Viral Videos Claiming “Always 3-in-1” Sanitary Pads Contain Mold Are False

Viral posts claim that unopened sanitary pads from the brand Always show green and black spots when held to light, suggesting mold contamination and factory inspection failure. The claim and the videos have been spreading widely. However, we found that while the muld allegation is False, the broader chemical-safety concern remains valid.

Social Media Posts

Multiple viral videos show unopened Always pads held up to a light source. All of these clips make the same claim: the dark spots visible through the packaging are mold, raising questions about the brand’s quality control and hygiene standards.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Official Response of Always

Always responded to the allegations to Cosmopolitan by clarifying that “the darker colours you see when putting your pad up against a light are not foreign material contamination. They are normal shadows that appear in products that contain pulp.”

The brand emphasized that they use “virgin pulp… no reused, no recycled fibres” and follow a “rigorous, multistep process” for quality, performance and safety. They explained that the pad appears discolored under light because the absorbent core material blocks light, similar effects occur with household items made of pulp such as cotton balls or paper. Thus, Always has publicly addressed the claim and denied any mold contamination.

Technical Explanation: Why Dark Spots Appear

When a sanitary pad is held up to light, dark spots may appear. This is related to the construction of modern pads. Many disposable pads contain a core layer made of absorbent pulp and embedded superabsorbent polymer (SAP) granules.

According to industry information from EDANA, these superabsorbent materials are used in hygiene products and have been tested. A peer-reviewed study on “Designing pH-responsive SAP-coated menstrual pads” describes how SAPs are coated and included to manage fluid absorption in commercial products. The SAP granules and pulp fibers block or scatter light differently from the rest of the pad’s material. When a pad is held up to light, this can create dark or shadowy patches, which are part of the normal product structure rather than contamination.

Chemical Safety Considerations

While the mold claim is false, there is a separate, real concern: PFAS chemicals in some menstrual products. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are long-lasting synthetic chemicals sometimes called “forever chemicals.”

A peer-reviewed study in Environmental Science & Technology tested various hygiene products and found that disposable sanitary pads averaged 52.3 ng/g of PFAS. This means PFAS can be absorbed through skin contact during use, a previously underestimated exposure route.

Although 52.3 ng/g is much lower than the parts-per-million levels found in some reusable period products, it still represents measurable exposure. PFAS have been linked to health risks including hormone disruption and reproductive harm (U.S. CDC). This issue calls for stricter regulation, better transparency from manufacturers, and more informed choices by consumers. (Source)

Conclusion

The viral claim that Always 3-in-1 sanitary pads contain mold is False. The dark spots visible when pads are held up to light are not mold but rather normal shadows created by superabsorbent polymer beads and pulp fibers in the absorbent core.

However, separate research has identified legitimate concerns about PFAS chemical contamination in menstrual products, which represents a real but distinct health issue that consumers should be aware of.