My email:
Hi Christie,
I'm part of a online forum or community that is devoted to menstrual cup information. I posted our email correspondence (I hope that is okay with you) on there to share with the members since a lot of us were curious about the life of the Diva Cup. I wasn't sure if I was just imagining the 10 year claim or read it from another website other than yours. I definitely did remember your website saying that the cup could last for more than 1 year, and someone on the community linked me to this, which is an old archived Diva Cup website copyright 2004. http://web.archive.org/
I wrote it before I realized that other cup companies (Keeper, Ladycup, Lunette, Mooncup UK) all said they can be used for many years, even up to 15. I'm not going to write them back because I don't think it will do any good but if any of you feel you want to, they got back to me very quickly.
Hi Christie,
I'm part of a online forum or community that is devoted to menstrual cup information. I posted our email correspondence (I hope that is okay with you) on there to share with the members since a lot of us were curious about the life of the Diva Cup. I wasn't sure if I was just imagining the 10 year claim or read it from another website other than yours. I definitely did remember your website saying that the cup could last for more than 1 year, and someone on the community linked me to this, which is an old archived Diva Cup website copyright 2004. http://web.archive.org/
If you go to FAQ and click on "How long does the Diva Cup last?", you can see that the answer contains this "The material is very durable, and with proper care, The DivaCup™ should last for many years. The DivaCup™ can be boiled to sterilize the cup, and rubbing alcohol can be used to help remove the natural discoloration. The material and the cup itself should last indefinitely, but since it is a hygienic product, some women prefer to replace the cup every year or two."
So how come Diva International now claims it is best to replace the cup after a year, when it should last indefinitely (with proper care, of course)? Some women on the forum I belong to (with over 4,000 members) have used the cup for 10 years with no problems at all.
Thanks for your time, I am eager to hear what you think about this.
~Andrea"
And their reply:
"Dear Andrea:
Thank you for the email.
In the past we indicated that it could be used “many years.”
Although some other manufacturers claim a ten year use, Diva International has over 16 years experience in the menstrual cup category. Our team has over 38 years combined experience in natural feminine hygiene. This experience leads us to the suggest that just as one would replace mascara or a toothbrush in a timely manner, one should replace a menstrual cup annually because of its personal nature. As we state in our FAQs, it is ultimately up to a woman as to when she will replace her cup.
We modified the indication from “many years” to “annually” to adhere to government regulations and ISO standards that require us to use our informed opinion to guide consumers.
The silicone is the same type of silicone (healthcare quality) that we have always used- nothing has changed in our 6 years of business.
By following our explicit cleaning instructions found in the FAQs on our website and by using The DivaWash (that has been specifically formulated for the DivaCup) or other non-fragranced, mild soap and avoiding any cleansers/substances that would compromise the silicone, the cup should hold up well. There are a wide range of pH levels found in vaginas. For some women a high pH level will compromise the silicone faster than other pH levels. Again, a woman usually knows when to replace their cup.
Hope this helps!
The Diva Cup Team "
~Andrea"
And their reply:
"Dear Andrea:
Thank you for the email.
In the past we indicated that it could be used “many years.”
Although some other manufacturers claim a ten year use, Diva International has over 16 years experience in the menstrual cup category. Our team has over 38 years combined experience in natural feminine hygiene. This experience leads us to the suggest that just as one would replace mascara or a toothbrush in a timely manner, one should replace a menstrual cup annually because of its personal nature. As we state in our FAQs, it is ultimately up to a woman as to when she will replace her cup.
We modified the indication from “many years” to “annually” to adhere to government regulations and ISO standards that require us to use our informed opinion to guide consumers.
The silicone is the same type of silicone (healthcare quality) that we have always used- nothing has changed in our 6 years of business.
By following our explicit cleaning instructions found in the FAQs on our website and by using The DivaWash (that has been specifically formulated for the DivaCup) or other non-fragranced, mild soap and avoiding any cleansers/substances that would compromise the silicone, the cup should hold up well. There are a wide range of pH levels found in vaginas. For some women a high pH level will compromise the silicone faster than other pH levels. Again, a woman usually knows when to replace their cup.
Hope this helps!
The Diva Cup Team "
I wrote it before I realized that other cup companies (Keeper, Ladycup, Lunette, Mooncup UK) all said they can be used for many years, even up to 15. I'm not going to write them back because I don't think it will do any good but if any of you feel you want to, they got back to me very quickly.