Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

In a startling new development from the Food and Drug Administration, a new line of underwear that promises protection against some sexually transmitted infections has been cleared. According to Staten Island Live, the vanilla-scented latex underwear made by Lorals, is meant to act as a barrier during oral sex to protect intimate partners from the spread of STDs, including herpes, gonorrhea, and syphilis. An advertisement was made to help interested persons to understand how the brand/product works. “Protection are single-use, natural latex undies that block the transmission of bodily fluids, harmful pathogens, and sexually transmitted infections.”

“Oral sex is not totally risk-free,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told the New York Times. The products are important for all those who are sexually active, but Dr. Marrazzo says that such products are important for “teenagers who are initiating their first sexual activity with oral sex.” She also noted that the underwear could “reduce anxiety and increase pleasure around that particular behavior,” for people of all ages. Lorals CEO and founder Melanie Cristol recently took to Instagram to announce the granting of FDA approval. 

“The F.D.A.’s authorization of this product gives people another option to protect against S.T.I.s during oral sex,” Courtney Lias, director of the FDA office that led the review of the underwear, told the New York Times.

Lorals underwear has been the only product authorized, according to the FDA, for protection during oral sex. Before that, there was the dental dam, which is a rectangular sheet of latex that forms a barrier between the mouth and genitals.

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2022 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.