Malaysian startup reveals 'world's first' adhesive unisex condom

A Malaysian startup has launched the Wondaleaf, said to be the world's first adhesive condom that can be worn by both men and women. 

The Wondaleaf unisex condom's default configuration is an internal condom but the pouch can be inverted to become an external condom to be worn by the man, said the manufacturer, Twin Catalyst, on its website. 

According to an instructional video on the Twin Catalyst YouTube page, once the condom is taken out of the packet and unfolded, users will need to look for indicators identifying the front and back portions of the condom.

The exposed barrier film section, which holds the retention unit, is then inserted all the way into the vagina before the external layers of the condom are peeled off so the rest of the barrier film can be stuck on the front and back of the woman's abdomen, ensuring "no direct skin-to-skin contact" during intercourse.

After intercourse, Wondaleaf can be removed by slowly peeling the film off the skin from back to front, according to the tutorial. 

The company said its invention is an improvement from other condoms available on the market because it is adhesive, which means it can be put on early and will not disrupt intimacy, and will not slip off during the process, making it a safer contraceptive. 

The condom is also made of polyurethane, which means "we can make it really thin" at approximately 0.03mm, said Twin Catalyst.

For reference, the thinnest condom sold by one brand commonly stocked at Singapore retailers measures about 0.045mm in thickness. 

Twin Catalyst was founded in 2013 to develop and manufacture novel medical devices, according to its website. Its founder, gynaecologist Dr John Tang, said he believes that a lack of access to female condoms could be a factor contributing to the issues of sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancies. 

"Men may feel like a condom is restricting, resorting to 'stealthing', which is a form of sexual violence wherein a sexual partner removes a condom during penetration without the receiving partner's knowledge," said the company in a press release. 

The Wondaleaf unisex condom was announced earlier this month, ahead of World Contraception Day on Sep 26.

It is available for sale online for RM14.99 (S$4.85). Each order contains two condoms, two packets of water-based lubricant and two pieces of "retention gauze".