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    These 12-Hour Period Discs Help Me Waste Less, *And* You Can Have Mess-Free Sex With Them

    If you want a better, easier period, you should start using Flex discs. Trust me. It's probably placebo effect, but I swear they even help my cramps.

    Periods. No matter if you love them, hate them, don't have any specific feelings towards them, many of us have them. Real talk, I am on my second round of menstruating this month right now, and I can't even begin to rant about it to you.

    But, as a person who has a period, I have spent almost a good two decades of my life so far trying to figure out how to make that ~time of the month~ as easy and painless as possible. Enter: the Flex disc.

    I've loved wearing these discs ever since I saw them in an Instagram ad. I got my first package in the summer of 2019 and have never looked back. The discs are super comfortable (I literally don't feel them), disposable, and can hold up to six super tampons' worth of liquid, plus clots and lining 🙌.

    Black woman squeezing disposable period disc near face

    The Flex Company advertises their discs as a more sustainable option for periods: you produce less trash than with tampons and pads because the discs can be worn up to 12 hours a day. And don't worry, the discs are created with body-safe, medical-grade materials.

    Diagram comparing the insertion and placement of tampons, flex discs and the flex cup

    Not only that, but Flex offers a subscription (like Billie or Burst Oral Care), so I didn't have to leave the house and stand in the period aisle, trying to choose – instead, I could hop on the internet, tell them I had a heavy period and they would regularly ship discs to me.

    Woman holding wrapped period disc in front of face

    Flex is pretty simple to use, my only caveats when I suggest it are: (1) you need to be comfortable with blood and (2) you gotta be comfortable with putting things in your vagina. The first time won't be perfect, but trust me, you will become a pro in no time.

    Smear of fake blood next to "bloody" period disc

    So how's it work? Find your fornix. You can squat, stand with one leg on the tub — whatever position works for you — pinch the disc in the middle and slide it right up your vaginal canal as far as you can. Boom: 💥 it's in place.

    Perks of wearing a Flex disc: you can work out, swim, and even have sex just as you normally would when you're not on your period. You're probably like, "Excuse me, I can do all that with a tamp—" That's right, you read correctly. You can get dicked down on your period with a lot less mess than if you decided to free-bleed.

    Another (potential) upside? Flex discs help some people reduce cramps and dryness. Personally, I say they do. I'm *barely* affected by cramps when I'm wearing the discs, and when I haven't put a disc in and my period is working on its grand arrival? Cramps will have me teary-eyed on my couch, breathing through my teeth.

    To learn more, we asked two ob-gyns about period cramps and if there's any scientific or medical reason that period disc users might experience and/or report having fewer cramps. Spoiler alert: not really, periods and the pain you might experience with them all depend on your body and can be different from person to person, but they did give us some good info to keep in mind!

    Since I have the HEAVY subscription, I get 12 discs a month (24 with each subscription), so I wear them throughout: light day, medium day, heavy days, up until the tail end. On my heavy days, I pair the disc with a pad or a pair of period underwear for extra protection, and I really have no worries.

    Each disc can be worn for 12 hours, as well as in the shower, tub, or pool. One of the best perks of 12-hour wear is that you can "bear down" (yup, just like that) and empty the disc without removing it completely. This is perfect for heavier days and you can secure it back into place with a push of the finger. The removal process is pretty easy, you simply hook a finger and fish out the disc, emptying it in the toilet.

    While Flex discs aren't flushable, each one is packaged in an compostable wrapper that can be used for disposal. Since I've been using these discs for awhile now, the Flex Company has tested numerous kinds of packaging — black plastic, transparent plastic, and now a paper wrapper, which I really like for its ease of opening and reusing later. Of course, you can also wrap it in toilet paper and just toss it!

    If you're not into disposables, Flex recently dropped a $35 reusable disc, which is made of body-safe silicone. Of course, I tried it. It's pretty much the same as the disposables with two exceptions: (1) it's a bit thicker and (2) the silicone is a little more difficult to grip during removal and it can slip out of your hands...😭

    Whether disposable, plant-based, or reusable, I swear by the Flex Disc. Truly. When I had my sister try a disposable one for the first time she said (to everyone in the room): "I have never felt more secure in my life!"

    I'm not the only one who trusts their time of the month with Flex, here are some reviews from verified Flex users:

    Hands holding sustainable period products

    TL;DR: Period discs are where it's at. They can be messy (thank god for soap and water) and practice makes perfect. But the 12 hours of continuous use, reduced waste, and overall barely-there wearability of these beauties make them totally worth it.

    Hand holding flyer in front of box of Flex period products

    Start your next period with a more sustainable bang for $11.99 (less if you subscribe!).

    Get the reusable disc for $35 or the plant-based discs for $14.99+ from Flex.

    Also available at Target for $14.99+ (also available: reusable and plant-based), Amazon for $13.58+ (also available: reusable and plant-based), and Walmart for $13.58 (also available: reusable).

    Just try it, trust me. Happy bleeding! 🩸

    BTW, if you love this content and want to stay on top of what's happening in the sexual wellness world, make sure to follow BuzzFeed After Dark (@bfafterdark) on IG — a hub for the horniest of BuzzFeed shoppers. 😏

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