CloseUp with Dr Nisha Thayananthan, Tamil Plastic Surgeon & Beauty Queen

Why This Tamil Plastic Surgeon & Beauty Queen Wants Women to Rethink Their Choice of Period Pads

Most women usually never stop to think about what their period pads are actually made of. Dr Nisha Thayananthan says it’s time we started reading the ingredients list more closely.

It’s not every day you meet a Malaysian born, London based Tamil plastic surgeon who has walked the Cannes red carpet, competes on the international pageant stage, including Miss Universe Ireland 2026, and is building a mission around women’s gynaecological health.

But Dr Nisha Thayananthan isn’t someone who fits neatly into one lane.

In our Thamarai UpClose conversation celebrating International Women’s Day, Nisha talks candidly about owning her space as a Tamil woman while navigating multiple worlds.

From Malaysia to the Global Stage

Born in Malaysia, a true melting pot of cultures and languages, Nisha’s life reflects that same blend.

One day she’s in the operating theatre. Another she’s on the red carpet. And alongside it all, she’s building something that tackles an issue most women rarely stop to question: the pads they use every month.

The Question Women Aren’t Asking: What Are Period Pads Made Of?

Nisha is concerned that many conventional period pads still contain dioxin, a toxin linked to serious health concerns, including cervical cancer.

In response, she launched a biodegradable pad designed to be safer for women and kinder to the planet, breaking down within 216 hours.

But the mission goes beyond sustainability.

Through the initiative, Nisha also donates pads to communities facing period poverty, while using the packaging to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of breast and cervical cancer.

Claiming Your Space, No Matter What They Say

Stepping into the spotlight as a surgeon, international pageant competitor and founder hasn’t come without criticism. But Nisha is clear about how she handles it:

“What protects me from criticism isn’t thick skin,” she tells us “It’s clarity about who I am and the values I stand for.”

The Conversation Our Communities Still Aren’t Having

Conversations around women’s hormonal and reproductive health are finally starting to enter the mainstream. A recent viral roundtable led by Steven Bartlett brought together hormone and fertility experts to unpack issues many women have been dealing with quietly for years.

But within many South Asian communities even here in the UK these conversations still don’t happen often enough.

Too many women are navigating conditions like dysmenorrhea and endometriosis largely on their own. Others are managing peri-menopause and menopause with very little support at home, in the workplace and even within the medical system.

Which is why the awareness Nisha is bringing into this space matters. And for many women, those conversations are long overdue.

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