[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muULvTcDH9M[/embedyt]
The day has finally come! YES! The world now has a truly reusable menstrual disc similar to the cult favorite SoftCup/ Instead Cup called the Ziggy Cup. Once upon a time there was a reusable version but it was discontinued and those who love their reusable discs had to either go back to disposables or make the switch to a traditional silicone menstrual cup. For the sake of clarification we will be referring to the Ziggy Cup as the Ziggy or Ziggy Disc since it is not a menstrual cup.
Intimina tackled making a reusable menstrual disc using the same super soft silicone they use in their other hygiene products. Now, to be upfront, neither of us like disposable menstrual discs. BUT the option for a reusable one was intriguing and we were anxious to see if the silicone and the design of the Ziggy Cup would make the experience of using a menstrual disc better or different than the disposable variety.
The Ziggy is $40 on Amazon which is the very high end of what menstrual cups can cost. (We have used affiliate links in this post so if you buy from our links we can make that cost back!)
Our Review
The very long video review covers how the test went for an entire cycle including, yes, MESS-FREE PERIOD SEX!
The Good
- Completely comfortable while worn correctly and undetectable
- Insertion and placement was easier (IMO) than a disposable disc
- 100% leak free when it was working (not even a pink tinge for 2 days)
- Mess-Free Period Sex!
The Bad
- Removal is messy (I’m talking blood dripping down fingers messy)
- Removal and cleaning in a public bathroom is traumatic without access to a sink
- Hard to correct position if it slips without removing and re-inserting
- The capacity is stated to be 76 ml but that is going to be less for most people
For a solid two days the Ziggy was working perfectly but then… it wasn’t. For the first part of my trial I was using the Ziggy while camping but it was barely spotting so I didn’t cover this in my video review. The next two days were my heavy days and it worked flawlessy! As told in the video I was able to have sex with the disc in and when it was removed I was able to see that it was VERY FULL when it came out in the shower so we dodged a bullet there.
For the third day I was in NYC and the disc worked well for the first half of the day until I had to remove it and clean it (in public, which was a disaster) after which I never could get it to work without small leaks or without it slipping out of place.
As with other products, cups included, it can take a few cycles to fully get the hang of the Ziggy. I do plan to give it another run next period because when it was working it worked flawlessy. I think it’s worth more trials but I’m not excited about any potential future removals in public spaces. The Ziggy can’t be easily wiped clean and reinserted like a menstrual cup. I suppose you could forego wiping and simply put it right back in but the way it stays flat at removal has meant so far, for me, the entire front and back get bloody and this doesn’t prevent your fingers from still being covered.
The Intimina website lists the capacity of the Ziggy at 76 ml however I believe this to be misleading for actual use. Yes, if you held the Ziggy underneath a faucet and filled to the brim then dumped that and measured the contents it’s going to hold that much. While being worn it is still “squished” and longways to a degree inside for me, and likely for many other wearers. This reduced the capacity by quite a bit. If you did allow the cup to fill entirely and went to remove it the more full it is the messier removal is since it’s removed at an angle and it’s hard to keep it from spilling out immediately once it’s outside of the vagina. We call the disposable discs “blood drawers” for this reason and the Ziggy is the same way. The messy removals are a big pro to sticking with menstrual cups which are not messy at all (in my experience.)
The Ziggy does seem an ideal option for anyone who LOVES their disposable SoftCups or Flex Discs but have wished for a reusable version for either environmental or longterm cost savings reasons. It can also be an option for those with a fairly low cervix (too low of a cervix and you may have placement issues, however) since the disc doesn’t take up the length of the vaginal canal the way a cup does.
36 Responses
Thanks so much for this review! Maybe next month could you try measuring the capacity that you’re able to get out of it? Maybe using some conventional cups with measuring lines or with known capacity limits? I am thinking of trying this one for capacity reasons alone.
Yes!!! I’m on the same page as the commenter above and would love to know actual capacity if you guys are willing to try and find that out for us! I love my Ruby Cup, but am thinking of getting a cup with a larger capacity for my heavy days, bc they’re REAL heavy (Paragard babes in the house say HEYYYY!)
