Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne have been forced to take down an episode of their Life Uncut podcast after listeners complained it contained health misinformation.
The pair recently interviewed American model Lauren Wasser, who almost died and lost both of her legs at age 24 after being diagnosed with Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).
TSS occurs when usually harmless Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus bacteria, which live on the skin, invade the bloodstream and produce dangerous toxins.
It most commonly occurs in women using tampons.
During the episode, Lauren opposed the scientific fact that TSS is caused by leaving tampons in for more than eight hours, and said the illness can happen even to those who use them correctly.
Brittany Hockley (left) and Laura Byrne (right) have been forced to take down an episode of their Life Uncut podcast after listeners complained that it contained health misinformation
Lauren claimed many tampons on the market are 'full of bleach dioxin, chlorine' and the products marked as 100 per cent cotton are 'still sprayed with pesticides',' she claimed.
'We're putting that inside of us at such a delicate time and it creates a perfect storm. It takes one of those toxins to get inside your body and start acting like the flu and shutting down your organs, it's lethal, it's dangerous,' she said.
After receiving complaints that Lauren's claims were medically incorrect, Brittany and Laura decided they had no choice but to take down the episode.
Lauren Wasser developed Toxic Shock Syndrome despite changing her tampons regularly. She lost both of her legs as a result of the life-threatening infectionDuring the episode, Lauren opposed the scientific fact that TSS is caused by leaving tampons in for more than eight hours, and said the illness can happen even to those who use them correctly
'Recently we interviewed Lauren Wasser who shared her heartbreaking story around Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). Lauren contracted TSS as a result of using tampons,' the former Bachelor stars wrote to Instagram on Wednesday.
'During that episode there was a comment made that was medically incorrect', they wrote, before sharing several quotes by Lauren.
'Although it is well documented that tampons may contain chemicals and dioxins, these are not responsible for causing TSS. TSS results from toxins produced by bacteria,' Laura and Brittany continued.
After receiving complaints that Lauren's claims were medically incorrect, Brittany and Laura decided they had no choice but to take down the episode
'There is a wide misconception that TSS from tampon use is only a result from leaving a tampon in for too long. Lauren's experience is that she contracted TSS from using tampons correctly, as she was changing it every four hours.'
They went on to remind fans that Lauren lost both her legs and that she remains a 'fierce advocate for TSS awareness'.
'The episode has been temporarily archived while we make this edit, and it will be available again soon,' they concluded.
In the caption, Laura and Brittany thanked those who 'brought this to our attention'.
'During that episode there was a comment made that was medically incorrect', they wrote, before sharing several quotes by Lauren. 'Although it is well documented that tampons may contain chemicals and dioxins, these are not responsible for causing TSS. TSS results from toxins produced by bacteria,' Laura and Brittany continued
Signs and symptoms: What is Toxic Shock Syndrome?
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare and potentially life-threatening illness that is thought to be caused by infection with certain types of bacteria.
Women who have their period are most likely to get TSS, as it is thought to be associated with tampon use.
The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but one theory is that the bacteria naturally present in the vagina can over-grow in the presence of a blood-soaked tampon.
However, one third of women who get TSS when they have their period are found to have no causative bacteria in their vaginas.
TSS symptoms include:
fever
vomiting
diarrhoea
a skin rash that looks like sunburn
peeling patches of skin on the feet and hands
muscular aches
headaches
a sore throat
red eyes
confusion
a drop in blood pressure
joint pains
sensitivity to light
kidney failure
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Suggestions to reduce the risk include:
Change tampons regularly (at least every four hours).
Avoid using super-absorbent tampons.
Only unwrap the tampon if you are going to use it immediately.
Do not handle the tampon more than you need to.
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after inserting the tampon.
Be gentle when inserting and removing tampons.
Avoid applicator tampons, as the applicator may scrape the vaginal walls.
Use pads (sanitary napkins) instead of tampons overnight.
Maintain personal hygiene during your period.
Do not wear tampons when you do not have your period.
Consider using pads or panty liners during the last day or so of your period when your flow is light.
Use a lubricating jelly when inserting tampons in the last day or so of your period when your flow is light.
There are no clinical trials supporting the use of menstrual cups to reduce the risk of TSS.
Share or comment on this article: Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne forced to take down podcast episode after they were slammed for Toxic Shock Syndrome 'misinformation'
Brittany Hockley (left) and Laura Byrne (right) have been forced to take down an episode of their Life Uncut podcast after listeners complained that it contained health misinformation
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Lauren Wasser developed Toxic Shock Syndrome despite changing her tampons regularly. She lost both of her legs as a result of the life-threatening infection
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During the episode, Lauren opposed the scientific fact that TSS is caused by leaving tampons in for more than eight hours, and said the illness can happen even to those who use them correctly
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After receiving complaints that Lauren's claims were medically incorrect, Brittany and Laura decided they had no choice but to take down the episode
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'During that episode there was a comment made that was medically incorrect', they wrote, before sharing several quotes by Lauren. 'Although it is well documented that tampons may contain chemicals and dioxins, these are not responsible for causing TSS. TSS results from toxins produced by bacteria,' Laura and Brittany continued
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