Health Forum

This may sound like a very strange question but here goes lol. I am very interested in women’s hygiene through history (mainly in the Tudor and medieval period). I have tried to research the topic but I have come up with very little information. How did women deal with their periods then as they wouldn’t have had tampons or towels? Was the menstrual cycle understood back then, was it kept extremely private and did men have no knowledge of it? Did women shave their legs/arms etc? What was the common opinion on body hair on women in those eras? What would they use for shampoo? Was there such a thing as moisturiser or ways to put curls in their hair? I have so many more questions but these are the main ones. Thank you to anyone who is able to offer me any insight and sorry again if you find this question strange! Xx

Tracey's answer is most accurate...but remember women and girls were making their own sanitary protection until very recently in our societies. Poor families could not afford such luxuries as sanitary towles, so they used cloths and rags. Deoderant is a modern affection which people did not use in great numbers until the 1970's /1980's in the UK...and again many poor families did not have indoor bathrooms in the UK or toilets...so, people did not bathe every day by any stretch of the imagination. So, Tudor times, what do you think?

wow!i never thought about it but now im curious too!

I have always been interested in that sort of history too so I don't find it at all strange.
Women in medieval times understood the basic facts of the menstrual cycle and dealt with it like we do, with what was available during their time. Linen strips were commonly used as in place of pads today. There were herbal remedies to combat cramps and bloating. It was not freely discussed, men were squeamish, a lot like today.
There were herbalists and apothecaries who made remedies, and moisturizers. Gentleladies had body hairs plucked (ouch!), normal peasants lived with body hair.
Native American women also made their own feminine hygeine products and shampoos from what was available to them: leather strips stuffed with wool or down were common sanitary pads.
There's a myth that Native American women were isolated during menstruation and childbirth because they were considered unclean. The fact is they were considered too powerful during those times when blood flowed from their bodies with no wound. Men, warriors in particular, worried that a woman's powers during those times would over-power his own and make him weak. That is the reason for isolation huts during menses and childbirth.