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@chrismessina it's probably more similar to the Instead SoftCup which is currently available in major drugstores like CVS. DivaCup doesn't have the soft film container which prohibits vaginal intercourse while it is inserted unlike Flex and Instead.
@chrismessina Hi Chris, great question.
Menstrual discs like FLEX differ in a few ways from a menstrual cup:
Menstrual discs are disposable; menstrual cups are reusable
Menstrual discs are soft and fully collapsable with a thin membrane center and flexible outer rim; menstrual cups are firm and bell-shaped with a stem
Menstrual discs are worn in the vaginal fornix, at the base of the cervix; menstrual cups are worn in the vaginal canal
Menstrual discs can be worn during sexual intercourse; menstrual cups must be removed before vaginal sexual intercourse
Menstrual discs have one method of insertion and removal; menstrual cups may be folded and inserted in a variety of ways
Menstrual discs generally have a similar size and shape; menstrual cups come in a variety of shapes and sizes
Menstrual discs have not been linked to TSS; menstrual cups have been linked to TSS
Let me know if that helps or if you have additional questions <3
@joelle_writes @chrismessina That's correct, Softcup and FLEX are both menstrual discs. We make Softcup as well. The key difference is in the materials. FLEX is made out of newer materials that heat up when inside of the body for a custom, leak-free fit.
@joelle_writes @chrismessina Softcup and FLEX are both menstrual discs. We make Softcup as well. The key difference is in the materials. FLEX is made out of newer materials that heat up when inside of the body for a custom, leak-free fit.
I'm not a target customer but it always makes me happy to see companies disrupting industries that have not been innovated in decades.
FLEX team - can you tell us what makes this different from the Instead SoftCup? How do the two compare?
@joelle_writes Softcup and FLEX are both menstrual discs. We make Softcup as well. The key difference is in the materials. FLEX is made out of newer materials that heat up when inside of the body for a custom, leak-free fit. Our business model is very different, too. We sell subscriptions of FLEX online with free shipping and provide support (phone, text, facetime).
As a dude, this simply looks like an awesome, modern option for women. Congrats on launching!
Great work, team! FLEX is awesome! gf and I have been on the waitlist for months now - can't wait! 💌
Very cool product and company that I think will be like Bevel / Walker & Co. -- there's still huge need to improve female health products worldwide, and it's often not the people who deeply understand and are passionate about the needs (...women!) who are building the companies. Lauren and team are relentlessly determined, so this is one to watch.
As a woman, this is revolutionary. I was lucky enough to get a sample and let me just say -- it works!!! So grateful it exists. Lauren, what's been the biggest surprise about the company so far?
@kjer I'm curious as to how this is different from the Insead SoftCup which is already readily available.
Hey everyone, I'm Lauren, founder and ceo at FLEX.
FLEX is a new single-use product called a menstrual disc.
It’s shaped somewhat like a diaphragm with a flexible outer ring and a soft, collapsible center.
It’s worn inside the vaginal fornix (located around the cervix) to catch menstrual blood for up to 12 hours. When the user is finished wearing, the product is discarded. Most women use about 8 per cycle, compared to about 20 tampons per cycle.
Unlike a tampon or cup, a menstrual disc leaves the vaginal canal unobstructed, which helps alleviate cramps and makes the product undetectable to the wearer.
There’s generally one size of menstrual disc and is designed to fit most women, including mothers.
FLEX is made out of a medical-grade polymer that has antimicrobial properties, that does not disrupt the PH of your vagina, helping to prevent infections that are typically caused by tampons. Medical grade polymers are used in all types of products that are approved for use inside the human body, including surgical tools and stents that live inside the heart.
FLEX is hypo-allergenic, made without latex or silicone, vegan, and not tested on animals. And FLEX has not been linked to TSS.
Happy to answer any questions you have!
- L
@laurenschulte do you have any promo code for Product Hunt members? I would love to 🎁 it to my 💁
@laurenschulte The only downside (and a big one for me) is that just like tampons and pads, the product can't be recycled or reused like a menstrual cup so it ends up in landfills. Still cool to see your innovation because God knows tampons and pads are awful!
12 hour protection and no more thinking 'am I going to get TSS if I leave this in for another 10 minutes?!' Amazing. My one question is whether there are more than 1 size or if 1 size fits everyone. Super excited to try this.
@vanessa_lee Thank you! We are currently only making 1 size, which was designed to fit over 90% of women.
Flex is really fantastic, I'm a convert. I was lucky enough to try a sample in February, and since then I've been looking forward to using Flex exclusively.
I had given up tampons perhaps 5 or 6 years ago (they caused irritation) in favour of a menstrual cup - which was a definite improvement. But Flex is a huge improvement beyond a menstrual cup, because when wearing Flex, I can't feel it at all. It's so much more comfortable.
I met Lauren last year when she first started working on FLEX full-time. I'll admit I was pretty skeptical, I had been using tampons for 14 years!!
She gave me a sample and I tried it during a day of board meetings (cuz pressure, AMIRIGHT?) I wore it all day and literally forgot I was even on my period. I didn't have to sneak out to go to the bathroom every couple hours, I didn't touch my purse or top drawer all day, and I never felt the inkling of a yeast infection.
I went home and put a tampon in later that night and it felt like razor blades - it was SO painful! I realized that the products on the market today are unacceptable and we need more options.
So I quit my job the next day and am now the cofounder of The Flex Company.
This is an interesting product. However, I'll have to do more research health-wise before making my decision to try this. @erika_jensen your story sounds amazing! You really quit your job the very next day? It's awesome you found a product you believe in and are co-creating it now.
Hi, I'm Holly, the lead designer on FLEX.
As a female industrial designer, I had always been bothered by how many pain points that tampons have: they leak, they smell bad, they create tons of waste, they can cause disease, and they are viewed as "a dirty secret" by most of society. I knew there needed to be a change, and I knew that design could help.
When I first heard about FLEX, I knew that this was the product that I, and billions of other women had been looking for. I quit my job at a Fortune 500 company, and have been working with FLEX for the past 7 months.
I can't wait to continue to innovate in this space and am looking forward to see how women's lives will be changed for the better!
@casielane We are working on getting distribution there, but currently we do not.
Farmstead