Even though some of us can't help but rely on tampons, the feminine hygiene product has built up a bit of a bad rap over the years.
There are some who think that tampons can get stuck or cause young girls to lose their virginity, some who are concerned about the alleged toxic chemicals in the product, and of course, those who worry about the very real risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Now, a Virginia Beach woman is speaking out about another potential danger involving tampons after a recent experience left her "traumatized."
Harmony Grant claimed that she unwrapped a Playtex Gentle Glide tampon and immediately noticed a black dot on it, which is very unusual.
After picking at the dark spot, she was "utterly shocked" when she pulled out a "sharp plastic hook" that was lodged inside the cotton.
"I couldn't even tell what it was until I picked at it, and opened up a hook," the 22-year-old told local news station WVEC. "I was utterly shocked that there was a hook sticking out of a tampon."
Knowing that so many of her friends and family members use tampons, Grant took took to Facebook to remind them to "be careful" and "be sure to do a quick check before using" them.
Grant also revealed that she recently "switched to using clear tampons free of dyes," but after this she "will no longer be using them all."
"Be safe in what you put inside yourself," she concluded the post.
The young woman also alerted the company about what she had found. Even though she received an apology and an offer for a refund of $7, she thinks the way they responded is "unacceptable."
"I kind of felt like they brushed it off like it was no big deal. I could have seriously been injured," she said in an interview with 13News Now.
In a statement to the news outlet, Edgewell Personal Care, which manufactured the tampon, said they are waiting for "the necessary information" before they're "able to fully evaluate all the details of the report."
They also reassured the public that this is an isolated incident and it "does not affect other Playtex tampon products, which remain safe to use."
Grant's scary experiences comes less than two months after Kotex issued a recall following reports of tampons coming apart when being removed from the body. The product would leave pieces behind, leading to infections, vaginal irritation, localized vaginal injury, as well as other symptoms.
