Overview
- Always told Cosmopolitan that what appears as discoloration when pads are held to a light are shadows created by the product’s pulp-based absorbent core.
- The statement follows a TikTok by @mamaaakris showing dark splotches in a new pad that drew roughly 19–21 million views across reports.
- Online reactions remain split, with some users cutting open pads or urging laboratory testing and others asserting the marks reflect normal materials.
- A separate TikToker recently alleged finding a live maggot in an Always pad, and prior reports noted the brand had not addressed that claim specifically.
- The controversy revives earlier complaints and context, including a small case series linking Always pads to vulval irritation and broader PFAS-related lawsuits targeting period products.