By Alyssa Pajarillo
A new and very dangerous form of faux birth control has been slithering around social media for those who hate wearing condoms. Jiftip is marketed as “your new wingman, a pullout shield.”
Jiftip’s toxic website blurs the lines between being safe or not so much. Robin Thicke would rejoice.
The company promises a more “free” and “undetectable” experience with their product. Jiftip is simply a sticky adhesive strip designed to seal the urethra shut.
Though Jiftip is marketed as a condom alternative, it does not offer the same protection as condoms. Jiftip issues this haunting disclaimer at checkout, “It’s NOT a condom, do not use for preventing STIs or pregnancy.” Jiftip, in all reality, offers no more protection than scotch-taping the urethra shut.
Jiftip can only be found on the company’s grossly misleading website, quoting dubious studies from artificial sources in an attempt to back its deceitful claims.
On its FAQ page, Jiftip listed several bogus claims that its product is safe, including “Remember the last time you held your sneeze in and your eyeballs popped out? lol. Seriously, when we studied the incredible elasticity of the urethra, using it as an indoor cum-tainer makes perfect sense.”
Jiftip propaganda then states that a renown urologist named Dr. Paduch testified that the products is safe, followed by a misleading link to an article on self.com titled, “PSA: Penis Stickers Are Not Effective Birth Control.” Dr. Paduch was interviewed for the article and spoke against Jiftip for vaginal intercourse.
When asked if it is safe to hold semen in the urethra, Jiftip links to a study by Dr. Justin Lehmiller, a contributing writer to the Kinsey Institute’s website. The Kinsey Institute has been a pioneer in the study of human sexuality since 1947. While the credentials of the link are impressive, Dr. Lehmiller’s research was limited to whether it is dangerous for males to prevent ejaculation during orgasm, not whether it is dangerous to keep semen in the urethra. His research was not conducted with Jiftip in mind.
Jiftip even addressed the looming question: Does it hurt? The response? “Of course it hurts and you’ll love every moment of it.”
Potential consumers were prompted to do a simple test to see if holding their semen would be painful for them. “Hold the tip closed (and) pee until it’s uncomfortable.”
This is an unwise idea that can cause painful urinary tract infections in males, and puts individuals at risk for bladder infections and damage to their sphincter.
Jiftip’s website is very male-centric and abusively ambiguous. In an interview with NBC News, Dr. Lauren Streicher warned that Jiftip might be used to fool potential partners.
“The big danger is when a guy goes and buys this product and he shows up and says to a woman ‘Oh, this is going to be better than a condom,’” Streicher said. “She doesn’t have the opportunity to necessarily go on the website or read about it.”
All of Jiftip’s testing allegedly comes from beta users, without the supervision of the FDA or scientific research.
Jiftip is not FDA approved. It is not a reliable or an even remotely safe alternative to condoms. It does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy. Because of its ridiculous nature and claims, Jiftip may seem like a fake product, but unfortunately it is real. Individuals need to be aware that this product is dangerous and ineffective. Simply taping your penis closed will not help you prevent pregnancy or STIs.
