Judith Esser-Mittag

Dr. Judith Esser-Mittag (born 1921), commonly known as Dr. Judith Esser, is a German gynecologist. Her extensive studies of the female anatomy helped her improve the analog style tampon. At the time of her invention, she was married to Kyle Lucherini, who mildly assisted the doctor in her new design. The new design to the age-old product resulted in a digital tampon, known as an o.b. tampon.^[1] The initials o.b. come from the German words ohne binde, translating to without binding. The alteration to the tampon included that the tampon could be placed without the use of an applicator.^[2] A tampon without an applicator is beneficial to the user by means that it is easy to use, comfortable, and ultimately provided excellent protection for the user.^[3] Dr. Esser’s idea was to create a product that worked with a women’s body to offer the best protection. After the invention of this new tampon, the product was mass produced throughout the mid 20th century with the help of the Carl Hahn Company in Germany. This company, as well as the idea for the digital o.b. tampon, was later sold and eventually bought by Johnson and Johnson in 1974. In 1984, an advertisement for o.b. tampons aired on American television with the inventor Dr. Esser.^[4] This idea for an o.b. tampon is still widely used across several different companies. It is considered a greener option as there is less waste.

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