The Oxygen Movement or TO₂M for short (simply pronounced “Tom”) reminds me of an old ‘catchy’ song (1978) from the group Sweet, with lyrics, “Love is like oxygen; too much and you get too high, not enough and you’re going to die.” And, it turns out to be TRUE!

TO₂M is revolutionizing personal health and hygiene with a patented technology that makes essential bodily functions such as menstruation more comfortable while preserving the normal pH and drier skin. TO₂Ms feminine hygiene pads release oxygen and keep moisture away from the delicate tissue of the vulva and perineal area. So how does TO₂M accomplish this? The science is entirely pure, but first, let’s start by discussing menstruation.

As a gynecologist with 19 years of clinical experience, I have been dealing with menstrual disorders on a daily basis. While annoying to most women, monthly menstrual flow is a sign of excellent health because the lack of blood flow, excessive or irregular blood flow can signify disorders that may impact future fertility, cause pain, even cause cancer.

Menstrual blood is composed red blood cells, uterine tissue, mucus, vaginal secretions, and bacteria. The pH of this fluid is around 7.2-7.4 which is slightly alkaline compared to the vagina and skin which is 3.5 to 4.5. Menstrual blood is practically odorless. There are beneficial bacteria on the skin and in the vagina necessary to keep the vagina healthy. Harmful bacteria can enter the vagina from the bowel as a result of back-to-front wiping after urination or bowel movements. All bacteria utilize blood to grow and raise the pH which can cause an unpleasant odor due to amines (ammonia) by-products. These amines also irritate the skin.

The oxygen-releasing and pH reducing technology of TO₂M menstrual pads helps reduce the ‘bad’ anaerobic bacteria of the vagina that is responsible for the chemical irritants and odor. The pads release oxygen as a result of a combination of their special enzyme-peroxide duo that reacts with the menstrual fluid to release pure oxygen and water. While the pad’s pH is reduced by a weak acid found naturally in your body as well as fruits. In fact, the good bacteria of the vagina known as lactobacillus make the vagina slightly acidic by the release of lactic acid and peroxide, which is another form of oxygen. So TO₂M’s technology basically boosts what your good bacteria was trying to do in the first place, but instead of doing it in the vagina, its done within the pad!

So, having the oxygen producing pads next to the skin keeps the skin at a healthy pH and reduces the ability of bacteria to grow and produce irritating and odor-causing substances. Regular pads that are currently on the market keep blood and bacteria next to the skin and do not allow the skin to breathe due to their super absorbent nature. While being super absorbent is good, TO₂M pads have additional benefits which absorbs both moisture and humidity.

There is actually a difference between humidity and moisture. Moisture are those larger molecules of water or blood in this case which just feels like sitting on a puddle of water, while humidity is the kind responsible for that damp uncomfortable, diaper-like feeling. No other pad reduces humidity like TO₂M does. Dryness is also maintained by a superficial layer that keeps moisture away from the skin. Dry skin with a low or normal pH keep the harmful bacteria from growing and causing problems like odors and irritation.

Yeast is also known to stay in the dormant state when the pH is acidic among other optimal conditions. Candida albicans and other species are entirely normal inhabitants of healthy skin. However, heat, moisture, and higher pHs make yeast more active and cause infections. That’s why some women get yeast infections with every period, the blood makes the pH and, and that alone can trigger a flare. Likewise, elevated pH is potentially the cause or the result of bacterial vaginosis (BV) which then maintains the alkaline pH due to the bacteria associated with BV. The bacteria of BV do not like oxygen.

As you can see, the oxygen releasing technology of TO₂M’s feminine hygiene pads performs essential functions to keep skin comfortable, dry, and acidic. Never before has that been possible. Current pads are made of chemicals that can be irritants to the skin and do nothing to keep bacteria from growing—unless they add disinfectants—like bleaches. The long-term effects of these chemicals next to the skin are why there is a surge in more natural and organic solutions to the feminine pad industry.

References

1. Widholm O, Kantero RL. A statistical analysis of the menstrual patterns of 8,000 Finnish girls and their mothers. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand Suppl 1971;14:(suppl 14):1–36. [PubMed]
2. World Health Organization multicenter study on menstrual and ovulatory patterns in adolescent girls. II. Longitudinal study of menstrual patterns in the early postmenarcheal period, duration of bleeding episodes and menstrual cycles. World Health Organization Task Force on Adolescent Reproductive Health. J Adolesc Health Care 1986;7:236–44. [PubMed] ⇦
3. Hickey M, Balen A. Menstrual disorders in adolescence: investigation and management. Hum Reprod Update 2003;9:493–504. [PubMed] [Full Text
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5. Munro MG, Critchley HO, Broder MS, Fraser IS. FIGO classification system (PALM-COEIN)    for causes of abnormal uterine bleeding in nongravid women of reproductive age. FIGO Working Group on Menstrual Disorders. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2011;113:3–13. [PubMed]
6. Beaman, L., and Blaine L. Beaman. “The role of oxygen and its derivatives in microbial pathogenesis and host defense.” Annual Reviews in Microbiology (1984): 27-48.
7. Lam, Moy Heang, and Douglas F. Birch. “Survival of Gardnerella vaginalis in human urine.” American journal of clinical pathology (1991): 234-239.
8. Winceslaus, S. J., and G. Calver. “Recurrent bacterial vaginosis-an old approach to a new problem.” International journal of STD & AIDS (1996): 284-287.
9. Cohen, L. E. S. T. E. R. “Influence of pH on vaginal discharges.” British Journal of Venereal Diseases (1969): 241. 

Kimberly Langdon M.D. is a retired obstetrician/gynecologist with 19 years clinical experience in a suburban Midwestern community. She is the inventor of six novel medical devices that provide more effective and healthier alternatives to common female ailments. Her expertise is all forms of vaginitis and researches and writes about gynecology, women’s health, and natural remedies.