Choosing Your First Period Product
Pads, tampons, cups and period underwear are all safe from your very first period, and discs are worth knowing about too. Here's what each one involves, and what it costs over a year.
Published 27 July 2026
Pads are the easiest place to start, because there's nothing to insert. Tampons, period underwear and cups are just as safe from your first period. Discs are a newer option too. The real choice is about comfort, not safety.
This guide covers what each option is, when it suits you, and what it costs over a year. There's also a quick comparison table. For the full picture of what a first period involves, start with our complete first period guide.
Pads: the easiest place to start
A pad is a strip of absorbent material that sticks inside your underwear, so you wear it outside your body with no technique to learn. Some have wings that fold underneath to stop it slipping. The NHS lists pads alongside tampons, cups and period underwear as safe and suitable from your first period. It notes that pads are often the easier place to start, because tampons and cups take some getting used to.
A first period is often a small reddish-brown stain, not a sudden gush. It might not last very long while your body settles into a pattern. Total blood loss across a whole period is typically about 20 to 90ml, roughly 1 to 5 tablespoons. So you don't need the heaviest pad on the shelf to begin with. Change disposable pads every 4 to 6 hours, depending on flow. Washable, reusable pads exist too. For the exact steps, from unwrapping to disposal, see how to put on a pad.
Tampons: internal, and no bulk under clothes
A tampon is a small tube of cotton wool that you insert into your vagina, with a string left outside for removal, so there's nothing visible under your clothes. It isn't possible for a tampon to get lost inside you. Your vagina holds it in place.
Tampons need more practice than a pad. Change them at least every 4 to 8 hours, depending on flow, and use the lowest absorbency that copes with it. Leaving one in too long raises the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). This is a rare but serious infection linked to tampons and menstrual cups. TSS is uncommon. But if you get a sudden high fever, a rash, vomiting or dizziness while wearing one, take it out. Get medical help straight away. For a full walkthrough and more on TSS, see how to use a tampon for the first time and are tampons safe for teenagers.
Period underwear: nothing to insert at all
Period underwear looks and feels like ordinary pants, with an absorbent layer built into the fabric, so there's nothing to insert and nothing extra to remember once it's on. It holds roughly twice as much as a pad or tampon, according to the youth charity Brook.
Change it roughly every 8 to 12 hours, depending on flow, then wash it rather than bin it. That makes it a solid choice for overnight, school days, or as backup underneath a pad on a heavier day. The catch is the up-front cost: a single pair costs more than a pack of pads. So most people build up two or three pairs over time, rather than buying a week's worth at once.
Menstrual cups and discs: the reusable option
A menstrual cup is a small silicone container you insert into your vagina to collect blood rather than absorb it, then empty, rinse and reuse. A menstrual disc is a related, newer product that some people choose instead. It isn't covered by the NHS and Brook guidance used in this article. So a pharmacist or GP is the best person to ask if you're curious about one.
Empty a cup roughly every 8 to 12 hours, depending on flow. Brook notes a rise in TSS risk if one is left longer than 12 hours, so don't stretch that window. Cups take more practice to insert and remove than a pad or tampon. That's why most people try one once they're already comfortable with something internal. The pay-off is cost: a cup is the priciest single purchase here. But Brook says one can last up to five years. That makes it the cheapest option by far, if you stick with it.
How the options compare at a glance
Pads, tampons, period underwear and cups are all safe from your first period, so most of this table is about fit, not safety. Discs are newer and aren't covered by the guidance cited here, so ask a pharmacist or GP if you're curious.
| Product | What it is | Suits | Change roughly every |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pads | Sticks to underwear, worn outside the body | Getting started, night-time, zero learning curve | 4 to 6 hours |
| Tampons | Inserted, absorbs internally, string for removal | Swimming, sport, close-fitting clothes | 4 to 8 hours |
| Period underwear | Ordinary-looking pants with a built-in absorbent layer | Overnight, school days, backup under a pad | 8 to 12 hours |
| Menstrual cups | Inserted, collects rather than absorbs, washed and reused | Once you're used to something internal, lowest cost long-term | 8 to 12 hours |
| Menstrual discs | A newer product, not covered by the guidance cited here | Curious to explore beyond a cup | Ask a pharmacist or GP |
What it actually costs over a year
Disposables cost less per pack but get bought again every month, while reusables cost more up front and then almost nothing. Pads and tampons are cheap individually, but that adds up over years of buying them. Period underwear and cups cost more on the day you buy them, sometimes a lot more for a cup. But a cup can last up to five years, according to Brook. A few pairs of period underwear can last for years too. Both work out cheaper than replacing disposables every cycle.
There's no wrong answer, and plenty of people mix products: a pad on light days, period underwear overnight, a tampon for swimming. What matters for a first period is picking something you can manage confidently. A parent, carer or school nurse can help you choose, or pick some up, if you're not sure where to start. Changing your mind later is completely normal.
The short version
Pads are the simplest first product, because there's nothing to insert. Tampons, period underwear and cups are all just as safe from day one. Discs are a newer option worth asking a pharmacist about. The choice mostly comes down to lifestyle fit. Tampons or cups suit swimming, period underwear suits overnight and school, and a cup gives the lowest cost over years. Change pads every 4 to 6 hours, tampons at least every 4 to 8 hours, and period underwear and cups every 8 to 12 hours. Get medical help fast for any sudden fever or rash while using a tampon or cup.
Simply Track's setup asks whether this is your first period. If so, it opens a free, step-by-step guide to exactly this: how to use pads, tampons, cups and more. That guide, along with the calendar and period tracking, is free, always. There's no pressure to pick the "best" product on day one. You can try one, decide it isn't for you, and switch. Most people do exactly that.
Sources
- NHS, Periods: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/
- NHS, Starting your periods: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/starting-periods/
- NHS, Toxic shock syndrome: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxic-shock-syndrome/
- Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, Periods: https://www.wchc.nhs.uk/services/lets-talk/young-people/relationships-and-sex-education-rse/periods/
- Brook, Period products: https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/period-products/
Common questions
Which product should a beginner start with?
Pads are usually easiest, since there's nothing to insert and no technique to learn first. NHS guidance lists pads, tampons, period underwear and cups as equally safe and suitable from your first period, so starting with a pad is about ease, not because the others are riskier.
Is period underwear good for school?
Yes. It needs changing only every 8 to 12 hours, so there's no product to manage in a toilet cubicle between lessons. Many people wear it alone on lighter days, or as backup underneath a pad, and both are reasonable, low-effort choices for a school day.
Are reusable products hygienic?
Yes, when washed as instructed. The NHS lists reusable pads, period underwear and menstrual cups alongside disposable products as safe and suitable options for anyone starting out, and Brook notes a well cared-for menstrual cup can be washed, rinsed and reused for up to five years.
Not medical advice
General information, not medical advice. If something about your cycle worries you, speak to a GP.
Keep track of your own cycle
Simply Track logs your period on your iPhone and Apple Watch, and its predictions sharpen the more you record. Your data stays in your own iCloud account.