I’d like to know if the Ziggy cup is good for people with a medium to high cervix?! I can’t insert my whole finger and then go up more before I feel mine
What is the cup that you are comparing it to that you seem to like, it seems very soft and lovely
Softdisc aka softcup is a disposable disc. I just started using them this period and so far I enjoy it! I didn’t really like the cup but I also don’t like pads or tampons so I thought screw it might as well try something new. It’s made of medical grade polymers but I can describe the material using non safe materials we all know: the rim of the disc is like a pink rubber. It’s bouncy if that makes sense? The “cup” portion is made of like a slightly thicker seran wrap. I think it’s extremely comfortable. I’ve only been using them for a few days so I have had a little bit of spotting while I get used to placing it correctly. It is extremely messy just like this review said about the ziggy. Luckily you don’t rinse these out, just pop them in the new wrapper & throw it in the trash. I had it come loose once but I was doing an intense yoga. It didn’t leak because I immediately felt the “pop” that it had shifted and I was able to reposition it inside me without removing it. Hope this helps 🙂
Paragaurd bleeder here too and a low cervix to boot (which has not worked with traditional cups due to my flow volume). SoftCups weren’t supposed to be used with the IUD. Are these reusable discs IUD compatible?
Pre IUD I rotated through three different cups and SoftCups (depending on my mood and plans). Now none of my cups work and I really want to try a resusable disk.
I have a paragard, and while the box on softdisc says not to use with an IUD, the flex company (makers of softdisc) say that it is fine to use. I confirmed with my gyno that, while there is risk of accidental IUD displacement, it is minimal and no more than using a tampon. I’ll never go back to tampons. Hope that helps!
So I just wanted to comment that I noticed on the video she kept talking about inserting it “up” and back behind the pubic bone, but actually when you insert discs you want to go straight back and tilt slightly “down” towards your tail bone. It’s a small thing but it makes ALL the difference in getting it placed correctly every time. That may be why she had a hard time that 3rd day. Sometimes things can get a little tender down there making it a little harder to get it in place unless you’re really guiding it exactly where it needs to go and that can feel awkward at first because it’s basically the opposite of what you do with a tampon or a cup. Other days it’ll slide into place without having to pay much attention. As for using a disc in public… yeah, it can suck if you end up having to take it all the way out, but you really don’t have to. You can pull it part way out, tilt it down and empty it into the toilet then push it back into place (tilting back and down) and tuck it back behind the pubic bone really easily. Yes, there will be some spotting after that because some of the emptied blood gets a little trapped between the disk and your body and leaks out a little, but a panty liner or period panties will be enough to catch that easily. I ALWAYS wear a back-up something on heavy days just in case for that reason. If you’re worried about blood on your fingers just take a water bottle into the stall with you so you can wash off the worst until you can get to a sink. There is a definite learning curve with discs, but for me they are so much more comfortable than cups or tampons. So glad there are finally, FINALLY non-disposable options!!!
you seemed like you know what your doing.can you tell me how to insert this correctly.ive been trying for two days.i can’t feel it but it leaks I fillowed their directions exactly.thanks.
I find what helps me best is to make sure that it’s all the way behind my cervix as far as it can go by using my finger to check (I’ve had it sitting a little low before), and I second the “aim for your tailbone” thing as it helps make sure I have it placed right. Like, when I’m inserting it, I aim downward as it helps me make sure it goes under and behind my cervix and doesn’t get jammed in front of it. Then as long as it’s back far enough, past my pubic bone, my body kind of sucks in and holds it in place (yay Kegels). I’ll give it a few good pushes after it feels seated to be sure it’s as far in as it can go (after checking that it’s placed right). I personally like the stiff ones because it’s easier to push all the way back in place.
I boughta Ziggy cup, and I have tried and tried to put it in me And I’m not quite sure what I’m doing wrong any pointers? Folding it like a cup doesn’t work and I always end up sore with no results.
Thank you for the helpful reviews! This will be my first attempt at anything other than pads/tampons. I want something reusable that I can use during sex and it looks like this is it. I saw in the article you said “we have used affiliate links in this post so if you buy from our links we can make that cost back”. Do you have an affiliate link to buy a Ziggy? I’d love to help you out.
I don’t understand why you would need to take it all the way out to empty it in a public restroom. With a flex or softdisc, you can just kind of bare down and it will empty into the toilet. Can you not do that with this disc? I LOVE Flex and SoftDisc, but I don’t love the amount of garbage and waste that come with using them. I want to try a reusable disc. And I HATE cups. They’re so uncomfortable.
