A Brief History of Sanitary Pads

Sanitary Pads are a dire necessity for women. Every month, the menstrual cycle reminds the ladies of their ability to bring in new life on this planet. Most of us cannot imagine a day without sanitary pads and panty liners during those five days of periods. However, our ancestors did not have the “luxury” of such basic sanitation tools. In fact, this might seem a little unbelievable, but sanitary pads were initially invented for nursing wounded soldiers. The French nurses used something similar to modern-day sanitary pads to dress the wound of the soldiers that were made from cheap yet highly functional disposable materials! Read on to get a brief history of panty liners and sanitary pads

  • Lister’s Towels: Though primarily used in the military, sanitary pads were commercialized in 1888 and were then called south ball pads. The USA, one of the biggest capitalist nations, released it to the public in 1896 when Johnson and Johnson launched their version of “south ball pads” in the American market. Menstrual pads then went by the name Lister’s Towel: Sanitary Towels For Ladies. The product name itself deterred many from purchasing the product, and thus the term “Nupak” was coined in the early 1920s. 
  • Purchase and Problems: There has always been a taboo associated with panty liners and sanitary pads that many face even today. In the 20th century, the situation was hardly different. The ladies would leave the money discreetly in closed boxes, and the druggist would wrap up the pads and leave them for the women to collect. The sanitary pads were super expensive, and only the rich could afford them. There weren't any “wings” either to hold the pad in place, and it would often stain the clothes and the belonging of the ladies, especially during the days of heavy flow. 

Today the best pads for heavy flow come with wings and are highly absorbent, making your period days a little better. The situation has changed, but the taboo still remains, as can be seen in the rural and less-developed corners of the world.

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