Quote Originally Posted by RoadRaven
So... haven't investigated these in local shops yet...have been reading this thread with interest since I arrived at TE... and have another question - are they reusable or not? If not, how wasteful are they in terms of world resources - are they more non-biodegrable stuff we fill our landfills with?
It's unlikely you'll find them in local shops, everyone I know has bought theirs online.

The Instead cups are not a durable device meant to last, I know some women who can reuse it several times but they rarely last more than a full period if they get that far. The Diva/Moon/Keeper cups will easily last several years, they are warranted for 10 but I can imagine with care and not doing things like leaving it in a car on a hot day it would probably last indefinately.

Also, the Instead's don't hold as much capacity, and some people experience discomfort with them because of the way they ride right against the cervix (as opposed to the other menstrual cups which ride lower in the canal and do not touch the cervix). One of the big advertising points of the Instead is being able to engage in intercourse without, erm, offending Mr. P, which I disagree with on so many levels.** Not to mention, Instead is an expensive disposable product which is not biodegradable since it is made of plastic.

**This kind of advertising just sends the message that menstrual flow is "dirty" and must be hidden from our sexual partners. My opinion is that if he can't handle a little construction dust then he should either stay off the worksite or wear a hardhat.