I Tried TikTok’s “Free Bleeding” Trend — Here’s How I Survived

Anyone who has a monthly menstrual cycle knows how frustrating it can be. I’ve been dealing with mine for well over a decade. Frequently restocking period supplies has become tougher to manage in recent years. When I saw the free-bleeding TikTok trend, I decided to try it. Here’s what I experienced and what I wish I’d used to make the experience even better.

What’s Free Bleeding?

Free bleeding is a TikTok trend where people who menstruate don’t use any supplies to block or manage their monthly flow. You have to give up tampons, pads, cups and any other supplies you might have depended on since your first period started. I used to think it was a crazy trend, but then I realized why so many people have jumped on the bandwagon.

Reasons Why People Try It

Going without pads or tampons is a big decision, especially for those of us who have multiple heavy-flow days each month. Check out a few of the motivations that convince people to stick with the trend.

It Can Save Money

Experts estimate that people who menstruate spend around $20 per month on period supplies, but we know it can be even more than that. If your period lasts longer than a few days or is heavy enough to bleed through the biggest tampons quickly, you might spend more than $20 just to get through a week. Free bleeding erases the need for monthly restocking, which saved me around the average estimate during my trial month.

It’s Part of a Feminist Movement

Having a uterus means you encounter plenty of social stigmas. We often feel like we can’t talk about our periods, even when the symptoms are causing us significant pain. Many feminists have embraced the free bleeding trend because it says there’s no shame in menstruating.

It even rallies communities during major events, like when Kiran Gandhi bled through the London Marathon back in 2016. She broke headlines by proving that bleeding is nothing to feel ashamed about. That kind of self-empowerment can be exactly what people need after a lifetime of period-related humiliation.

It’s Good for the Environment

Unfortunately, disposable sanitary products are often single-use. The average menstruating person throws out 11,000 of them throughout their lifetime. You can always look into other options like silicone cups instead, but those sometimes cost more than a box of tampons. People who feel caught between those factors might prefer free bleeding. It doesn’t require expensive green products or methods that add single-use garbage to local landfills.

Benefits of Free Bleeding at Night or Day

There can also be some personal benefits beyond the economic, social or environmental effects of free bleeding. Learn more about them to see if they’d improve your quality of life.

You Could Decrease Your Risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome

The little instruction pamphlet in every tampon box isn’t just something to roll our eyes at. Its included information on toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is real. It happens when the staphylococcus aureus bacteria starts growing on tampons left in too long, among other causes for non-menstruating people too. After the bacteria multiply, it causes a cytokine storm that leads to organ failure.

I’ve forgotten to remove my tampons plenty of times over the years. It’s been an especially big challenge for my heaviest nights when I wore a super-plus tampon in addition to a thick overnight pad. Free bleeding removes the stress of wondering if you’re going to develop TSS just because you slept in or lost track of time.

You Might Avoid Frequent UTIs

There’s no medical research showing that tampons are a direct cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). However, a tampon and string do absorb bacteria. If you get UTIs more easily, where the string sits could rub against your urethra and increase your risk of UTIs. Free bleeding lets everything flow, which may even encourage more frequent wiping that removes any potential bacteria from between your legs.

You May Prevent Allergic Reactions

I get why people like the idea of scented tampons. It makes the bathroom smell slightly better after you throw a used tampon away, but the chemicals creating those scents aren’t always good for everyone. Some people have more sensitive skin that experiences an allergic reaction when they use scented tampons. You’d avoid that issue by free bleeding, although you could also avoid it with unscented tampons.

Things That Would Have Helped My Experience

When I started free bleeding last month, I thought I had everything I needed for an easy experience. Turns out, there are a few specific products I’d get before trying it again.

Hanes Reusable Period Underwear

I chose to stain my usual period underwear during my free bleeding trial run. Although I didn’t care about ruining my underpants, I accidentally stained some of my jeans. Reusable period underwear creates a waterproof barrier between your underwear and clothing. It would have saved me from replacing my jeans, which is well worth the money.

$19.93 from Amazon

Waterproof Mattress Protector

Free bleeding at night often results in stained sheets during a person’s heaviest menstruation days. I wouldn’t mind washing my sheets, but I did get some blood stains on my mattress underneath them. A waterproof protector that’s exactly the size of one person would have kept that from happening. Do yourself a favor and protect your mattress by placing one of these between it and your fitted sheet.

$19.99 from Amazon

Carbona Blood Stain Remover

Blood stains are an unfortunate reality for free bleeders. I’ve found that Carbona’s formula for blood and dairy can spot clean better than most other things I’ve tried over the years. Apply it to any clothing or bedding stain, rub it into the dried blood and rinse the area with warm water. If you wash your laundry immediately after rinsing the stains, they’ll disappear with minimal effort.

$18.75 from Amazon

Live Your Best Life Every Month

Free bleeding could be the next big movement for dealing with our periods. It’s easy to manage, budget-friendly, good for the environment and potentially better for your health. Give it a try during your next period to see what kind of a difference it could make in your quality of life.