A Feminine 'Lipstick' That Glues The Vagina Closed To Keep In Period Blood? Try Again, Says Internet
A chiropractor in Kansas has come up with a bizarre tool to help women deal with their periods that seems more at place in a child’s art box than a woman’s private parts. The doctor’s invention, called Mensez, is a type of adhesive glue stick for the vaginal lips, meant to seal them shut to hold in menstrual blood. The adhesive reportedly comes undone when a woman urinates, releasing the blood that has been stored during the day. As strange as it sounds, Mensez’s inventor claims it does work, but the Internet isn't buying it.
According to Mensez creator Dr. Daniel Dopps, Mensez is a “feminine lipstick” made of amino acids and oils that helps to seal the labia lips together during a woman’s period, Forbes reported.
“Have you ever woke up with your lips stuck together? It didn’t hurt and it was kinda fun,” writes Dopps on his Facebook page. “All you had to do was to wet your lips from the inside with saliva and they became unstuck. This is the principle behind Mensez.”
Read: Heavy Periods: 4 Surprising Facts About Your Menstrual Cycle, When To Worry
Dopps insists that this seal is strong enough to keep menstrual blood from exiting the vagina. When a woman uses the bathroom, her urine stream will break the Mensez bond, releasing her buildup of menstrual fluid into the toilet bowl. Dopps also claims the product is “safe, secure and clean” but critics, many of whom are women, have other thoughts.
“What if you're a real woman, especially one who's had babies, and you, I dunno, sneeze, or have a toddler jump into your lap,” writes one Facebook commenter.
“He knows that the blood is also moist... right?” commented another.
According to Forbes, a patent was granted for the Mensez vaginal lipstick on January 10, but is not yet available in stores. Though Dobbs' invention is strange, the doctor is right — there is a major need in the market for cheap, convenient, and hygienic menstruation products. While many women will say that their menstrual periods are an inconvenience at least some of the time, in other parts of the world, menstruation can actually put a woman's or young girl's life at risk.
The stigma against menstruation means that some girls have to stay home from school during their periods, a practice that seriously compromises their education. In addition, some girls become targets for sexual abuse when it becomes known that they have started menstruating. Lack of access to sanitary products has also forced some girls and women to trade sexual favors for the products they need, News Deeply reported.
The solution to this is cheap and reusable menstrual products, and easy access to a means to clean them, such as Flo — a simple-to-use, cost-effective tool that discretely washes and dries menstrual cloths. It remains to be seen what happens with Mensez, but the goal of connecting women with tools to better handle their periods is a good one.
See Also:
Menstruation And The Female Brain: How Fluctuating Hormone Levels Impact Cognitive Function
