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Period Myths: What Are The Strangest Period Myths You've Ever Heard?

The Weirdest Periods Myths We've Ever Heard
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Ladies, beware: somehow, the scent of our periods can attract the likes of bears, sharks and dogs.

It sounds like a horror movie waiting to happen, and is just as realistic, but most of us have been given all kinds of silly advice when it comes to our time of the month.

In a new survey by Playtex, it was found that the pearls of wisdom included such gems as 'don't get a perm because your hair won't curl,' 'don't go dancing because your period makes you crazy,' or our personal favourite: 'Don’t touch or hold ice or clean out the freezer, it makes your cramps worse.'

The company asked Canadian women to share advice they received from their moms when they first got their periods. Respondents have been tweeting their responses with the hashtag #PlayOn to entertaining results. Some other hilarious myths include don't play tennis or ride a bike, and washing your hair on your period will give you headaches.

"This is a sensitive topic for many and there might not have been a lot of discussion the ‘first time,’ but it is important that women educate themselves on what is really happening to their bodies," said Sohana Samanta, brand manager of Playtex Feminine Care in a press release.

It might be funny, but there are also genuine problems with believing some of these absurd myths, like creating a sense of fear for young girls getting their periods and contributing to overall stereotypes for women who get them. Last month, research from the University of Toronto suggested that premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, may be just a myth, perpetuated by popular culture. The study found no obvious link between women's negative mood swings and the premenstrual phase of their cycles.

The social media experiment also found other tweets like, "If you swim during your period, your tampon will absorb water and you’ll sink" and "Switch the side you’re sleeping on every three hours."

Join the conversation! What are some of the strangest period myths you've ever heard? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add them to the story.

ALSO: We did our own informal survey and collected some of the best and funniest answers off Twitter.

Don't Sleep Next To Other Women

Common Period Myths

Don't Sleep Next To Other Women:

Don't even bother having an all-girls sleepover. One myth claims that sleeping next to another woman while you're on your period can somehow be instantly contagious, and that person will also get their period. Truth: While many believe women who live, or even work, together will 'sync' their cycles, the jury's still out as to whether or not this has a scientific basis. And it definitely can't happen in one night.

Don't Go Swimming, Don't Go Camping:

Swimming in the ocean while you're on your period or camping in the woods will attract dangerous animals. So if you don't want to be attacked by a shark or bear — avoid having any fun. Truth: According to a variety of experts, it seems that neither sharks nor bears care much about menstrual blood

Tampons = Loss Of Virginity:

Another huge myth, and still believed by many, is that wearing a tampon means you lose your virginity. Truth: Losing your virginity means having sexual intercourse. Period.

Don't Go To The Dentist — Your Fillings Will Fall Out:

Truth: While gum sensitivity (and therefore bleeding) can occur while a woman has her period, this won't affect the far more intensive operation of getting a filling.

You Can't Get Pregnant During Your Period:

Truth: Even though it's possible, it's highly unlikely. "You'd have to have a very short menstrual cycle, which is the time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period, or a tendency to have long periods. This would bring the time of ovulation closer to the time when you would start bleeding," says fertility specialist Carolyn Kubik.

Don't Touch Ice:

Truth: While warm things, like a hot water bottle, can feel like it's helping cramps, cold things will not worsen the pain.

Don't Touch Fresh Flowers:

Another strange one, don't touch plants or fresh flowers when you're on your period — they will die. Truth: This old wives' tale comes from the time when women were seen as dirty when they had their periods — it also apparently applies to canning foods and making jelly or bread.

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