Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
Dr. Shehla Jamal
In the monsoon, the air is warm and wet. Clothes dry slowly, and the skin between your legs can stay damp for hours. Damp skin, sweat and a pad that is not changed on time can lead to rashes and to fungal or bacterial infections.
The answer is simple. Change your product on time, keep the area clean and dry, wear cotton, and eat fresh food. Here are eight tips to help girls and women stay comfortable through the rains.
How often you change depends on what you use:
In the monsoon, change a little sooner if you feel wet or sweaty. Wash your hands before and after you change.
Wash the outside of your private parts (the vulva) with plain water once or twice a day, and when you change if you can. A mild, unscented soap is fine on the outside. Never wash inside the vagina. It cleans itself. After using the toilet, wash or wipe from front to back.
Pat the area dry with a clean, soft towel or cloth before you put on a fresh pad. Skip scented powders, sprays and wipes, as they can irritate the skin.
If you get wet in the rain, change into dry underwear and a fresh pad as soon as you can.
Cloth pads are safe and comfortable when you look after them well. In the monsoon, drying them is the hard part.
There is nothing shameful about drying a cloth pad where air and sun can reach it. Period blood is not dirty.
Disposable pads, cloth pads, tampons and menstrual cups are all safe when used and changed the right way. Pick the one you feel most comfortable with.
Some girls and women like a menstrual cup in the rains, because there is no damp pad against the skin. A cup does not by itself prevent infections, though. Wash your hands before you use it, clean it the way the packet says, and empty it at least every 12 hours.
If you use a tampon or a cup, know the signs of toxic shock syndrome. It is rare but serious. If you get a sudden high fever, vomiting, a rash like sunburn, or you feel faint, remove the tampon or cup and see a doctor at once.
Tight jeans and synthetic fabrics trap sweat and heat. Choose loose clothes and cotton underwear during your period. When you go out, carry a spare pair of underwear and a pad in a small plastic bag, in case you get caught in the rain.
You may feel less thirsty in the rains, but your body still needs water. Drink boiled or filtered water, as water in the monsoon can carry germs. Coconut water, chhachh, lassi and nimbu pani are good choices too.
Fresh, home-cooked meals are best in the monsoon, when outside food is more likely to carry germs. Keep dal, rajma, chana and other pulses on your plate. They give you protein and iron, which your body needs during your period. If they make you feel bloated, eat smaller portions rather than cutting them out.
Add iron-rich foods like palak, methi and ragi, and wash leafy vegetables well. Have amla, lemon or guava with your meals to help your body take in the iron. Dahi is good for your gut and digestion. Seeds such as alsi and til add healthy fats.
Cola, packaged juices and lots of strong tea or coffee do little for you during your period. Have them less often, and choose water and fresh drinks instead.
Wrap a used pad in paper or its wrapper and put it in a covered dustbin. Never flush pads down the toilet. Wash your hands with soap afterwards.
Most of these infections are common and easy to treat when caught early. Having one does not mean you are unclean. Do not put a cream from the chemist on the area without a doctor's advice. Some mixed creams contain steroids and can make a fungal rash worse.
Have a question about periods in the monsoon? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
A simple printable sheet that marks your period days, your fertile window and your ovulation day. We will email it to you now.
We will send the tracker and a few gentle menstrual health emails from Khyati at Pinkishe. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorYes, as long as each pad is washed with soap and dried fully. Dry it in sunlight whenever the sun comes out, or in a well-aired place on cloudy days. Never use a pad that is still damp.
Humid weather keeps the skin warm and damp, so it rubs and gets sore more easily. Change your pad more often, pat the area dry and wear cotton underwear. If the rash does not settle in a few days, or it blisters or oozes, see a doctor.
Change a pad every 4 to 6 hours, and sooner if it is full or feels damp. A tampon needs changing every 4 to 8 hours, never more than 8. A cup should be emptied at least every 12 hours.
Yes. Bathing and washing your hair are safe during your period, in any season. A warm bath can also ease cramps.
No. Dal and other pulses give you protein and iron, and dahi is good for digestion. If pulses make you bloated, eat smaller portions instead of cutting them out.
Some clear or white discharge without a bad smell or itching is normal through the month. If it smells bad, changes colour, or comes with itching or burning, see a doctor.
The monsoon keeps skin damp, which makes rashes and infections more likely during your period. Change your product on time, keep the area clean and dry, dry cloth pads fully and wear cotton. See a doctor if itching, unusual discharge, burning or fever does not settle.
Pinkishe Foundation is a specialist implementation organisation for menstrual health. We deliver, reliably, in schools and communities across India. Support our work with a donation.
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