By Megan Flemmit, photography by Mrsiraphol/Freepik.com
Say what?!
Between dealing with nausea, headaches and stomach cramps, women already have a lot to deal with when their period swings around. Having to worry about ungluing their labia lips shouldn’t be added to this list.
Dr Daniel Dopps, a chiropractor from Wichita, Kansas, thinks he’s come up with a revolutionary product for women to use when they’re menstruating. Called ‘Mensez Feminine Lipstick’, the website describes the product as “a natural patented compound of amino acids and oil in a lipstick applicator that is applied to the labia minora and causes them to cling together in a manner strong enough to retain menstrual fluid.”
Yes, that does mean your labia will be glued shut!
What About Your Blood?
The compound is said to be washed away by urine, allowing your menstrual fluid to be released each time you pee. You’re then supposed to reapply the lipstick to reseal your labia.
Despite what the website says, this lipstick sounds anything but ‘safe, secure and clean’. In fact, it sounds like a one-way ride to infectionville.
READ MORE: 6 Things Your Period Could Be Telling You About Your Health
The product was patented in January, but Dopps admitted to Forbes that only a few women have tested the product so far. He added that they’re only introducing the product at this stage. However since the concept was made public it’s been met with a heavy flow of criticism.
Women on twitter, especially, are not having it:
Somehow this feels mean to both lipstick and labia. https://t.co/qwqefsJcgd
— Autumn Keiser (@hiyasugarflower) February 25, 2017
Utterly terrifying that a doctor has created a “labia lipstick”, used stop leakages on a woman period, NO WOMAN IS GUNNA PVA THEIR VAGINA
— Corin (@CorinRipley) February 23, 2017
@TeenVogue forget gluing labia he should offer his lipstick to men to glue their lips shut to stop the nonsense coming out of their mouths ?
— Freda Health (@fredaspeaks) February 23, 2017
Dopps did the product no favours by responding to criticism with this seriously misogynistic reply:
The plot thickens. This is what happens when a raging misogynist gets his hands on a small business loan #mensez #femininelipstick pic.twitter.com/9OQ4tMU7g2
— Phoebe Tansley (@phoebetansley) February 20, 2017
Dealing with periods can be tough, but glueing together our labia does not seem like a good solution. We’ll hold onto our tampons and pads for now, thanks.
Looking for a valid alternative to tampons? One of our WH Staffers tested washable, reusable pads. Read about her experience here.