My brain was befuddled to detect the spirit of menthol (the stuff that makes mint minty) in my crotch whenever I moved. “Erm, shouldn’t this sensation be felt in your mouth instead, like tooth-brushing?” it queried each time I got up, walked, sat down or crossed my legs.
Also, my brain often mistook the cooling sensation for an overflow accident. Coolness and dampness can feel very similar down there when you throw cramps and backache into the monthly mix.
But never mind all that. What in the Glacius spell was used in these pads?
“Cooling sanitary napkins usually incorporate active ingredients such as menthol essential oil to create a cooling sensation when it comes in contact with the skin,” said Dr Eileen Tan, a dermatologist with Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
I suppose seeing the word “hypoallergenic” on the packaging should be assuring, right? Nothing like an official-looking seal to stamp out the questioning voices in your head.
Until Dr Tricia Chong, a dermatologist from National Skin Centre, brought my attention to the Health Sciences Authority’s (HSA) website: A product that is “hypoallergenic”, according to HSA, “does not mean that the product will not cause allergies”. It’s just “less likely to cause allergic reactions”.