Also, I have paraguard and I use discs with no issues.
This will be my second month using the Ziggy. I think I have the placement right, aiming back and down on insertion and tucking in behind my pelvis, and on the whole it is OK until I cough or sneeze and then I gush. It sort of knocks confidence for going out using it.
I do have a weak pelvic floor so was wondering if that affects the performance?
Also on the last day last month I had a job to remove it, it was like it was suctioned on to my cervix! Or is this how it should be all the time?
The first few cycles I was anxious and wasn’t sure I’d get it to work. But I just finished my third and I freaking love this thing. If I need to empty it and can’t use a sink I just push the edge out from behind my pubic bone with my pelvic muscles and lean over and it drains some out, then I use my finger and relax my pelvic floor to move it back into place. I’ve gone swimming and had sex on full flow days. Once you get the hang of putting it in (just need to slow down and relax your muscles, don’t shove) it’s amazing.
How does this fit, compares to the Softdisc? I’m new to the whole cup/disc thing, and so far I’ve tried the Intima Lily compact size A (a little long, but not bad), and the Softdiscs, which I had high hopes for but we’re an abject failure. I spent a solid hour trying to get one to hook over my pubic bone like it says, but it’s just too big and it kept popping out. I’m wondering if the softer rim on this might work better?
I just got a Ziggy cup and am excited to try it next month! I started with Instead Softcups and moved to a DivaCup because they became harder to find locally and weren’t reusable. While I’ve never had a mess-free removal with a menstrual disc I feel they’re more comfortable and easier to insert and remove.
Hi, so one thing that I’ve been doing when i know that I’m going to be emptying my cup in public and not feeling the whole Lady Macbeth thing, is to bring gloves in my purse. Hope this helps.
I love this suggestion! Thank you. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought to do this before.
I have a pretty high cervix. Would this make it harder to use the Ziggy cup?
It’s actually easier for me to use discs than cups for this reason.
Well. I haven’t tried the ziggy disc. But I have tried a few cups and didn’t like them, so I thought I’d start with the flex discs first and see how it goes. Wow ! It was so easy to put in and I couldn’t feel it all day. Providing things continue like this I’m sold !
I made the switch to reusables a couple of years ago and started with a cup but the little tail always irritated me. I tried trimming it and that just moved the irritation. I tried another cup, same thing. I was about to switch back to the Instead Cup when I found the Ziggy disc. That was just over a year ago. I have had a few times where I dealt with leaks in public but less so than tampons and about the same as the Instead Cup. Most periods I never have a leak. As a backup I wear lunapad panty liners. Between periods I boil it for 5-10 min to make sure it is sanitary. The Ziggy disc is very comfortable, tampons always made my cramps worse but this product feels like nothing is there at all. Having sex is possible but as a TMI very vigorous sex can dislodge it. Regular sex is just fine though. Over all the product is very comfortable and makes my period easier. Replacing the Instead Cup it paid for itself (for me) in about 7ish months. After a year the product is completely fine and I intend to keep using mine for the foreseeable future.
Ive been using the ziggy cup for about 4-5 months now trying to figure out how to stop leaking for my first 3-4 days of my period. I have a fairly heavy flow during the first few days and struggle with the ziggy cup popping out of place when I bend over/down to toe my shoes or slouch in my work chair and then I feel the flow of the leak coming out. Every time I use the restroom, even trying to minimize the amount of effort in “pushing” I’m doing while going #2 or even #1 and yet when I’m all done and stand up I’ve got another burst of leak. On my 5-7 days of period where my flow is significantly lighter, I can do any amount of activity and even pass bowels with no leak or pink tinge when wiping and it’s the best period experience. I just struggle so much during the most crucial days and am always worried about a leak. I don’t want to go back to tampons as they dried me out and I hated the smell. I’ve researched numerous diagrams and the ziggy cup is undetectable when standing up right or laying in one position in bed. And when I feel around with my fingers it’s tucked behind my pubic bone and can’t be pushed up any further. I don’t know if it’s too big and that’s why it pops out of place when moving, if my cervix is significantly lower during my heaviest days and if so what disc would work best for those days? I appreciate any help or advice as I’m truly struggling here. Love the content and education you guys deliver!
