Each product will collect your period flow rather than absorb it. Cups and discs fold to insert so that they will fit in the vaginal opening, and each can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time safely. They also are both going to have a lifespan of up to ten years and you will end up saving money on disposable products, you save more the longer you use the same product.

But is a menstrual cup or menstrual disc the best for a first-time user coming from using pads or tampons?

The choice is not obvious. Functionally they do the same thing – collect your period blood. But the way they are inserted, where they go, and other attributes are very different. To decide we need to get pretty deep but by the end of this post (and video, embedded above) I am confident you will be ready to add your choice to the cart, and hopefully from period.shop’s selection of many great reusable period care brands. The pros and cons listed are most applicable to first-time users, we could list far more pros and even a few more cons but we want to focus on things that are the most important when picking between these two options.

Menstrual Cup Pros and Cons

Menstrual cups get a lot of ticks on the “good for first-time users” pros column.

But they have cons to consider as well. Having a lot of options of sizes, brands, styles, firmnesses, and lengths makes the process of finding the right fit very overwhelming. Period Nirvana has resources to help in that regard, be sure to try our menstrual cup quiz; we have done all of that extensive research for you.

The menstrual cup cons exist but they may be easier to swallow to a first-time user. Many people choose cups and some of those same users later switch to menstrual discs once they become more comfortable with the process of insertion/removal that cups introduce.

Menstrual Disc Pros and Cons

Discs have a few pros that put them ahead of cups, in my opinion, when it comes to ease of use and likelihood of success for first-time users. 

However, their cons tend to be a bigger “deal-breaker” for first-time users who might be squeamish about inserting things into their own body, or about touching blood.

Let’s Compare Pros/Cons

In my expert opinion and years of work in this industry, I believe the choice comes down to the person and how they feel about putting their fingers inside themselves, and their squeamishness around blood.

A menstrual disc is easier to fold, it tends to open without extra assistance and go where it needs to go almost magically, and the fact that it’s “one size fits most” means your chances of succeeding with the first menstrual disc you buy, the very first time you use it, are high. Not 100%, but nothing is.

Cups are less involved to insert and remove than discs, and a big hang-up for new users comes down to how invasive insertion is (basically how much of my hand is going in there) and how invasive and messy removal is. Cups come out on top when it comes to how low they sit, you insert less of your fingers and rarely touch blood. Only about the tip of your finger and thumb need to be inserted when using a cup. Removals are typically mess-free – you pull the cup down and it’s upright until it is outside of your body. You may get a bit of blood on your fingers from what is around the cup, but it tends to be very minimal if any.

With discs, you may need to put nearly your entire pointer finger inside yourself to tuck the product securely. And for removal, a full finger to reach and remove the disc, plus the very real possibility of getting blood, either a little or a lot, on your hands. 

Your Experience May Vary

This is where I remind readers that there will always be exceptions to the rule in both scenarios – you might be watching this and thinking “Removing my cup was way more involved than my disc” or “My disc was harder to insert and get working than my cup!” This can be true, but I am conveying the experiences of the majority to help you make decisions because your outcome is more likely to be similar to what the majority of people experience. Remember, every experience will vary.

To help mitigate the biggest con of menstrual discs, I co-designed a product with a special double-looped tab, Hello Disc. It came out about 2 years ago and the final product, inspired by my love of discs but my understanding of why people are less likely to want to use them over cups, makes it easier, less involved, and less messy to remove. Since Hello Disc, several other brands have come out with their disc designs with easier-to-remove handles or stems. This greatly alleviates those cons. There are also a few menstrual disc applicators in the works that might make insertion less “involved,” assuming they work as well as advertised.

With cups, the cons haven’t been addressed yet – there is no one-size-fits-most cup, and getting cups to work can still take a good bit of trial and error over several menstrual cycles. One brand of menstrual cup offers a menstrual cup applicator but it’s not quite on the market. My own experience with it was, unfortunately, not as easy as it was advertised to be. Other generic menstrual cup applicators have also been underwhelming in my trials. Hand insertion seems the best option at the moment.

Get Familiar With Yourself

Ultimately, both products need to be inserted into the vagina and both will result in some level of direct contact with blood. I am a huge advocate for becoming familiar with your body, it is beneficial in so many ways. If a menstrual disc sounds appealing but you’re a bit nervous about that aspect, I’d encourage you to challenge yourself. It gets easier and easier each cycle until the whole thing is as normal as brushing your teeth. But you have serious hang-ups then a cup is a gentler product to start with. 

When Your Anatomy Dictates Your Choice

There are some instances where yout anatomy makes the decision for you. You might need to pick a cup or disc based on your anatomy, or only certain styles of those products.

If you have a very low cervix, you might be better suited to a smaller menstrual disc. If you have a backwards facing uterus that tils towards the back vaginal wall, a disc is less likely to work so a menstrual cup is a better option. If you experience hand strength issues or your body size makes it hard to reach products to insert and remove, a menstrual disc with loops (Hello Disc) that is suction free can make removal easier. Or, a menstrual cup that breaks the seal like a Flex Cup could also be a good choice. If your cervix is super high look for longer menstrual cups or discs with removal stems or tabs for easier reaching.

I should add that if you have experienced certain trauma around insertables, especially ones that resulted in vaginismus, you might want to talk to your pelvic floor therapist or another medical professional to help decide if either option will work for you. Discs are showing great promise in this regard due to their slim fold and where they sit in the body over cups, but this will vary for each person.

Ready to Make the Switch?

If you have come to a decision then your next step it to take our well researched menstrual cup quiz, which is also a menstrual disc quiz! We offer both options; you just need to pick which result you want to see near the end of the quiz. We want to help everyone find their perfect menstrual cup or disc to reach …. period nirvana!