Have you heard of Jiftip? Neither had I, until a couple of weeks ago when someone posted an affiliate link in a Facebook group that I frequent. As someone who is always intrigued by new birth control methods, I had to check out the website! Like with Passion Dust, I immediately had a problem with this product, and the more time I spent on the site, the larger my concern grew. Let’s take a look.
Jiftip is designed to be “your new wingman, a pullout shield,” but the disclaimer under the product when you try to purchase one says, “It’s NOT a condom, do Not use for preventing STI’s or pregnancy.” But upon further investigation, the product is marketed as a condom alternative, to prevent STIs and pregnancy. The inconsistencies are enough to make me stop there, but let’s go on.
Jiftip was founded by a man who didn’t want to use a condom, but wanted the safety of one. He experimented with various homemade methods, including supergluing his urethra closed and wrapping his penis in saran wrap. The current product, the Jiftip, is the result of these experiments and is currently in beta testing.
The website’s Q&A states that the Jiftip is used to “Prevent the baby-seeds from getting a head start while slamming the door on invaders. While we can’t stop you from using it as a condom, we keep telling you it’s not.” They can’t tell you it’s a condom, for legal reasons, but that apparently isn’t stopping them from marketing it as one.
So, what is it? How do you use it? The Jiftip is marketed as a “condom alternative,” and is meant to be used for a sort of “barebacking” without the risks. It is a little sheet of plastic that has an adhesive side you adhere to your penile opening. There isn’t an ingredient list, another issue I have with the product, so if you have sensitivities to, well, anything, I don’t recommend trying the Jiftip.
The website states you need to put it on while you are still soft, before sex. The website also says that after finishing you will need to push the come out of the urethra, forming a bubble in the tip of the product, then clean up and dispose. A couple of reviews say that taking it off is painful, but probably not as painful as the STIs it doesn’t prevent.
Inhibiting a proper ejaculation, in the way that the Jiftip does, can cause issues with your reproductive and urinary systems. If done often this practice can send the semen into your bladder setting you up for a urinary tract infection (UTI). It can also cause your bladder sphincter to malfunction which causes retrograde ejaculation. Retrograde ejaculation, or a dry orgasm, is one cause of male infertility. Furthermore, keeping your semen trapped in your urethra can put pressure on the pudendal nerve. Putting pressure on this nerve is known to cause numbness in the penis.
The website suggests an at home test to see if this will cause discomfort for you during use, they recommend, “Holding the tip closed, pee until it’s uncomfortable.” This test puts you at risk for UTIs, bladder infections, and damaging your sphincter before you even get to try the product! If you do this same “test” with semen (or use the product) on a regular basis, it can cause UTIs, eventually making its way to your bladder, causing bladder infections, severe inflammation, and pain. It can even cause retrograde ejaculation. Which they claim is harmless, despite that it can cause infertility.
This company doesn’t seem to have any concern for its consumers! The company repeats that their product is intended to prevent STIs and pregnancy, then say they don’t make any promises.
The website even claims that if you have healthy skin and use their product correctly, you won’t be at risk for pregnancy or STIs (again with the legal loopholes!). They do state that it doesn’t prevent herpes, but there is more than one STI that is spread through skin to skin contact. Syphilis and HPV are just a couple of examples. There is no official testing and no FDA stamp of approval. All of the “testing” is done by beta users, so there is no scientific evidence to back any of their “claims” that it prevents STIs, pregnancy, or is even safe to put on your body!
The information on the website is as contradictory as it is incorrect. JifTip even goes as far as to recommend you store the product in your wallet! Anyone who knows anything about condoms knows that is not a good idea. If they included a material list, I would be able to provide further comment, but until then, don’t store any contraception in your pocket. Even if it isn’t officially contraception.
I was already skeptical when I was unable to find any ingredient list on the website. The disclaimers that absolve them of any responsibility if their product fails is also a huge red flag for me. Then there is their lack of knowledge on anything.
Jiftip for your Diktip seems like a bad joke; sadly, it is not. You can sign up to be a beta tester if you’re “dare devil” enough. I don’t understand how anyone is “dare devil” enough to put their sexual health and future at risk like that! Personally, I don’t support the concept or the company. What are your thoughts?
Top photo via Flickr Creative Commons/yaybiscuits123; all other images via jiftip.com
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