A compressed tampon having an insertion end, a withdrawal end, a
longitudinal axis, a radial axis, and an outer surface. The outer surface
of the tampon has a plurality of recessed portions. Each of the recessed
portions comprises a length dimension, a first side wall, and a second
side wall. The first side wall and the second side wall both have
proximal ends, opposed distal ends, and wall dimensions extending between
the proximal end and the distal end. The proximal ends of the first and
second side walls intersect one another to form a vertex. The recessed
portion has a depth dimension as measured parallel to the radial axis
from an imaginary line connected by the distal end of the first side wall
and the distal end of the second side wall to the vertex. The depth
dimension varies as measured along at least a portion of the length
dimension.