This week, a woman from Nashville hit the headlines, after she revealed that she uses strangers’ socks as sanitary pads, in a desperate bid to save money.
Singer Goldy Locks revealed the strange tactic, which involves collecting odd socks from her local laundrette, in an episode of TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates.
She said: “Women spend $200 or $300 easily a year on feminine products. That’s a scam.
“I’ve been known to use them [odd socks] as sanitary napkins. People laugh, but my way is way more cost effective, and it’s environmentally friendly.”
While the strange tactic saves Goldy a bit of money, it comes with the risk of ‘serious infection’ , according to one expert.
Speaking to Mirror Online, Dr Alex Eskander, a Consultant Gynaecologist at The Gynae Centre explained: “For sanitary protection you need a clean, absorbent, moderately thick piece of cloth which fits exactly into the vaginal area without any friction in between the thighs.
“Clean washed socks may be suitable for someone with light periods as they are not particularly absorbent.
“The feet may harbour bacteria which could cause serious infection in the pelvis if the socks are not washed with hot water and soap adequately."
Dr Eskander added that it's unlikely the socks are stored in a way that's suitable for 'sensitive areas.'
He added: "Storage of socks after washing is unlikely to be hygienic enough to use in such a sensitive area, and so I strongly advise against using anything but clean wrapped individual disposable pads.”
