Tampon differences around the world

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

The recent hoo-hah over the moldy tampons got me thinking about this.

In the U.S. it would seem that most tampons are sold with applicators and only a few brands (I see OB mentioned a lot) sell non-applicator tampons. Also, many brands have plastic applicators.

In Australia there is only one brand of applicator tampon (Tampax) and they have cardboard applicators. Most brands (among them the most popular/heavily advertised brands - I haven't seen a Tampax ad in years come to think of it, and I only saw their ads in teen magazines) don't have applicators at all. Most of the marketing emphasises the smallness of the packs and cute patterns/colours on little flip-top pouches and things like that.

Does this vary in other parts of the world too? Why do tampon varieties/marketing strategies differ so much?

Comments

[chamilet]

I'm pretty certain the backwardness of the US when it comes to women/sex is why we still have mostly applicator tampons (OB is the only one I know about that doesn't come with an applicator). Women are icky, their cycles are icky and women should be sequestered away in their homes when they have their bleed.

Oh, and sex is only for procreation, not recreation.

Disclaimer: I have never even considered a tampon without an applicator because I, too, have succumbed to the Icky Period Blood, I'm Not Sticking My Finger In There, No Way indoctrination.