Africa: Women Question Safety of Sanitary Pads Using #MyAlwaysExperience

V. Gakii/Twitter
This is a pic of an always ultra pad (pink wrapping) and a pad purchased in the U.S.
22 October 2019
allAfrica.com
By Sethi Ncube

Johannesburg — Since the beginning of the year, Kenyan women have been complaining about the quality of the pads that Proctor and Gamble (P&G), the manufacturers of Always pads, distributes in Kenya.

The women are using the Twitter hashtags #MyAlwaysExperience and #AlwaysExperience to express their anger about the quality of the Always brand of sanitary pads. They say the sanitary towels "cause rashes, burns and discomfort".

In March, P&G was forced to defend their pads, saying the pads sold in Kenya are similar to those in other parts of the world.

"The Always Ultra pads we have in Kenya are similar to the Always pads in other parts of the world including Germany, UK, US, South Africa. All our pads including the ones in Kenya are designed and developed in Europe and the US," the company tweeted.

#MyAlwaysExperience trended in Kenya this week, with users from all over the world - Pakistan, South Africa, UK, and Canada - sharing their bad experiences.

Javaria @JavariaWaseem

I used Always for years. I not only developed skin problems but also Bartholin Cysts. It got so bad that my doctor had to ask me to use anything but this brand. After research I found how to make pads scented they were using toxic dioxins that causes cancer and other problems.

Nneka O @Playm8z

Had BCs at least twice when I used to use them back in Nigeria (everything they send to Africa is 1000x worse) and had to have have them incised & drained. Never happened again since I switched to tampons & I never made the connections or thought it could be responsible. SMH!

Atiya Abbas @AtiyaAbbas_

omg I got a bartholin cyst when i was 19 and i didnt realize it was the pads :O 

sea witch C @mermaidchasing

I've always used always and I get chaffing so bad my legs swell. I had to buy chaffing cream used for babies. I just assumed all pads did this. I also get a burning sensation whenever I start my period bad enough it makes it hard to move. Now I wonder if it's the pads.

Boniface Mwangi @bonifacemwangi

Most Kenyans get their news from a Radio, there is a radio in almost every homestead, Matatu, car, kiosk, local bar, work places etc and your #AlwaysExperience should be a news item and topic on Radio. @ProcterGamble must explain why the pads they sell in Kenya are harming women.

See #MyAlwaysExperience for more ...

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