I Tried the Daye Diagnostic Tampon and Felt Totally in Control of My Sexual Health

There I was, headphones in, impatiently waiting for the tube to arrive, when a huge ad for the Daye Diagnostic Tampon caught my eye. I've seen some interesting things on the Underground but I wasn't expecting to see a massive tampon staring back at me, alongside the words sexual transmitted infection (STI), fertility and infections. As my train arrived, I was trying to piece together how a tampon could help with any of these problems. Isn't a tampon just for your period? Well, apparently not anymore.

As a proud tampon-user, I was already aware of Daye due to its sustainable approach to period care products. I'm already a big fan of the plastic-free, flushable packaging and tampons with a CBD coating to help ease cramping symptoms. But this new breed not only allows women to check their vaginal microbiome but also STIs.

At 27, I've only had one smear test and the postal STI tests provided by the NHS aren't exactly something I enjoy doing either. The idea of a private, non-invasive option to keep tabs on my gynaecological health between NHS smears sounded too good to be true, so read on to find out if it really could be as simple as using a tampon.

The Daye Vaginal Microbiome Screen (£99) allows women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) to screen their vaginal microbiome and test for STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomonas, mycoplasma and ureaplasma.

Daye Vaginal Microbiome Screen

From

£99

£99 at Daye

After performing the test at home, a team of experts process the results and a detailed screening report is delivered online within five to 10 days. Following the report, Daye offers a range of after-care options including a consultation with a specialist and a breakdown explaining the levels of vaginal bacteria present and any next steps tailored to your needs.

When ordering online, you can choose from six types of screening; Microbiome only, STI only, HPV only, Microbiome + STI, Microbiome + HPV and finally all of the options together (Microbiome + STI + HPV Screen).

You'll receive a kit through your letterbox which contains; an instruction leaflet, two screening tampons (one is a spare), a sterile tamper-proof pouch, an activation card, transport medium liquid, a see-through pouch and a return box.

In terms of using the tampon, it's pretty straight forward. After filling out an online questionnaire about your medical history and lifestyle behaviours, you just insert the tampon like normal and leave it for 20 minutes. Being careful to avoid contamination, remove the tampon and place it into the pouches required. Seal the box and pop it in your closest post box.

I chose the STI + Microbiome Screen (£129), as I wanted to find out more about my general vaginal health and I was due an STI test anyway. In this version of the screening, Daye test for nine microorganisms (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, mycoplasma genitalium, lactobacilli, BV pathogens, candida (thrush), mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma).

STI + Microbiome Screen

From

£129

£129 at Daye

Upon opening the kit, I was a bit daunted by the medical-looking pouches and mysterious liquid tube but after a quick glance at the simple instructions, any initial anxiety was gone.

First up was the online questionnaire where I was asked things like "have you been diagnosed with vaginal or urinary tract infections?" and "have you been diagnosed with any of these sexually transmitted infections?" which took about five minutes to complete.

Armed with my kit, I headed to the bathroom and spread out the contents on the bathroom floor. The process was really quick and simple. I used the regular-sized tampon like normal and left it in for about an hour. I headed back to the bathroom, removed the tampon and channelled my inner Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory as I poured the liquid into the pouch and sealed it all shut. All that was left to do was walk down to my nearest post box and wave goodbye to all my vaginal bacteria.

After a couple of days, I received an email saying my results were in and there wasn't an STI in sight *phew* but, my microbiome is slightly imbalanced. My lactobacilli is depleted but I'm not in the least bit worried because the after-care information Daye provided went above and beyond what I expected.

Alongside a detailed explanation of what lactobacilli is, I was given the option to book a consultation with a sexual health nurse to discuss my next steps. However, as this cost £30 and they'd already told me it was nothing a probiotic couldn't fix, I decided to skip this step. Offering alternative advice, they suggested I purchase the Daye ProViotics (£27.50) to boost my levels of lactobacilli but after a quick Google, I decided I'd just eat a few yoghurts instead.

Daye ProViotics

From

£27.50

£27.50 at Daye

I've probably done over 30 STI tests (if not more) and while there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about when going to your local sexual health clinic, there was something about the beautiful blue box covered in cutesy illustrations and the ability to do the test in the privacy of my own bathroom which made the experience feel a lot more comfortable. Even down to the apparatus itself, using a regular tampon felt more comfortable than the standard long cotton swab usually supplied.

Fortunately, I didn't have to use any of the after-care options but I have no doubts that the Daye team would be approachable and helpful, something that's often missing in NHS sexual health clinics.

Obviously, if you don't like using tampons, this isn't going to be a great option for you. While you don't have to leave the tampon in for long, you do still have to go through the normal insertion process which can be uncomfortable for some people.

There's also the cost to consider. I'm quite lucky to be able to order free online STI testing kits from Sexual Health London in my area, so paying £89 for the Daye STI test isn't something I would do frequently. Instead, I think I'd probably opt to do the trio of tests (microbiome, STI and HPV) once a year, just for my peace of mind.

Prices range from £69 to £257 and you can buy the Daye Diagnostic Tampon directly from the Daye website or online at Boots.

Chloe Dunn is a senior social content producer at PS UK. With more than six years of experience in social media marketing, she is always on the lookout for the latest viral buzz. Working across Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest, Chloe specialises in bringing people together and building global communities online. She has previously worked in the live music industry, including at a major record label and for the UK's biggest group of music venues.