Tampon: No. 7,338,483; Edward Carlin and Hartmut Martin, assignors to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

Tampon: No. 7,338,483; Edward Carlin and Hartmut Martin, assignors to The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH. Filed 11/21/03. Issued 3/4/08.

A tampon for feminine hygiene comprising an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a longitudinal axis and an outer surface was patented. The tampon is comprised of compressed fibrous material. The outer surface of the tampon has a plurality of first surfaces and a plurality of second surfaces. Each of the first and second surfaces has a distal end and a proximal end. The proxireal end of the first surface contacts the proximal end of the second surface to form a proximal vertex. The distal end of the first surface contacts the distal end of the second surface to form a distal vertex. Along the length of the tampon there are multiple sets of widths between a first distal vertex and a second distal vertex. The multiple sets of widths have a stepped transition.