Gen Z’s new ‘free bleeding’ trend could pose a serious risk, as experts have issued a warning to those participating. ‘Free bleeding’ is on the rise among the Gen Z community, but while more and more people are joining in, few are aware of the potential dangers.
The ‘free bleeding’ movement first gained momentum in the 1970s, but four decades later, it appears it’s having somewhat of a resurgence, thanks to TikTok. And while there are some benefits to the controversial practice, experts have also warned of the risks.
The process sees women abandoning tampons, sanitary pads, moon cups, and anything else designed to soak up your flow. And instead, they choose to bleed freely.
There are a number of reasons why a person may opt to do this, but the main ones include the hefty price tag of period products, the pain and discomfort sometimes caused by tampons, and other related health and hygiene worries.
Some simply have no choice other than to ‘free bleed,’ while living in period poverty. Not wanting to pollute the Earth further with disposable products is another reason that some women may choose to take a stand against period products.
Thousands of TikTokers have posted videos on the platform discussing why they’ve chosen to go without traditional products. And these young people are also showing others how to embrace it.
Over on X (formerly Twitter), one person wrote: “Chose the red skort this morning and now I’m free bleeding. Feminine intuition.”
A second typed: “Free bleeding in white sweatpants. Goodnight everyone, because I don’t give a f***.”
Numerous studies have suggested there may be traces of lead, arsenic, and other toxic chemicals in some well-known tampon brands – which may have contributed to the rising number of people choosing to ‘free bleed.’
Buying period products can cost women an average of £5000 over the course of their lifetime, as reported by Superdrug. Others have reported a significant decrease in pain when going without period products. So it’s easy to see why it could be an obvious choice for some.
However, Healthline reported that period blood can carry bloodborne viruses like Hepatitis C, which is able to live outside of the body for up to three weeks. This is also while Hepatitis B can remain viable for at least seven days. Therefore, medical experts have advised anyone who is choosing to participate, to avoid ‘through-the-skin exposure.’
Other risks include the chances of a strong smell, and obviously that the situation could become quite messy. But other than that, there are no other apparent health risks if you do choose to ‘free-bleed.’