I love the Flex Disk but really want a reusable option. I’m trying to decide between the Ziggy and the Nixit. You’ve reviewed both and I’m curious as to which you liked better. Was one easier to insert/remove (it seems like a bloody mess is inevitable with any disk)? Was one more reliable than the other in terms of not leaking?
I haven’t taken it out yet to see how that goes, but so far, inserting this has been a breeze. I was VERY reluctant to purchase this disc because of the price, and because of the problems I had with the softdisc and flex discs. I just kind of figured discs weren’t for me. But I couldn’t get this disc off of my mind and kept feeling an intense urge to buy it. So I did, and I have to say that it is SO easy to put in. The other discs mentioned were hard to put in, and after wearing them all day, trying to take them out hurt like hell. They aren’t supposed to suction to the cervix, but I’m pretty sure they did. We’ll see how it goes this evening, but so far, yes I’ve given this a go. This seems to be the only Intimina menstrual product I haven’t had a problem with. The LIly cup is far too long, the lily cup compacts and lilycup ONE are difficult to put in, so I just keep those in my purse for in cases of emergency’s.
I previously used the Diva cup but after having a baby I found that the suction of the cup caused a lot of pain and discomfort. Even prior to having a baby I always had problems positioning the cup and it would frequently put pressure on my bladder. After reading reviews of reusable discs I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately the only disc that was affordable in Italy with out crazy importation fees is the Ziggy Cup. And then I read the review and it seemed that a lot of people were having problems with the shape of the Ziggy cup and it not staying in. I would have to say that I have not had that problem. Day 1 and 2 of my period is the heaviest and I did not have a leak. On Day 1 I did have to reposition it after the 1st time I inserted it as it leaked when I went pee, but after removing it and putting it back it I had no issues and was able to wear it for 5 hours. During those 5 hours I even did a very heavy workout with lots of squats and deadlifts without it leaking or popping out. The only problem I had was removing it, at first I could no remove it by hooking my finger on the rim. TMI – but I had to remove it in a squat, bearing down and using my thumb, but I think it is more of a learning curve. Removal is messy and I don’t plan on doing it in public in the near future. On the 2nd day I had a bit of trouble with the position upon insertion as my cervix is sitting pretty low and the disc wanted to sit on top. After the 3rd try I was able to position it down towards my tailbone and it was able to sit properly. I wore it for 10 hours straight including a long workout with no problems. I did wear back up underwear just incase but by the time I went to the gym I was confident wouldn’t leak. Removal was just as difficult again, but a bit faster as I knew what to expect. Super happy with this product and a great alternative to those with low sitting cervix who cannot wear a traditional reusable cup.
I’ve been trying this cup for two days now.i followed directions exactly. I cannot get it to fit correctly it stays in but it leaks.ive tried reinserting.i always looked online for help but nothing.
it over and over again.it just leaks feels like this is rip off for 40 dollars.
Dawn, try inserting by pointing the back of the cup down towards your tailbone. I found it easier to insert it while in a squat the first few times. After one cycle I was more comfortable and able to insert it sitting on the toilet. I also would double-check that the cup was covering my cervix, because when my cervix is sitting low the cup wanted to sit above it. Because the cup is not completely circular and more egg-shaped I was going to try to turn it around so more of the rim could be tucked up on the pelvic bone.
I love flex discs but the ziggy has been incredibly challenging. It’s too soft for me to position correctly without a 20 minute exercise in contortion gymnastics. I’m so sad…once it’s in it great. I just don’t have the emotional energy to make it work.
I see this review is quite old, has anyone who had trouble with the original Ziggy tried the new, smaller size? I never could get it to stay in place behind my pubic bone and had much trouble getting it under my cervix as well. It’s been sitting in my cupboard for years and now I see there is a smaller size that may be the answer to my problems.
While I haven’t tried either, I have used several other brands. Have you tried any others yet? I personally like the Lumma one as it has easy to understand sizes, doesn’t leak, is easy to insert (doesn’t collapse/not floppy), and the “string” makes it easy to remove. Any of the ones with a texture to the outside surface are a hard no for me as I am apparently super sensitive, probably my fibromyalgia.