From social distancing comes #PeriodDistancing. As the world reopens
and people are back to face-to-face interactions, some girls are feeling consumed by the
pressure and anxiety of having to closely engage with their friends and family once again— and
now, it’s because of their menstrual period and odors.
Avoiding cramped, enclosed spaces, and long commutes, young women have inadvertently
started talking about a new distancing practice, called “#PeriodDistancing”, as a way of keeping
their peers from being able to smell their period odor and avoid embarrassment.
What was once a taboo topic, these girls share on their TikTok videos how they forced
themselves to skip important family gatherings, school and work engagements, miss out on
those long, overdue catch-ups with friends, and avoid visiting their favorite hang-out places so
people won’t notice the fishy or “malansang” odor of their period.
Zooming in on Period Odor
Why do girls experience period odor in the first place?
Menstrual blood, a combination of blood and uterine lining tissue, has a distinct smell. Period
blood can have a unique metallic-like odor and it is primarily because of iron present in period
blood. This is normally not a cause for concern and usually goes away after periods. Some may
also notice and describe the smell as “fishy” or “rotten”, which usually indicates an infection
such as bacterial vaginosis or other problems.
Period odors may indeed indicate a health issue especially if it lasts several days, so it is
important to listen to our bodies and visit the doctor if needed. There are many other things contributing to the peculiar and sometimes unpleasant smell so identifying the cause of the
odors will help girls address the problem. Like for instance, sometimes unusual smells may also
be related to hygiene, so it is recommended to practice good menstrual hygiene and change
period pads every two to six hours or more frequently if a person’s period is heavy.
With F2F activities now in full swing, it can be especially tricky for girls to cope with period odor
while outside when changing pads as needed is not always possible and when their current pad
is not absorbent enough.
Turning Period Pressures into #PRESKOnfidence
While there shouldn’t be any reason to feel ashamed about what is simply a normal bodily
function, rarely do girls feel that way in real life. And just because girls have been going through
period every month, it doesn’t mean they have it all figured out.
But as the saying goes, a burden shared is a burden halved. It’s a good thing that more and
more young women have stopped shying away from discussing their #PeriodDistancing
experiences and have even taken online to talk about it with their fellow girls. This social trend
has unloaded a great deal of period pressure for young women.
Girls who were able to relate have flooded the comments section of #PeriodDistancing posts
with encouraging words and virtual hugs, validating each other’s experiences, and removing the
shame associated with it. More importantly, they’ve also shared useful tips and information on
how to minimize period odors through proper menstrual hygiene management such as washing
their vaginal area regularly and changing pads more frequently.
Along with proper hygiene management, these girls have also found a new period ‘bestie’ in the
new and improved Whisper 3-in-1 Floral Freshness.
The NEW Whisper Floral Freshness has rapid dry absorption, breathable top layer which is
known to help prevent stuffy and sweaty feeling, and a new floral fresh scent for odor control.
Whisper has gifted hundreds of girls with the Whisper Floral Freshness and are now expressing
their delight with the new and improved pad benefits, saying that it helped them have more
PRESKOnfidence to face interactions and activities during period days.
F2F Freshness in PRESKO Campus Caravan
Celebrating Women’s Month, Whisper has brought young girls even closer with the PRESKO
Campus Caravan. Together with World Vision Philippines represented by their Health and
Nutrition Specialist Diana-Marie Nachor, GenZ influencer and host Aiyana Perlas, and
Whisper’s partner schools, the caravan has kicked off in President Corazon High School
(Baseco), Sauyo High School (Quezon City) and Catmon Integrated High School (Malabon
City).
Apart from interactive talks and educational games on period, the event also encouraged
students to freely share their questions, struggles, and stories about menstruation and
normalize period conversations.
Setting another milestone for the brand’s advocacy on menstrual hygiene and girls’
empowerment, Whisper’s PRESKO squad has now grown to include the school communities in
what was dubbed as the PRESKOmmunity. Newly officiated Campus Ambassadors proudly
embraced their new role in leading their school in the sharing of PRESKOnfidence, breaking the
stigma around menstruation, and putting a period to #PeriodDistancing by sharing more
information on menstrual hygiene and confidence.
Join the Whisper #PRESKOmmunity today by following @WhisperPhilippines and keep the fun
and freshness with your squads — sans the distance!
Try the NEW #WhisperFloralFreshness now:
Lazada: https://bit.ly/3FGRDog
Shopee: https://bit.ly/3HqsDTp
