10 Absurd Things Women's Magazines Claim Are Going To Kill You

Tampons

A story published by Cosmopolitan shares the curious tale of a woman found unconscious, with a high fever and her internal organs shutting down after a heart attack. She was rushed to the hospital, where she developed gangrene due to the lack of blood flow in her legs. Doctors were forced to amputate one of the woman's legs just below the knee, as well as all five of her toes on the other foot. It was discovered that the woman fell ill from a bout of Toxic Shock Syndrome or TSS.

A very small percentage of women who have Staphylococcus aureus in their regular vaginal flora can contract TSS. They also must lack the protein that protects them from the bacteria. On top of that, TSS happens when a woman is experiencing her menstrual cycle and fails to change out her feminine hygiene product. TSS can lead to death if untreated, although it only kills about five percent of the patients who contract it.