The modern tampon as we know it today was invented by Dr. Earle Cleveland Haas, an American osteopathic physician. He patented the first modern tampon with an applicator in 1931. Haas developed the tampon using compressed cotton and designed a cardboard telescoping applicator so women would not have to touch the cotton prior to insertion. He sold the patent in 1933 to Gertrude Tenderich, who founded the Tampax company and was the first to mass-produce tampons based on his design.
Historically, tampon-like devices have been used by women across various cultures for thousands of years, made from materials such as papyrus in ancient Egypt, sponges, grass, and other natural fibers. But the invention of the modern tampon with a proper applicator that is widely used dates to Haas in the early 20th century.
