U by Kotex tampons recalled across the US and Canada after they started ‘unraveling’, getting stuck and causing women to seek medical attention to remove stray parts

• U by Kotex Sleek Tampons (Regular Absorbency) were launched in 2012
• They were billed as a more ‘flexible’ upgrade to the standard
• On Tuesday, the company issued a continent-wide recall of any boxes manufactured between October 7, 2016 and October 16, 2018
• Women reported seeking medical attention to get parts removed
• If parts break off, a woman’s risk of life-threatening toxic shock syndrome rises

Kimberly-Clark has recalled millions of boxes of tampons after reports that they unraveled, got stuck, women found stray parts left inside them, and some suffered ‘vaginal irritation’.

U by Kotex Sleek Tampons (Regular Absorbency) were launched in 2012 as a more ‘flexible’ upgrade to the standard, and swiftly became one of the nation’s top sellers.

But on Tuesday, the company issued a continent-wide recall of any boxes manufactured between October 7, 2016 and October 16, 2018, and distributed between October 17, 2016 and October 23, 2018.

The move comes after some women required medical assistance to find and remove the stray parts that broke off inside them.

The biggest concern from disintegrating tampons is toxic shock syndrome: it’s rare, affecting one in 100,000 people a year, and women who use tampons as directed (for no longer than eight hours) are safe. But the risk of contracting the life-threatening illness increases drastically if parts linger.