Cunnilingus Just Got Safer with Lorals
Melanie, the founder and CEO of Lorals joined us for another employee training to shed light on an often overlooked safer sex product - dental dams. For her, launching Lorals was deeply personal. She wanted more equality and accessibility in the safer sex space. Melanie, we absolutely agree with you!
What we love about Lorals is that they address so many niche issues that are deeply personal and yet relatable to various communities. As a queer person, Melanie understood the need to have safer sex products that were designed specifically for the ways queer people have sex. As an autistic person, she understood how differences in sensory perception can impact intimacy and wanted a product to help reduce those hurdles. As someone with a vulva, she understood that doing arts and crafts on a condom to fashion it into makeshift protection wasn’t a realistic solution. And as someone with an STI, she was passionate about destimatizing safer sex. The confluence of her different identities led her to design the innovative wearable dental dams that became Lorals.
What are Lorals?
Lorals are super stretchy, ultra-thin, protective latex undies. Gone are the days of having to hold a loose piece of latex while performing oral sex, now you can just slip on a pair and trust that you won’t drop it, forget which side faces which part, and give up all together. While this design seems like a no-brainer now, it was absolutely revolutionary when it first hit the market.
Why are dental dams so important?
As Melanie pointed out, cunnilingus is an incredibly popular activity. She referenced a 2010 study “Sexual Behavior in the US,” that demonstrated that 73% of sexually active adults participated in this activity and 91% of receivers and 94% of givers enjoyed it. However, she followed up by emphasizing that cunnilingus is a major source of STI transmission. A few more stats:
85% of genital herpes are transmitted through oral sex (Weill Cornell medicine)
72% of mouth and throat cancer are caused by HPV transmitted through oral sex (American cancer society)
The majority of bacterial STIs are transmitted through oral sex (Journal of sex research)
Despite this, many people don’t use barriers during oral sex - one of the big reasons being that dental dams have been really hard to use. But Lorals have changed the game. Now the only hurdle is educating people on the importance of using barriers during oral sex.
Benefits of Lorals
Melanie highlighted some of the features that make Lorals a great option for use during sex:
They’re FDA approved for STI protection during cunnilingus and anilingus
They can be work during your period to make the experience more pleasant
They ease overstimulation for people who are sensitive to specific smells, tastes, and textures (like beard hair!)
They can be worn to decrease visual discomfort for those who experience dysphoria or are recovering from trauma.
They’re also lightly vanilla scented (with non-sensitizing, non-irritating, and PH-balanced fragrance) to reduce the latex smell often associated with barriers
And they’re incredibly well crafted. Being vegan, gluten-free, paraben and spermicide free. To ensure comfortable wear.
As someone who’s been a big fan of Lorals since they launched, this was all familiar information (not to brag). But Melanie pointed out some other features that I hadn’t even considered, which was very exciting:
Lorals are clit cupping. Meaning, when they’re fitted properly they slightly push up on the clit, enhancing the sensation.
Usually going back to front is a big no no, since it can cause infections. But while wearing Lorals, you don’t have to worry about bacterial transmission meaning you can bounce from vulva to booty and back, no worries.
Because of their tight contouring fit, you can incorporate Lorals into sensation play, snapping them if you enjoy a bit of sting.
Since they’re covering your bits, you can wear Lorals during public encounters and have more peace of mind. Obviously, use discretion as to when/where you get down.
CEO & Founder, Melanie Cristol joined the She Bop team to give us a deep look at the revolutionary safer sex products.
Last Thing…
Lorals are single-use. So toss them after you use them.
Reference their handy sizing guide to help you figure out how to wear them properly.
If they pull on your pubic hair while wearing, you can use a bit of lube around the edges to reduce discomfort.
Speaking of lube, you can use them on the inside to improve the sensation.
While dental dams have often gotten a bad rap, they are an essential tool for safe oral sex, providing a barrier that helps prevent the transmission of STIs. Lorals were designed from a place of passion and they offer convenience, comfort, and ease of use for many different people. Keep a pack handy for the next time you’re getting dirty.