Genuine question: What do strippers do about their period?

It’s the question you never knew you wanted to know the answer to: What DO strippers do when they have their period?

You can’t very well stop working for 5-7 days every month. But you also don’t want your business getting in the way of your business. So what do you do when your business involves being very athletic and flexible while wearing very little clothing down below (sometimes no clothing down below)?

See – you want to know now, don’t you?

Luckily, Reddit (that place on the interwebs that tells you the all things nobody else will) has all the answers.

Someone opened a thread called “What do strippers do about their period?” and it didn’t take long for some lovely ladies experienced in the matter to provide some answers.

The thread got very NSFW (like – extremely), so we’ve pulled only the best and appropriate quotes for you to have a look at:

“At the clubs I used to work at, we would wear a tampon and tuck the strings up inside as well so they wouldn’t be noticeable. Then it’s just business as usual.”

Response: “I’m a woman and… how the hell do you get them out again?”

“It’s really not that difficult. Bear down with your vaginal muscles and push while inserting one or two fingers into the vagina. Once you feel the tampon grip on by pinching the sides and sliding out. The first few times aren’t easy but I can do it in my sleep now. Easiest position for me is standing up. You would have to wash your hands after.”

“Menstrual cup (completely internal device to catch blood), tampon with the string cut off our tucked in, or a form of contraception (implant, injection, continuous pill use) which means they rarely if ever get their period. Plenty of options.”

“The cup didn’t work for me at work and ended in a disgusting disaster while I was readjusting in the bathroom. Tampons with cut strings for me. Some girls do swear by the cup.”

“Stripper here: While we do have the option to take that week off I rarely miss days I would normally work because I’m on my period. I just cut my tampon string and work as usual, life must continue despite the menstrual cycle.”

“I just cut the string or tuck it in my vag. I also take ibuprofen (yes, I know ibuprofen generally increases bleeding, but it reduces menstrual bleeding, I don’t know why this is, please don’t hurt me). A lot of strippers don’t take hormonal birth control bc it causes weight gain for many girls.”

“About a six or so months ago, a new girl started at my club. She had never danced before, so she worked day shift. It was a Friday, and I was early for my nighttime shift, but whatever, it’s better to be early than late, right?

So I was in the dressing room getting ready, and I heard her ask another girl what to do, as she’d just started her period during her shift.

The other girl said something like, “Just cut the string off with scissors.” The new girl didn’t have any, so the other chick loaned her a pair, and she heads into the stall.

All the sudden we hear this sort of yelping noise, accompanied by this poor girl saying, “oh my god oh my god.” She’s grabbing her crotch as she sort of limps out of the stall to get a paper towel.

At this point, I looked over and asked what happened. She says, “I think I cut myself,” which was a bit of an understatement. Apparently, she didn’t realize you cut the tampon before you put it in, and consequently removed a chunk of labia.

She didn’t come back to work after that.”

“I work at a fully nude club, it isn’t even a thing. Shove it up, to remove, act like you’re going through tsa and are a suspected terrorist hiding a grenade in your vag. Cough. Ha! Well actually you “fish it out” as my friend says.”

“Most girls just cut the string off a regular tampon prior to insertion.”

“There are also things called “soft tampons” (basically a sterilized sponge) that some full-service sex workers use so they can continue to work while menstruating, because they’re safe to leave in while having penetrative sex and when combined with condoms they apparently can’t be felt. I’m not a sex worker, but I actually prefer them to normal tampons for comfort reasons.”

“They shove cosmetic pads up against their cervix. The blood coagulates in the pad and doesn’t seep out; the men also do not feel it. Porn shoots are not put on hold because of a period. Experience level: Used to work in porn production. Have used this method many times successfully.”

“Stripper here at a topless club. We work during our periods and use a tampon but cut the string prior to insertion. There are many panty changes, baby wipe baths, and Summer’s Eve spray deodorant to keep the lady parts fresh. I have tried a menstrual cup but it didn’t work out with all of the movement. I have seen similar practice at full nude clubs.”

“Tampons. Cut string and tuck in inside. Ta’da. Most girls work that week as well, something about the pheromones we put off or something. And breast swelling makes them look nice and full. I didn’t know people we still asking this question honestly with how much tampons are used.”

“I give a dance as usual, customers aren’t legally allowed to touch my crotch so there wouldn’t be a situation of someone trying to finger bang me and ending up bloody.”

“A properly inserted tampon is rather deep in the vaginal canal and rests near the cervix. Other than insertion, removal, or the tampon shifts downward/slightly sideways the tampon can’t really be felt. Occasionally from all the movement the tampon will shift downward closer to the vaginal entrance but it isn’t a difficult fix. I usually feel for it when I’m in the bathroom and adjust as needed.”

“The occasional girl that doesn’t like to cut the string will wrap the string up in a ball and push it in the vagina but this is risky for wardrobe malfunctions.”

Wow. So there you have it. The more you know.